By Bal Agrawal
After raising an older teen with special needs, I believe I have narrowed down the bare essentials of what your child needs to prosper at home and also once he or she is grown.
1 Unconditional love
2 Structure
3 Activity
4 Medication and Psychological Help
5 Positive Vision and Hope
When my son Neel was 18 and diagnosed with mental illness at the University of Southern California, my world had come apart. He was hospitalized with serious psychotic episodes. He was catatonic and not even taking food or medicines at times.
I made a vision and etched it in my head. Through ups and downs over the last 10 years, and all sorts of challenges, I never let my vision fade away.
The vision was that someday he will ring my door bell and there he will be with his wife and children. He has done so much hard work in the last 10 years. He gave up drugs 10 years ago, smoking and drinking eight years ago, junk food, five years ago, and sugar and soda, three years ago. He also now walks three to four miles a day, has lost 50 lbs and looks great.
The best part is that he got engaged a year ago, and his fiancé , Crystal, has a daughter. They also got a dog recently–Sasha! His meds have been reduced from four daily to two! He goes to college, and helps me in my business as well as making movies.
I just love him dearly and the way it all worked out and he has worked so hard to get there. God bless him and the power of positive thinking…
Bal Agrawal is the founder and CEO of LifeWorx, a Greater New York company. With its beginnings in the basement of Bal’s home in Chappaqua, LifeWorx has now grown to four offices in Westport, CT, Manhattan and Englewood NJ. LifeWorx is the premier child care, elder care, nanny and chef service provider with a mission is to enhance the overall quality of life for Clients. It has provided over 40,000 services to hundreds of clients throughout Westchester, Fairfield and NYC. LifeWorx trademark is flawless customer satisfaction with a personal touch. The 250+ LifeWorx experts are chosen from thousands of applicants, and are simply the best.