Her daughter fell off a horse and broke her back. One mum shares the traumatic incident with Eveline Gan and cautions parents to listen to their kids.
Two years after a freak horse-riding accident almost left her daughter Abby (not her real name) permanently paralysed waist down, Marina Bhandari is still struggling with overwhelming guilt and regret.
On that fateful day in September 2017, the 44-year-old senior administrative manager did what many mums would do when her daughter wanted to skip her riding lesson because she “wasn’t in the mood”.
“That day, I insisted that she go for her lesson,” Marina says.
“I told her to be fair to her coach, because every time she cancelled, lessons would be affected. Plus, she had been missing her training sessions regularly and wasn’t feeling unwell or particularly flooded with homework that day.”
Abby, who was 14 years old then and a confident rider, was practising a new move inside the training paddock when the horse suddenly bolted. It threw her out of the saddle. She landed on her back, fracturing her spine in the process.
“Everything happened so suddenly and everyone was shocked because all the horses that they use for training have always been goodtempered. I heard that after it jumped, the horse simply stepped aside as if nothing happened. My husband, who had accompanied my daughter to her lesson, witnessed it all and was badly shaken,” says Marina, who has an older daughter aged 24.
She was getting ready for a family dinner when the call from her husband came.
“I thought they were on their way home. I never expected my husband to call to tell me Abby hurt her back. He sounded very agitated and was talking very fast. I dropped everything to rush to the hospital,” she shares.
An overwhelming sense of guilt hit her.
“I kept asking myself how could I have been such an ignoring and uncaring mother. Why did I insist that she go for her lesson?
Denne historien er fra July - August 2019-utgaven av Young Parents Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July - August 2019-utgaven av Young Parents Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Everything You Need To Know About Direct School Admission
If your kid is good at sports, music or has other talents, the DSA programme may be his key to getting into an elite secondary school or specialised school. Here’s what you should know about the process.
What Is The Right CCA For Your Primary School Kid?
Co-curricular activities (CCAs) aren’t just frivolous frills. They teach kids important life skills that can’t be found in a classroom lesson. EVELINE GAN finds out how to select the right one for your child.
Why You Shouldn't Let PSLE Stress Take Over Your Kid's Life
PSLE preparations start in Primary 5, which means a high-pressure two years for your family. Here's how to support your child so they can do their best.
Should Your Kid Skip A Vaccine Shot?
Vaccinations are a rite of passage for every Singaporean child, but what if your kid is sick before an appointment, or misses a booster dose? Find out the answers to these and other pressing questions.
Separation Anxiety, Bullies And Other Preschool Blues
Preschool is rarely a smooth journey for children. Sasha Gonzales asks the experts how to handle the most common dilemmas, from separation anxiety to having trouble making new friends.
Is Your Kid Stressed About Starting School This Year?
School kids in Singapore are more stressed than their peers overseas. If your kid is feeling the pressure, here’s how to find what's triggering his anxiety – and how to help.
Speech Problems In Singapore Kids: When Should You Worry?
How can you help your little one get over his stuttering? Should you worry that your tot doesn’t speak as well or isn’t as talkative as his cousin? Sasha Gonzales polls the experts on the pressing speech and language issues in toddlers and preschoolers here.
The Most Common Learning Difficulties In Singapore Kids
Struggling to read, write or count is a common problem for many children, but how do you know when that struggle is actually a learning difficulty or disability? Sasha Gonzales asked three experts to tell us what signs to look out for and when to know to get help.
Can You Really Un-Spoil Your Child?
Yes, there are ways to turn things around – without losing your temper. Here, the experts share strategies you can use in common bratty situations.
Bottoms Up!
Using cloth nappies helps save the Earth – and your wallet, too, say these mums who choose not to put their babies in disposable diapers.
