Why This

 

"Weird. Abnormal. Not Ok. "  These are the words of adults when they see someone who doesn't conform to their world, imagined order. Labels.  "Why doesn't she look at me? How can we play together? Can we be friends?" These are the questions children ask, when they meet someone who doesn't conform to their world. Incessantly curious. Keen to understand. And mostly, ready to help. Whose lead will you take?  I can see how simple life can be, when I look through the lens of my two little girls. And I see the power of kids compound manifold when thousands of kids across 100+ locations speak up at Bookosmia, our global 'for kids, by kids' platform. Come tap into this energy as they start an ambitious movement. Of acceptance. Of inclusion. Of normalizing. Come join this unique movement led by kids, to embrace neurodiversity.It is time to listen in to the bold young voices calling out 'we are all the same'. It is time to chime in and say, "Yes, we are Not That Different"

www.linkedin.com/in/nidhi-mishra-bookosmia

I am a special needs mom and for me my child is the most perfect kid there ever can be. And while I love him and accept him and enable him to be the best of what he can be I can't promise him a world that does the same. NOT THAT DIFFERENT for me is that movement that your child will lead for making a better more compassionate and inclusive world for my child. We need to understand that neurodiversity is not a handicap, but people exist in different ways with differently wired brains. I can't find or make a separate world for him- I want this world to be accepting and loving and co existing with him. For when he is understood and loved he is Not That Different.

 

https://mugdhakalra.com/

I write for children, so I am always spying on them. Their words, their quirks, their emotions - it’s like a university in itself. But it was only after I met Mugdha, who is the mother of an amazing boy on the autism spectrum, did I realize how narrow my definition of a child had been.  Autism is not a disease. The way we treat a person with autism is unfortunately the real disease.  But you know why we parents of neuro typical children do not talk about autism? Not because we are biased. It’s because we don’t know. We are scared of saying something that will offend. We are scared of asking questions. We want to start a conversation, but where to start?  And that question is what led to ‘Not that different’ a child led movement that looks at neuro diversity with a touch of humour.  Because when you snuggle up with your child and read them our comic strip about two children just like them, you aren’t just “reading”, you are empowering your child to deal with a future that is going to be beautifully neurodiverse. It’s going to an amazing ride. You will join us, right?

Connect with Archana on Linkedin

 

https://bookosmia.in/our_team/archana-mohan/

I am an illustrator, a cartoonist. It is a lazy though fair assumption that I would be reluctant with words, liberal with visuals. With 100+ children’s stories illustrated under my belt, how was it for me to design Sara’s new friend Madhav, a neuroatypical child ? Well, ‘not that different!’ And therein lies the answer of why we need this movement. So that we lose our apprehensions, our nervousness and just take that first step into a world that belongs to ALL of us. It will be easy, I promise!

https://bookosmia.in/our_eam/aayushi-yadav/