When Becky Horace, founder of online publication Seek Magazine, arrived in Bangkok in the beginning of 2013, she noticed her 18-month-old son was severely struggling to adjust, and their decision to seek early medical consultation with the Reed Institute, an autism and learning disabilities school in Bangkok, turned out to be the right one. The experience has tremendously helped him improve — and inspired Becky to found a project to alleviate the struggles of families in similar situations.
Photo: Becky Horace
What is biggest challenge you have faced in therapy with your child?
As the parent, I was so concerned with my own abilities to handle the situation. I would doubt if I was the "right man for the job", and also my abilities to properly carry out what I learned in therapy at home. I just desperately wanted him to succeed.
What is your biggest takeaway from your experience with the Reed Institute?
That therapy is a team effort between therapist, staff and parents. A diagnosis of a developmental delay is a life change for the entire family. You have to be willing to put in the time and effort, along with following the lead of your physician, to effect change.
Tell us about Seek Magazine.
Seek is a non-profit organisation and community that wants to help families by providing relevant information backed by science on the topics of human development, developmental delays, parenting and much more. We are also establishing a scholarship fund for children in need of therapy for different developmental delays.
What types of stories does Seek Magazine publish?
We have articles from professionals and parents, from personal stories, consumer product reviews and parenting tips, to family-friendly recipes and activities for kids -- all to help boost development.
What are you and Seek doing this week?
This Saturday [Nov 7] from 6pm onwards, we are hosting our launch event in a lush, private garden that is also a school for children with different learning patterns. Seek Magazine, with founding sponsor Reed Institute, will unveil its plans for the next year, and our guests will enjoy live music, food and drinks, as well as an auction and raffles. Funds raised will go towards Seek's scholarship programmes.
How does Seek benefit the Thai community?
Bangkok is where this all began, so with this launch event and the funds raised, we plan on awarding our first round of scholarships to families living in Thailand.
Visit seekmagazine.org or fb.com/seekmagazine. To join the launch event on Nov 7, purchase tickets at bangkok.oneplace.events/activities/seek-magazine-charity-launch.
