Television's favourite bahu and mum Shweta Tiwari Kohli has come a long way. From being a domestic abuse survivor to a successful actor and now to a new mother.
And while she's had to make many life-changing decisions, one among them was marrying long-time beau Abhinav Kohli.
The Kasauti Zindagi Kii actor who tied the knot with Kohli in 2013, wasn't necessarily looking for a good husband at the time, but a good father for her teenage daughter Palak.
And luckily, she found him.
"My daughter was quite close to Abhinav"
While sharing her emotional story Tiwari told a daily."My life has been a roller-coaster ride. Mera aur Abhinav ka three and a half years ka relationship tha. Marrying Abhinav was not an easy decision. Just two-three months before the marriage, I was like karoon, nahi karoon. But then I started seeing our whole journey again and I saw that my daughter was quite close to Abhinav."
She also added that Palak often confided in Abhinav and thought of him as her own father.
"She prefers to call Abhinav more than me if she has a problem or has to discuss anything. Palak feels that Abhinav understands her better than me. First time jab shaadi karte hain toh itni sochne ki zaroorat nahi padti, lekin jab aap second time shaadi karte hain, and that too when you have a daughter, you have to think and re-think. This time when I was getting married, more than a husband for myself, I was looking for a father for Palak. And yes, Abhinav became Palak's father first and my husband later," she shared.
After marriage I can share it (burden) with Abhinav
Of course, this relationship has only strengthened with time. With Abhinav taking on more responsibilities, not only as a husband, but also as a father to Palak and now to Reyaansh.
"I was always responsible as I always had my family to look after. And I still have my family to take care of. But yes, pehle yeh sab kuch mein akele hi dekhti thi, all the burden was on me, but after marriage I can share it with Abhinav. I am free now. I am more relaxed," said Tiwari who gave birth to her son last November.
The happy family of four is the perfect example of how love transcends all of life's trauma's but also that when a single parent works hard to enable their children to accept their new partner, life can be so much easier.
However, this tough transition can be made easy with some practical steps.
3 ways to blend families and new parents with kids
- Talk openly with your children: Let them know you still care about them and that they're not being replaced or forgotten. Invite them to express their thoughts and emotions, and be open to making changes in how you handle the transition.
- Empathise and sympathise with their feelings: Regardless of your children's ages, remarriage evokes strong feelings that they may not understand or be able to communicate. Children see remarriage as a loss — often at the end of a string of losses. Validate your children's feelings by listening to and acknowledging their concerns.
- Allow children to take time to adjust: While children may eventually embrace the new relationships, few do so at first. Be sensitive to this need for time to adjust. Do not force children to accept the situation. You can, however, expect them to be courteous and respectful.
Read: These 5 mums suffered through abusive marriages but came out stronger than ever!
(All images courtesy: Instagram)
