Hey guys, how's it going? I'm trying out for the school play and possibly my school softball team. If I make a big part in the play, I am going to do that. If I don't, I'm doing softball. I wish I could do both. I'll still play summer ball though. Do you guys ever have time crunches, and it is hard to do activities because of your sibling? I have to think about if my parents can get coverage for Eli or if they can even get me there every time I want to do an activity. Sometimes it really seems like everything we siblings do has to accomodate our autistic sibling. Sometimes we have to give stuff up for them. And though it sometimes seems like a burden, remember: Typical siblings do this too. They give things up for each other, often becuase of scheduling problems. In some ways what we go through is different than typical siblings, but sometimes it's the same. Here are some examples:
Autisitic Sib Situations
- Giving up activites because there is no coverage for your sibling.
- Kept up at night by your sib laughing, walking, talking, or pounding
- Sibling hits you because he/she doesn't know better
Typical Sib Situations
- Giving up activities because your sibling has something that same date
- Kept up at night by your sib playing music, talking on the phone, playing, or doing homework with the light on.
- Sibling hits you because he/she is trying to be mean, or get you to do something for them
Do you see what I'm talking about? We all deal with the same things! It's kind of like the book the Outsiders. Ask you parents if you can read it. One of things the boy in the book learns is that it's hard all around town, not just in his neighborhood. Both autistic siblings have their advantages and disadvantages. We're lucky some ways, they're lucky other ways.
-Raechel
