Let’s Recognize and Celebrate How Special Siblings Are
by
Chantai Snellgrove 
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NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY
National Siblings Day (also referred to as Sibling Day) is observed on April 10. It is a day created to honor our brothers and our sisters.
To honor siblings of children with special needs this year, we thought we would pull together a list of articles that have been helpful to many families over the years.
Siblings, often times, are our children’s first, and forever, best friends. And let us not forget that sibling relationships can outlast marriages, and survive the death of parents. As parents, we need to help nurture their relationship.
Here are a few articles that you may want to read (or reread).
Siblings Are Special, Too
The bond between siblings can be a beautiful and powerful thing. It can be especially touching to watch your typical child interact with your special needs child. Whether they are teaching their sibling something or helping you deal with the ups and downs of the day, siblings are a wonderful thing.
A Letter to the Sibling of a Child with Special Needs
You’re on my heart more than you know. I know sometimes you feel like your sibling gets all the attention, and I don’t notice you, but it’s not true. Entire days go by that I ache because…
https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/letter-sibling-child-special-needs/
Why Siblings Are Too Important To Ignore
Don Meyer, the creator of Sibshops, talks about siblings and why they are too IMPORTANT to ignore…
Balancing the Care of Siblings with Different Needs
Parenting is hard. Parenting a child with special needs is hard, too, and parenting multiple kids with different abilities is one of the toughest jobs I have ever done.
https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/balancing-care-siblings-different-needs/
Born to Shine: Learning to Find Strength in Differences
At 10 years of age, Sam De La Cerda offers new perspectives on family dynamics, individuality, and inclusion in his book, ‘Am I Invisible?’
Engaging Siblings to Build Social Skills: A Relative Solution to a Complex Problem
Playtime is a primary context for children to learn important skills and to interact, but it tends to be “messy”. Children with special needs often find playtime with friends to be unpredictable and confusing because of its unspoken rules and rituals. This article will walk you through engaging siblings to help build social skills.
Paige Talhelm: My Brother Helped Shape Who I Am and Will Become…
Paige Talhelm provided insight into herself, as well as into her life being a sister to a younger brother who has been diagnosed with Autism. See what she said…
A Letter to Special Needs parents from the neurotypical sibling.
No one likes to talk about what is going to happen when I am no longer here. Who is going to take care of my child with special needs when I am no longer able to?
https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/i-am-the-ghost-of-your-future/
Autism’s Affect On Siblings
Siblings of autistic children can be left feeling lonely or left out of the picture. Now programs exist that teach siblings how to relate to their autistic brother or sister. Meg Oliver reports.
What Siblings would like Parents and Service Providers to Know
After questioning over 50 siblings of people with disabilities, the Sibling Support Project identified 20 important ideas that parents and service providers will definitely want to know to support every one of their children.
How to let Young Siblings Know you Care
The Sibling Support Project asked over fifty adult brothers and sisters of people with disabilities: “When you were younger, what did your parents, family members, and service providers do to make you feel special and let you know they cared?” Here’s what they told us…and they told us plenty.
