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    As If Life Weren't Complicated Enough: A Guide for Siblings of Children With Special Needs
    As If Life Weren't Complicated Enough: A Guide for Siblings of Children With Special Needs
    As If Life Weren't Complicated Enough: A Guide for Siblings of Children With Special Needs
    Ebook80 pages1 hour

    As If Life Weren't Complicated Enough: A Guide for Siblings of Children With Special Needs

    By Linda Seiford

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    About this ebook

    Growing up is never easy, but it’s even more challenging for siblings of children with special needs. At a time in their lives when all they really want to do is fit in, the reality of their situation prevents them from doing so. This book addresses many of the common thoughts, concerns, and feelings expressed by young adults who have siblings with special needs. It gets at the root of what is truly important: knowledge, empowerment, and perspective.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateOct 15, 2017
    ISBN9781543911565
    As If Life Weren't Complicated Enough: A Guide for Siblings of Children With Special Needs

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      Book preview

      As If Life Weren't Complicated Enough - Linda Seiford

      Author

      In the history of the world, there has never been anyone quite like you. You are unique. Yet, when it comes to growing up, you are more like everyone else than you might imagine. Every adult has experienced the uncomfortable reality of the in between years; the years of no longer being a child, but not quite being a full-fledged adult. You want to be treated like an adult, so you willingly accept more responsibility. But that responsibility doesn’t always result in the increased freedom you believe you’ve earned. It can seem quite unfair.

      Part of the problem is that adults forget just how frustrating the in between years can be, and they certainly don’t know what it is like to be a young adult in today’s world. Life is very different today, and some of the things you deal with didn’t exist in the past! This is probably obvious to you when you watch any adult attempt to work with technology. Technology has contributed to many positive changes, but that same technology also has a downside. Computers, iPads, and smartphones make information available whenever we want it, but they also have the potential to create problems. Adults may have dealt with bullying, but they didn’t have to worry about cyberbullying. Adults didn’t have to worry about people posting pictures or videos that they didn’t want others to see. They didn’t have to worry about responding immediately to texts and posts from friends, family members, or people they don’t even know very well. Today, we are all connected at every moment. We don’t know how to unplug, and even if we try, we don’t do it very well. The world has become immediate, and in many ways, privacy has become a thing of the past. This affects everyone! When the adults in your life were younger, they could avoid someone if they didn’t like the person. If they did something stupid, most people wouldn’t have even known about it. This isn’t true in today’s world. Now, everything is documented and preserved for everyone to see no matter how embarrassing, inappropriate, or untrue. Information and gossip go viral in a matter of seconds. Texting, social media, blogs, videos, and email are always available, and the content that is shared never goes away. The young adults of today are leaving a digital footprint, and that footprint has consequences. The adults in your life didn’t have to worry about leaving that kind of a trail when they were your age.

      You have even more on your plate because you have a sibling with special needs. During a time in your life when all you really want to do is fit in, the reality of your situation prevents you from doing so. Your sibling simply isn’t what you might call normal, and he or she probably brings unwanted attention to you when you least want that attention. You may love your brother or sister, but that doesn’t mean you want everyone to see some of the strange things he or she does. You also may feel as though your sibling takes away the positive attention that you would like and feel you deserve to have. I’m sure you can remember at least one time when you should have been the center of attention, but for one reason or another, your sibling became the center of attention and you felt completely ignored.

      Every person’s experience is a little different. I understand that. I won’t pretend to know exactly what you are going through with your sibling. I will, however, tell you what I have observed, and what I have been told. Over the years, I have worked with, and have talked to, many young adults who have siblings with special needs. I also have two sons; one has special needs, and one does not. Many of the young adults I have spoken with in the past, and those I interviewed for this book, stated that they felt alone when they were growing up. They shared that they didn’t feel they could talk honestly to anyone about their feelings. They revealed that they didn’t know there were other young adults who felt this same way. Because of their experiences, they chose to share their thoughts, concerns, and struggles with me, so I could share them with you. They want you to know that you aren’t alone. They want you to realize that you aren’t the only one who feels the way you feel. They want you to understand that you truly do matter.

      I will not identify any one person or specific family in this book. The statements shared and the themes that present are representative of what I was told by the young adults in these very special families. By reading these pages, you will learn that you aren’t alone. You will recognize that there are other young adults who can relate to what you are experiencing. You will understand that you are still in control of your life. Your sibling has special challenges, but those challenges do not have to define you or your life. Only you have the power to do that. Life is unpredictable, and it’s messy. But most importantly, it’s about learning - learning who you are, what is

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