SIBLINGS & SPECIAL NEEDS

Happy Monday!

I was reading a story in the paper recently about these two elderly sisters who moved to a new city together as young adults and ended up living together for the rest of their long lives. One was rarely seen without the other and they live a very happy life.

It got me thinking about siblings. How does having a child with special needs affect sibling relationships?

How do your children relate to each other? How does having one child (or more) with special needs affect the other children?

If you yourself are a sibling – let us hear from you too! What are your thoughts – how has having a sibling with special needs affected you?

See you in the comments section!

Also - I recently became aware of a company that I want to share with you! My Sibling Dolls www.mysiblingdolls.com

Here is a bit about them from the owner, Loretta!

My Pal™ and My Sibling®

Please allow us to introduce the My Pal™ and My Sibling® doll program.

My Sibling® Dolls are mini advocates for their siblings who have developmental disabilities. The booklets that come with the dolls contain a story depicting a typical situation that could happen in the lives of children faced with the challenges of living with special needs. The booklets also contain factual information about the disabilities, and also about our mission of advocating for more adult services.

The My Sibling® Work Experience program provides work opportunities for teens and adults with disabilities: they dress and accessorize the dolls, and also help with packaging and assembly of other products related to the doll program. No money changes hands in this program, we provide everything and ask for nothing in return except for help in spreading the word about the doll project.

My Pal™ dolls are an expansion of this doll program, with the same mission for providing work opportunities and advocating for more services for individuals with developmental disabilities. These dolls, however, are not focused just on the sibling issues. They are designed to be a companion for any child who needs a buddy for a challenging situation, like going to the doctor, dentist, or being in the hospital etc., flying on an airplane, taking a long car trip, special holidays, going to church, etc. They are dressed for the occasion or situation. They can also be a companion to a child who is very interested in a certain occupation or industry, like a fireman, policeman, carpenter, plumber, a nurse, a teacher, a chef, a doctor, a nurse, a plumber, a lawyer, a mechanic. The child might like to have a buddy that represents a loved one that he or she admires. My Pal dolls can also be great sports buddies … the possibilities are endless for the usefulness of our dolls in helping children care, learn, and have fun!

Don’t forget to get a sneak peek at our soon to launch website: www.knowledgesafari.com

And, follow us on twitter! www.twitter.com/knowledgesafari