Special Needs Sibling!

I love this article, Don't Forget About Me....Being a Special Needs Sibling.

  Click here to read it.  

I read this article couple of days ago, but did not have any time to sit down to write this until now.  Ashleigh has special needs.  Noah does not understand why she gets so much attention & he does not.  It is so hard to explain to him at times what Spastic Paraparesis is & why she has behavior issues.  Noah is 7.  Ashleigh is 11.  With Ashleigh getting older, things are getting harder for Ashleigh to handle.

This article reminded me that I need to pay attention to my other 2 children- my boys.  I started Reading Nights with my boys before we moved.  They love it.  It is every Wednesday nights.  Some Wednesdays nights Noah invites Ashleigh to join us.  This article reminds me to continue this with my boys.  It is special time with them.  About a month ago, Noah asked to have a Reading Night with just him & me.  We are doing this Reading Night on Thursday Nights.  This Reading Night is very important to continue because Noah is jealous of all the attention Ashleigh gets & this is his time.

In the article, Erin said

 "I was telling her (a friend at the PTO meeting) about how hard my husband and I are trying to include Molly in Brady's care and how much we talk to her about Brady's special needs and unique challenges.  She complimented us."   I love this idea.  I wonder how we can get Noah to help us with Ashleigh's care & talk to him about Ashleigh's special needs & her challenges.  We have talked to him about some of those challenges.  

Once the new school year begins, I can volunteer to do things in Noah's school.  I can not do it now since Noah started in the middle of the school year & everything is planned.  I want to get involved with the PTO.  The elementary school Noah is at goes from Kindergarten to Sixth grade.  Ethan will be here, too.  Ashleigh will not be at this school in the Fall, but at the Junior High.  

In the last paragraph, Erin said 

"...but I also know that I will never forget about my daughter's own "special" needs...because all of our children have them and we must never forget to celebrate each and every one of those needs."  I need to remember this.  My sons' have "special" needs, too.  They need that special time with Shawn & I.  At tax return time, Shawn & Noah got the X-Box 360.  They play it together.  It is time for them to be together.  Ashleigh wants to have a reading night with both me or Shawn once a week.  Ethan gets me every Thursday & Friday when Ashleigh & Noah are in school.  He loves the time on our own.  

I learned to keep up with my weekly Reading Nights.  Play attention to Noah.  Once Ethan gets older, if he wants his own weekly Reading Nights, then he gets one, too.

Night everyone.

Melissa