Ewen is my big brother, he has consumed my life from the moment I entered this complex world. I never recall questioning why Ewen didn’t talk, nor why we couldn’t attend the family meet-up or neighbours birthday party. My pride for my brother has always been in great abundance not leaving any space for potential … Continued
The thing about being a sibling to someone with a lifelong disability is that it is very difficult to know how you feel about it. The depth of emotions are never linear and only as an adult have I realised the significance of what this has meant, how it has shaped me, and how it … Continued
On your radio Solihull – The South Asian Hour (2023) Adult sibling Monica talks about her experiences of being a carer Autism: In conversation with auticon (2022) Episode 9: Being a Sibling of an Autistic Person Tough topics in LD (2022) S2, Episode 2: Thriving in times of challenge with Charlotte Flynn Shapes of Grief, … Continued
An Irish Goodbye (2022) “On a farm in rural Northern Ireland, estranged brothers Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin) are forced to reunite following the untimely death of their mother (Michelle Fairley). But when the pair discover an unfulfilled bucket list belonging to their late mum, their pained reunion takes an altogether different course.” … Continued
‘My sister, Katy’, the three most common words which come out of my mouth everyday. Like any little sister, I absolutely idolised my big sister growing up. I always knew that she was different but I didn’t fully grasp that being ‘different’ wasn’t really accepted by society. I always saw my sister as the most … Continued
My brother Richard is two years younger than me, and has severe physical and learning disabilities. He presents as if he has Cri du chat syndrome, but he is much more aggressive and hyperactive with significant behavioural difficulties. He can’t talk, he needs 24 hour care and he has a lot of health problems associated … Continued
Guilt…. It’s a feeling defined in the dictionary as ‘the fact of having committed a specified or implied offence or crime’ or ‘making someone feel guilty in order to induce them to do something.’ One of these definitions resonates more with siblings than the other, but where does the guilt from come? Does it come … Continued
An extract from “The Sibling” by Jools Abrams (currently out on submission) Epilogue: Blackpool It is the first day of October, two days shy of my brother’s fifty second birthday, when we find ourselves on holiday again, the first without our parents, and the first time we are sharing a room since childhood. We are … Continued
I’m the only family member for my brother aged 52 with Asperger’s and my mother, aged 88, who has dementia. So, if I can’t see anything about my relationship with my brother as a positive, how do I, as a great believer in the life-changing effects of focusing on positives, find a positive in having … Continued
Sibling Truths Important: This is a personal account that may/may not be reflective of other people’s experiences. There are many times when having a sibling with a disability is hard, life-changing, crippling hard. I feel we don’t speak about this enough. Social media is full of posts of parents celebrating their children’s disabilities, sharing moments … Continued