Description of Presentation

Do the needs of your typical children sometimes go unmet? Are you feeling guilty over the amount of time you spend focused on your child who struggles versus the amount you can carve out for a typical sibling? Lisa Ruman, LISW, CHt, of The Child & Family Counseling Center of Westlake, will outline ways to have a conversation with your typically developing child so that he or she can express frustrations and identify at least one need that currently isn’t being met. We will then share practical ways to meet sibling needs given limited time and funds.

Articles

• "Building Self-Esteem in Children"
• Friendship Circle: "10 Great Books if You Have a Sibling with Special Needs"

Books (for adults)

• "It Isn't Fair: Siblings of Children with Disabilities," Stanley D. Klein and Maxwell J. Schleifer (library partners | Amazon Smile)
  
• "Living with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs: A book for Siblings," Donald Meyer and Patricia Vadasy (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "Brothers and Sisters: A Special Part of Exceptional Families," Thomas Powell and Peggy Gallagher (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "How to Cope with Mental Illness in Your Family: A Self Care Guide for Siblings, Offspring and Parents," Diane Marsh, Rex Dickens, and E. Fuller Torrey (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "When Madness Comes Home: Help and Hope for Children, Siblings and Partners of the Mentally Ill," Victoria Secunda (library partners | Amazon Smile)

Books (for children)

• "We'll Paint the Octopus Red," Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen (ages 3-7) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "Ben, King of the River," David Gifaldi (ages 5-8) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "My Brother, Matthew," Mary Thompson (ages 4-11) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "Way to Go, Alex!" Robin Pulver (ages 4-8) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "Sara's Secret," Suzanne Wanous (ages 7-9) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "My Sister, Annie," Bill Dodds (ages 8-15) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "Views from Our Shoes: Growing Up with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs," Donald J. Meyer (ages 7+) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "The Summer of the Swans," Betsey Byars (ages 9-15) (library partners | Amazon Smile)
• "Fasten Your Seatbelt: A Crash Course on Down Syndrome for Brothers and Sisters," Brian Skotko and Susan Levine (teens) (library partners | Amazon Smile)