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)
  
• "Living with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs: A book for Siblings," Donald Meyer and Patricia Vadasy (library partners | Amazon)
• "Brothers and Sisters: A Special Part of Exceptional Families," Thomas Powell and Peggy Gallagher (library partners | Amazon)
• "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)
• "When Madness Comes Home: Help and Hope for Children, Siblings and Partners of the Mentally Ill," Victoria Secunda (library partners | Amazon)

Books (for children)

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