Parent relationships

Since my last post, I've been thinking about how the family dynamic can also effect the relationship between siblings. Many children come from divorced families that may or may not include step parents. This could also be a factor in the relationship between two siblings. When one sibling has a disability, such as down syndrome, there is added stress on the family. A sibling without a disability may feel even more responsiblity to their sibling with a disability if their parents are divorced or if they come from a single parent home. This could possibly put a strain on the relationship between siblings. This is a good example of why resources outside of the family can be helpful. Some of the support groups for silbings that I have mentioned in previous blogs could help siblings of a child with a disability further understand the disability and talk about their feelings. Children that come from single parent homes may not have as much support because their parent might be busy working to support the family, especially if one child has a disability that requires more medical expenses.