I, my daughter, an adult sibling from NAMI Montgomery County and another NAMI Carroll County family with two younger siblings attended such a training in Maryland a couple of months ago. I found the program to be exemplary in that young siblings not only have a great recreational experience, but learn from other siblings that they are not alone in having a sibling with an illness that has a significant impact on their own lives. During SibShop events time is given to talking about what it is like to be a sibling and the youngsters discuss in a non-threatening atmosphere their own feelings on being siblings. I was fascinated on the group dynamics and wonderful time had by parents and children alike while attending the Training of Trainers in Maryland. I would like to encourage all affiliates who are invested in serving families with children and adolescents to consider attending a SibShop Training of Trainers event if and when it comes to your local.
Family support can come in many forms.
Supporting every member of the family is important to enable families to cope with the stress and feelings of loneliness that having a family member with a brain disorder sometimes occurs. I encourage you to collaborate with other disability groups in your community to start a Sibling Support Group if it doesn't already exist. Usually support groups meet only six times a year, but it is amazing how much that contact with other siblings does to raise self-esteem and develop coping skills in youngsters. Both listservs have members from the US, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Israel, Iceland, Hong Kong, Japan, and New Zealand. Parents, service providers, and others interested in the well being of brothers and sisters also subscribe to SibKids and SibNet.