Growing up can be hard, doubly so for kids with disabilities, a serious illness or injury….and difficult for the "typically developing kids" in the family growing up with them.
It is wonderfully gratifying when a parent or someone who works with children with special needs contacts me to discuss an idea or promote a little know product that can assist others. Lorraine Donlon, an elementary school special education teacher in East Rockaway, New York is also the elder sibling to two special needs sisters, Eileen and Patricia.
Lorraine wrote The Other Kid workbook. Available in both English and Spanish, it was designed to give siblings a way to open up and talk about their feelings and concerns.
At home, the child with special needs is surrounded by a
loving family who must also make accommodations in many aspects of daily life.
Taking care of a child with any kind of a disability or illness has an emotional
impact on the entire family. Siblings often have to make due with a smaller
share of their parent’s time, energy, and financial resources. Children may
experience troubling emotions of anger, sadness, jealousy, guilt, embarrassment
and worry.
There is however, another side to being the brother or
sister of a child with physical or emotional challenges: the opportunity to
develop positive traits such as empathy, tolerance, insight, love, and loyalty.
Parents and Sibling Support groups can use this workbook as a tool to communicate with children and to reassure them that their feelings are valid, normal and acceptable. The Other Kid is designed to be comforting and supportive. Gentle prompts and sentence starters invite children to read, write and draw directly into the workbook. This book is a great way for parents to connect with their children and cope with the challenges they face.
Thanks Linda for getting in touch and thank you for your wonderful workbook.
Order The Other Kid today!
