The Glass Child

Glass child is a term used to define a sibling who has a brother or sister with a disability.

These siblings are unique individuals and they often sacrifice time with their parents.  This often leads to stress as their parents are often dealing with challenging behaviors, constant therapies and doctor appointments.

They strive to be cared for and their emotional needs being met. The list can go on and on.

In the end, what they get from their parents at the end of the day is only a fraction of what they actually need.

Our daughter is a glass child, our beautiful blue-eyed, red headed daughter who is the third of our six kids.

The younger sister of our two boys by age, but older sister by developmental age.

She is amazing.

Going all the way back to when she was maybe three or four years old,  I have clear memories of her helping her brother get dressed in the morning,  helping him put his boots on, or making sure he had his preferred foods.

As she’s grown older, the stress is wearing her down, yet she takes it all in stride. She is helpful even when we don’t ask and is willing to step in when he’s struggling.

Again, she is amazing.

And some days, just like her parents, she needs a break.

Knowing today was a day off of school, we set up a playdate for her. As she happily left for her friend’s house, I was glad she got her break.

A break she so dearly needed. She had a fantastic day.

If you happen to know a sibling like our daughter, make sure you ask them how they are doing. They need to be seen.