The Brotherly Bond

Its not often that I walk out of an IEP meeting feeling velkelmpt over something the teachers have said about my children. Most times its hashing out the goals and objectives for their academic future and either coming out feeling some what apprehensive about the meeting itself or worry that the goal will have to be redone in 6 months as they are not working. But this time was different. This time I walked out of that meeting elated, not because my child had met all his goals and needed new ones, but being told about how he interacts with his sister within the school.

As he sets forth to begin a new chapter in his life, as a middle school student, the talk of transition on his part is often the main topic. As he is a child that is my social butterfly, I have no worries that he will make this next step with very few complications. What I fear is how this will be for my daughter. You see, what most people don't know about these two children, is that they have a unique bond. Not just because they are close in age, but because when my daughter didn't have a voice, my eldest was there to lend her his. He has always been her protector and her biggest champion. Sure, as brothers and sisters grow, so do the emotions they have for each other. They get on each other's nerves, just like other brothers and sisters do, but at the end of the day, my son will always be there for his sister. Nothing is more further than that truth, when hearing his teachers talk about how he is with her at school. The joy in him when he sees her in the hall, guiding her and making sure she is ok or going to where she needs to be. Taking her hand and walking as if his peers weren't looking and not caring if they were. I think in a sense, he has taken it upon himself to make sure her well being is taken care of before his own. For a boy at his age, it is a very unselfish act.

I know that next year will be an interesting one for everyone. My daughter is going to have to get used to her buddy not being there. Which for her is a big deal, as she thinks her brother is the bee's knees. But in a sense it will help, hopefully, get her out of her shell a bit. Force her to find her own, as she has always relied on her older brother to break the ice in social situations.

Despite him moving on, I don't see the bonds of siblings breaking anytime soon. In time, it will grow and mature into mutual respect they will have for each other. For him it has been good to have siblings that are special needs, as it has taught him to be more open minded. Many don't get that unique lesson in life.

As for my children, they learn from each other. They see how each other deals with what life throws at them. They will be there for each other when that time is needed. But as of right now, I am enjoying seeing the bonds being made, by simply accepting someone for who they are and not caring about what the rest of the world thinks.