Just like that, another year has flown by. After the nasty that was 2022, 2023 floated by peacefully for the first six months of the year. “Peaceful” is relative; there were things happening but because I had shut down after 2022, and had built my boundaries pretty high, I think I was just trying to […]
Survivor Guilt – Siblings of the Special Needs / Mentally Ill child
I could never understand why I would often say I feel “guilty” when talking about my family situation. Well-meaning and practical people would respond by saying “you have done nothing wrong, you shouldn’t feel guilty.” Which I consciously agree with. And yet, the feeling creeps in, now and then. In my mind, there is an […]
The Invisible Child – Siblings of the Special Needs / Mentally Ill child
When there is a special needs or mentally-ill child in the family, the impact on the well sibling is often not seen or understood. It is brushed aside with the focus being centred on the affected child and its parents / caregivers instead. “As a child I tried desperately not to have a problem because […]