Learning from Sibling Relationships
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Transcript of Learning from Sibling Relationships
Adam and Debbie Race
I have got three brothers
They are all older than me
I went to the same schools as my brothers
We all played a lot of sport
My favourites were football, cricket, pool
and swimming
I got good at sport especially football and pool
I joined the football team in Stoke-on–Trent
Then I was picked to play for the West
Midlands team at the Special Olympics
I went to Glasgow with the team
and we won gold medals
Everyone was very proud of us
I was asked to join the pub pool team with my
brothers
The first time I beat someone from another pub
everyone was very pleased.
I have won lots of singles and doubles matches
I am sad that the pub does not
have a pool team any more
My brothers worked hard to pass their exams
I did the same and got 6 GCSE’s
My brothers went to University and
I wanted to do the same
I went to High Peak College in Buxton when I left
school. It is part of the University of Derby
Now I live with my brother Jon
and his dog Buster
We share the jobs out at home
He sorts the bills out and I do the cleaning
We both walk the dog He showed me how to use the cooker and
the washing machine
Sometimes he gets cross with me
It’s cool having brothers
I can visit Philip in London and Simon in
Scotland
Sometimes we go to the pub together but
mainly I go when I want to
It was really good being an usher at Philip
and Simon’s weddings
My brothers tease me and I tease them
I had a sister called Jenny who was 13 months older than me She had Down’s Syndrome like Adam We did masses of things together
◦ Played and laughed and fell out◦ Started at the same school on the same day◦ Went to Brownies and Girl Guides
She learnt first aid at guides and helped our grandmother when she had a nasty accident and cut her leg
We both had another sister who was five years older than us.
She and I worked in different countries Jenny was able to visit us in
◦ Zambia◦ Hong Kong◦ Bermuda◦ Canada
Jenny became a godmother to her oldest nephew
Jenny got a job when she left school She worked there for 27 years before
she developed early onset Alzheimer's Disease
She used her retirement lump sum to take herself and her nephews to Disneyworld in Florida – This was a dream she had had for a long time
Adam remembers that Jenny liked to watch Dad’s Army, do jigsaws and play Yahtzee
She also liked watching cricket when her brother-in-law or nephews were playing
Mutuality of love and benefit
Life long and changing
Expanding developmental opportunities
from shared experiences
High expectations and powerful advocacy
Imitation and interpersonal identification
Valued social participation
Start several – you do not know which ones will really work
Look for mutuality and sharing but not exclusivity
Expect and encourage difficulties and change Find ways to support the relationship
especially at times of physical distance Educate the non disabled person in SRV
(whether formally or informally) and empower them to advocate