Flavors for Everyone: A Guide to Raising Siblings in a Special Needs Family

(Paperback)

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Raising happy and healthy children is both rewarding and demanding in the best of circumstances, but when one child has special needs, new challenges arise, not only for the parents, but for the siblings as well. Flavors for Everyone provides an insider's viewby a neuropsychologist who is also the mother of a special needs soninto the complex problems that these families face when raising children with different abilities and personalities, and offers practical solutions for families to implement. Each chapter includes summary points that can be used as a quick reference for times when life turns stressful or unpredictable. Parents are encouraged to recognize their own strengthsand each child's unique characteristicsto foster personal development in all family members. Through acceptance and shared experiences, siblings learn to appreciate each other as they grow up together and mature into confident and caring adults.

Key issues addressed include:

Explaining special needs to children of any age

Dealing with the unique challenges and obstacles siblings face

Handling sibling rivalry and overcoming resentments

Building self esteem through scheduled one-on-one time with each child

Validating feelings and encouraging self-expression

Fostering compassion and inclusion among siblings

Sharing and teaching responsibility

Creating a strong support network

Keeping communication open and strong

Finding ways to enjoy time together as a family inside and outside the home

Author Bio

Barbara Lauer-Listhaus, Psy. D. received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Yeshiva University Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology and post-doctoral training in Adolescent and Adult Neuropsychology at the International Center for the Disabled in New York City. She was instrumental in developing an inclusive Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy Masters Program at Kean University and has a private practice in New Jersey where she counsels children, adolescents and adults with a wide range of mental health issues. Dr. Lauer-Listhaus serves as a consultant and board member for several special needs organizations and speaks nationally on topics relating to marital and sibling issues in special needs families. She is the mother of four adult children and has two grandchildren.