Dating is difficult. Now add in explaining to your partner about guardianship, conservatorship, and emotional baggage from your childhood.  There's no better power than special needs sibling advocacy. about the issues we're facing, educating people, and actively participating in the community to show people that we matter just as much as everyone else in the disability community.  Listen to Natalie's story in ep 23. 

In this episode we talk about:

• About Natalie’s family and sister with autism, chiari malformation, and Landau-Kleffner

• The number of similarities between Charlene and Natalie’s sisters

• Her sister’s developing independence over time

• Her sister learning more about herself vs continuing to increasing intensive therapies

• Experiences of siblings and parents are not equal

• Dating! → How do you have a conversation with your significant other about all the things that comes with being a sibling?

• It’s lonely with all the feelings and responsibility of a caretaker

• Parent - child dynamics and how that affects us as siblings as children and adults

• Our significant others and connecting to our inner child

• How much she values her relationship with her sister   

• Not having typical sibling fights with our sisters

• Sibling advocacy!

• Feelings of pain from the past we still have and carry with us as adults

• You (as a sibling) have the power to choose and do something about it and heal

• Recognizing our parents tried the best they could

• Natalie’s encouragement to fellow siblings

Links:

• Special Abilities Network: https://specialabilitiesnetwork.com/

• Natalie’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HcQFRchSc0

More Info:

• Check out the blog and contact Charlene here: https://thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/

• Get episode updates directly to your inbox: https://www.thespecialneedssiblingpodcast.com/newsletter

Support the podcast on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/thespecialneedssiblingpodcast