Been on a good workshop today to help support siblings

[Blossomhill]

It was so good and brought up a lot of emotion for many of the parents who came along.

The course was run by a lovely lady who herself is a sibling to 2 brothers with disabilites.

She told us her story and gave so many pratical tips as to how you can help siblings deal with issues surronding having a brother or sister with sn.

Website for the organisation is \link{http://www.sibs.org.uk\SIBS}

[getbakainyourjimjams]

Thanks BH- this is definitely becoming more of an issue for us as ds2 gets older. Its the juggling...... He's so good though- I;m amazed how much he understands about autism and also things like CP from going into ds1's school.

He;'s been looking through SN catalogues recently and says Mummsy can I have that? - pointing at something that costs over 1000 pounds. I say "no darling that's for autistic children" and he says "well ds1 is autistic I think you can get it for him" PMSL.

[yoyo]

I listened to a feature on Woman's Hour about this. It sounded really interesting and the children interviewed were extremely positive about the experience.

[getbakainyourjimjams]

Thanks yoyo- that;s what we hope for with ds2 and ds3.

PS (sorry for hijack BH) been meaning to ask you- do you ever go to any of the garden parties/renunions? I'm tempted to go with ds2 and ds3 sometime. We did some pre ds1 and when he was a baby.

[yoyo]

Jimjams - I haven't been but as I get older I feel a strange curiosity about the place. I would like to take mine along just to show them where I went.
Regarding the SIBS programme I have to confess that I was in tears listening to the children as they obviously needed a place that was just for them where they didn't feel they had to "protect" their sibling(s). I am interested because a friend has a child with sn and my DD is friendly with his brother. I wondered if he would benefit from an organisation like this but don't know how she would react if I suggested it to her (I don't know her especially well).

[getbakainyourjimjams]

The gardens! Lovely :) But the bar just isn't the same.

Hmm I think space of their own is impotant. After umming and ahhing we've just started ds2 at Stagecoach. A few weeks ago we told him we were taking him out at a weekend (ds1 was going to gosey;s fir a few hours) and he said "but it's the weekend I never go out at the weekend". Anyway he loves stagecoach (particularly because he gets given biscuits I think :o)

Just been talking to dh who says if he has the right person (everything was a bit of a drunken haze at that stage) your dh had a mate from Wales whose name begins with G. :)

[sphil]

Can I nosily join the hijack for a moment and ask Baka and Yoyo- did you go to Oxford? So did I - 80-83 (English). It would be so weird if we knew each other! (although you're probably not as ancient as me)

BH - I've been slightly worried about DS1 recently so thanks for this link. Do you think 4.5 is too young for a group like this?

[getbakainyourjimjams]

yep- but I was 89-92, yoyo was slightly ahead- we were at the same college. (gardens should give a clue :o) Where were you? You'll probably know someone on mnet there are loads!

[yoyo]

Jimjams - can't think of the Welsh mate but as we are from there you might be right. It is strange to think that DH worked in the bar as it seems so long ago. Did you know Izzy who was either JCR President or Head of Bar Committee? She did Physics I think. I lived out for the last three years so didn't get to meet many people reading subjects other than Chemistry (I should have moved back for the third year definitely).

Sphil - '86 - '90 for me.

[getbakainyourjimjams]

Yes I knew Izzy. And the previous bar people (inlcuding the ones who ran it into the ground).

[sphil]

I was at New College - which does have gardens but maybe not the ones you mean? God, it's been such a long time I can't even remember which colleges had gardens!

[getbakainyourjimjams]

Hee hee- I was thinking afterwards of all the garden- further north, no quads, ex-women's, probably head of the river in your time :)

[sphil]

LMH?? I had a horrendous interview there - two very scary women quizzing me about a poem in the entrance exam that I didn't have a clue about.

[getbakainyourjimjams]

Nope- not LMH- other side of the main road.

[sphil]

Take pity on my poor aged brain and just TELL me! I can't remember road layouts for gods sake.