Brother and Sisterly Love

Even though my daughter tends to have a short fuse when it comes to my son, I know she loves her little brother.  

The first time I realized that she really cared about him was when we were visiting my parents.  The kids and I had ran an errand in town, and we had just arrived back at Mimi and Granddaddy's house.  I decided that since I was alone I would take my four year old inside the house first.  Previously I had either been with someone else who could help with both kids, or I had been in the garage with the door shut so my daughter couldn't escape while I was tending to my son.  Well, my daughter and I got to the front door, and as I unlocked it and began to set the bags that I had been carrying down, my daughter said my son's name loudly.  She was telling me that I better not forget her brother.  This was a huge step considering that up until this incident, she had either ignored or fussed about her brother.  I thanked her for telling me to get him, and I promptly went back to the car and brought him inside.

She looks out for her brother in her own little way.  If he is getting into something, is trying to climb the stairs, or is touching something she thinks that he shouldn't be, she says loudly, "I need help please".  She makes sure that I am aware anytime he is doing anything the least bit naughty.  This is really big for her, because it means that she is actually starting to pay attention to someone other than herself.  Kids with autism are often very ego-centric,  it is hard for them to think about anyone except themselves or anything that doesn't effect them individually.  The fact that she pays any attention to him at all is amazing.  Lately, she has even started to physically put her arms around his waist to pick him up when she thinks that he is doing something he shouldn't. 

 My son definitely loves his big sister.  I will never forget his serious expression whenever we spun her around or played with her by turning her upside down (this type of play helps with sensory issues).  He was about five months old at the time.  He would just watch us stone faced.  It was like he was thinking, "You better not drop my sister".  He always wants to be near her and is interested in whatever she is doing or playing with.  He smiles at her whenever he sees her.  Often times, she wants nothing to do with him, and heaven forbid he touch her toys, but he is evermore the persistent child.   If she would just let him into her little world, they could have so much fun together.

It is remarkable that they can care for one another the way that they do.  It is almost as if it was ingrained in them from birth that you need to take care of your sibling no matter what.   Hopefully as they both get older, they will be able to play together more.  If his language comes along, as I pray it will, maybe hers will improve as well.  Hopefully, over the years, they will be able to enrich each others lives in ways that no one else, other than a sibling, could.