siblings perspective By Erin Boaz
SELL SISTERS
MEET THE
Nora, Jessica & Emily Meet the Sell Sisters: Nora, Jessica, and Emily. Nora is 16 years old and in 10th grade at Noblesville High School. Jessica is 20 years old and a college freshman at Same As U. Emily is 22 years old and a senior at Samford University.
Nora is excited to share her perspective about her sister, Jessica. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! How has being a sibling to Jessica inspired or impacted you?
With Jessica as my sister, she has brought spunk to my life and makes my world a whole lot brighter and more interesting. It has helped me to become very patient and understanding, not only with Jess but every person I have an interaction with. What advice do you have for other siblings who have a special needs brother or sister?
Learn to love your sibling and all their quirks. Your sibling looks up to you, they think you are the coolest. Be that role model and just have fun with them. Support them and make sure their life is constantly filled with fun things. What are your favorite memories with Jess?
My favorite memories are from when she comes to watch my extra-curricular meets and show choir competitions. The fact that she’s there, seeing her smiling face, makes me feel like I have the best audience, no matter how many people are in the crowd. She stands out. What funny stories would you like to share?
So, I would start having a crush on someone or start spending more time with them, and then over time, the relationship would end. Jessica would randomly say their name and add “well, I would be hanging out with my current boyfriend!” A daily routine in our house is dinner. Jessica has a schedule. Monday: pasta. Tuesday: tacos. Wednesday: Rice Bowl. Thursday: depends. Friday: pizza. Saturday: take out. She’s very consistent. She is also very unique in the way she takes her medicine – either in ketchup or pickle juice. But only on vacations. Also, everything in her room has its place, so if I would borrow something and not put it back she would know.
What are a few of the challenges you experience with having a sibling with special needs and how have you overcome these challenges?
A couple of challenges I experience with Jess are mainly pulling on mom too much while she is trying to talk to her friends and getting upset and stomping off. I get embarrassed. What I don’t understand is how Jessica functions mentally on a whole different level. She has no filter. What we are probably all thinking about, Jessica voices. Which can be funny sometimes, but also a little bit inappropriate. Although in these situations I remind myself to have empathy for her. I have no clue what’s she feeling and the best thing I can do is love her and be there for her. Sometimes I remove myself from the situation so I don’t get mad at her. How do you enjoy spending time and or what is your favorite thing to do with Jessica?
I love spending time with Jess. My favorite thing to do with her is to go downtown and hang out. We usually bring a board game, which is always Pictureka. We always go to Noble Coffee, a local coffee shop. Jess orders by herself and sometimes orders for me. We usually have a blast playing the game together and she always beats me. I don’t even let her beat me! Ha, ha! In what ways do you admire Jessica? What makes her special and how has she motivated you?
I admire her growth because I love seeing her mature, grow and learn. She’s trying harder every day and it shows. Yes, she has her good days and her bad days, but Jessica is consistently trying her best. Jessica is special because she seems to have boundaries when it comes to talking to strangers – she doesn’t seem as open. But at home, she is usually a chatterbox. She has motivated me to become more organized and have a schedule. Jessica thrives under a schedule. She also motivates me to be myself. Do you have a sibling with special needs and would like to share your story & perspective in an upcoming issue of Special Needs Living? Email us at SpecialNeedsLivingIndy@n2pub.com.
June 2021 • Special Needs Living
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