2 minute read
siblings perspective - Meet Megan & Claire Strauss
By: Erin Baoz
Let me introduce you to the Strauss Siblings. Claire is a 17-year-old senior at Fishers High School. She is graduating this spring, while her sister, Megan, graduated in 2020. Megan is 19 years old and is a freshman at Anderson University. They also have a brother, Ian, who is 13 years old and in eighth grade at Fishers Junior High.
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Claire is excited to have the opportunity to share her perspective on what it’s like to have a sibling with special needs. The first thing she points out is that she has never looked at Megan as having autism. She just sees her as her sister. What fascinates Claire about Megan is observing how the autistic brain works. As a result, it has inspired her to teach others about it.
When asking Claire to reflect on a funny story, she recalls a time when she and Megan had a road trip to a veterinary camp at Purdue. On their way, there was some construction with a sign that said, “Road Work Ahead.” They both instantly quoted a Vine that they had both seen that was related to that sign as they simultaneously said, “Uh, yeah, I sure hope it does!”
Both Claire and Megan are huge movie buffs and love quoting movies. Some of Claire’s favorite memories with Megan are when they would reenact scenes from movies when they were younger. For their evening routine, they would often act out scenes before they went to bed. As they have gotten older, they often spend time in the car together as Claire drives Megan to different places. They talk about random things, such as something they saw on the internet, or recall a funny moment that recently occurred. They have a special bond as sisters when they can have fun with the things they have in common.
One of the things Claire really admires about Megan is how she is able to vividly remember things. She recalls that ever since Megan was little, she was always known as the family’s “walking encyclopedia.” Claire would always go to her with questions that had to do with animals or history.
Growing up with Megan over the last 16 years has taught her a lot about how we all communicate in different ways. Advice that Claire would share with others is to be patient. Autistic individuals may not express their thoughts and feelings the same way a typical person does. With patience and listening, she shares “you will slowly learn how to better communicate with them.” Some of the challenges that Megan faces is having a harder time processing things and not knowing how to react in certain situations. Sometimes Claire wonders if it is due to her sensitivity to excess stimulation and the brain not being able to process it. One way Claire tries to help overcome that challenge is by not adding any stress to a situation that may already pose itself as stressful.
“Having a sister with special needs can be challenging, but it is equally as much fun,” Claire said. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
