He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

 Coming home from a soccer game last night, Michael piped up from the back seat, "I think it would be great if a family in the neighborhood would have a T18 baby."

I was a little taken aback and asked, "Why?"

"Well, 'cause then Aaron would have someone to play with."

When I mentioned that learning a child has T18 isn't always looked at as a good thing, it was his turn to ask, "Why?"

We talked about how often they don't live very long, and it can be hard.

"But Aaron wasn't supposed to live long and he's still alive.  And I saw lots of kids older than him at the conference this last summer."

We talked about how at age 5, he still needs a lot of specialized care, about how he always will.  I can't just drop him off at the neighbor's if I need to go do something.

And he said, "but it's still good, it's still worth it to have him around."

Yeah, I think he gets it.  He doesn't see "T18."  He sees his brother, loves his brother.  He not only wants his brother to have friends like he does, he wants other families to have the joy that Aaron has brought to ours.

Sometimes we're told that a special needs child can "ruin" a sibling's life.

It doesn't have to.

(A short video I did a few years ago with many 

Trisomy siblings)

There’s no other love like the love for a brother. 

There’s no other love like the love from a brother. 

~Terri Guillemets