Having a brother or sister with SMA
Brothers and sisters can be brilliant. There is always someone to talk to, go shopping with or just ‘be with’. Having a brother or sister can be a real pain too! They nick your phone, go on the computer when you want to go on and just generally ‘bug’ you.
Having a sibling with SMA can add some real challenges to you and your family and may make your life more complex. Complex does not make things impossible though.
The Jennifer Trust would like to support in helping you have a positive experience of growing up with a brother or sister with SMA. Firstly remember, you are not on your own and it is OK to have feelings around your sibling’s SMA and how it affects you and your family!
You may feel:
Anger- Why my brother or sister?
Guilt- Why not me?
Confusion- What does SMA actually mean?
Jealousy- Why do they get all of the attention?
Resentment- My parent’s time is always spent with them and not me
You may have felt some other feelings, the ones above or none at all. There is no right or wrong way of you dealing with your feelings, but there are some good idea’s to help support you!
• Firstly, talk to someone! It could be your parents, teacher, relative, friend or the Young People’s Co-coordinator at the Jennifer Trust.
• Find out the facts about SMA and what it may mean to your family. Contact the Jennifer Trust or visit our website www.jtsma.org.uk . Once you know the facts it may help you to understand what SMA means.
• If you feel that you don’t get to spend much time with your parents, ask to spend more time! It may not be realistic to spend the whole of every Saturday with them. Instead aim to spend smaller more regular amounts of time with them.
Remember that you are not alone- contact the Young Person’s Coordinator at the Jennifer Trust on youngpeople@jtsma.org.uk
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