Sibling Bonds: Navigating Life Together with Autism

“Brantley, let’s go get in the car,” I heard my 6-year-old son, Bronson, say as he guided his older brother out of our front door and towards my car.

Brantley, is 9. He is nonverbal, he runs, he eats things he shouldn’t.

He can be a handful.

I was nervous at the thought of Bronson walking him outside alone, but Brantley was in good hands with his younger brother, who has 2 missions in life: to be rich and to be strong enough to take care of Brantley.

When I saw the boys made it safely to the car, I let out a sigh of relief, grabbed my diaper bag full of supplies and headed out myself. When I got to the car, Bronson proudly exclaimed that he went ahead and fastened Brantley into his harness.

I was hit with so many emotions.

Navigating life with profound Autism has shaped our family dynamics in unexpected ways. Just as my role with Brantley has shaped who I am, it has also shaped so much of Bronson’s character.

Special needs siblings have lives that are inevitably different from their peers, they miss out on a lot, but they gain so much more.

Empathy.

Understanding.

Compassion.

Respect.

Resilience.

Love.

It’s a daily occurrence to hear Bronson tell Brantley that he is the best brother in the world — a statement he means with his whole heart.

I hope Brantley understands just how special his brother is too, because from where I sit, siblings like Bronson who have brothers or sisters with special needs that have helped shaped their lives — are truly one of a kind. #autismfamily #autismlife #autismparents #specialneedsiblings