26/08/2026
The sibling piece (2/2)
This is the part I think matters most, and gets missed the most: siblings can learn to do this for each other.
If you'd naturally step in to help distract or regulate your child, consider instead coaching the sibling to do it — guiding them through it in real time, in the moment. It builds:
A genuine understanding of what the other is feeling
A real, practical skill — not just "be kind to your brother/sister"
A stronger sibling bond, built through actually helping each other regulate
We spend a lot of time teaching neurodivergent children how to manage themselves. We spend far less time teaching their siblings how to be part of that support system — and in a neurodivergent or highly sensitive household, that's arguably just as important.
Distraction isn't avoidance. Done well, it's co-regulation — and it's a skill the whole family can learn together.