By Julie Smith, program coordinator, SESA
A ListServ is a “mailing list” done through the Internet. If you
subscribe to a ListServ, you can receive and send email to others and it will
go to every person on the mailing list. SibKids and SibNet are designed specifically
for siblings and it is your opportunity to “talk” with other siblings
nation-wide. There are even siblings from Canada, Australia, and England! All
you need to join is Internet access and an email address. If you don’t
have a computer at home, ask a teacher at your school or go to your local library
and they should be able to help you.
You can talk about anything that interests you — music, your friends,
school, your siblings with special needs. The great thing about this list is
that everyone has a sibling with special needs — you get to talk to others
who “get it.” And, if you want, you can just “listen” — you
can read the emails from other siblings and decide when you’re comfortable
and ready to join in.
The ListServ is a good place to go to learn lots of new things: you can ask
questions about disabilities, how to talk to your parents about your needs,
and how to handle situations when people stare at your sibling or ask you lots
of questions about your sibling’s disability.
SibKids is for younger siblings of kids with special needs, and you can find
more information about SibKids at http://www.thearc.org/siblingsupport/sibkids.htm.
SibNet is for young adult and adult siblings and you can find more information
about SibNet at http://www.thearc.org/siblingsupport/sibnet.htm.