Hi, my older brother is 16, i am 14. He has autism and we have always known, it is not a severe case of autism, and it is right in the middle of the asd spectrum, showing traits of both autism and aspergers.
I live a normal life, with a loving family, and generally speaking I cope easily and I'm perfectly accepting of my brother's condition and i obviously have to make some allowances.
But recently i've felt that i've pushed to the side often, i'm always left to do my homework alone because my mum is too busy helping him with his, or i have something i'd like to say, but no-one ever has the time to talk to me. I have to act as the older sister which i'm fine with, but it get's to the point where i'm doing my homework alone, i'm dropped off at the ice rink for training hours on end alone and picked up. I'm not saying that i never get any attention because i do, sometimes i get too much, i don't know if it's my parents trying to compensate. but honestly it just confuses me. i feel like i'm horrible because i get annoyed with him when he goes on about what socks i'm wearing, but it is really hard not to. and my parents say 'don't react it's what he wants' but even at the slightest thing they blow their tops off, and when i mention anything like 'if you shout then he shouts, because when i don't shout he stops mostly' they say i'm critising them but i'm only trying to help they say 'it's not easy you know! i'd like to see you try!' but it's not easy for me, i am a part of the same family, and in some ways i get more of his behaviour after he's had a row with them, i get the back end of both his and my parents tempers.
Is there anything i can do? i know there isn't an easy solution, but i just needed an outlet to write some of this down - i don't like diaries.