I get angry with them!

If your brother/ sister has a disability, it is normal to get angry with them sometimes. You might be angry because:

• People call you names because they know your brother/ sister is disabled or ill. You might find your brother/ sister embarrassing sometimes.
• You don’t get to spend any time with your parents because they are always looking after your brother/ sister. You miss out on things that other people your age take for granted.
• Remember – everyone gets angry with their brothers and sisters sometimes!

It is okay to:

• Talk to people about how you feel. Try telling your parents – they may be so wrapped up in looking after your brother/ sister that they haven’t noticed that there has been no time for you recently. If it’s hard to talk to them, you could practice what you want to say by writing it in a diary, a poem, or a letter, by emailing us, or by telling ChildLine about it.
• Have some time to yourself. Can you join a club or have a night of the week where you go out with friends? If you have a Young Carers Project near you, they might have clubs and days out where you can meet other young people your age who are going through the same thing.
• Find something that makes you feel better when you are angry.

It’s not okay to:

• Miss out on school or the things you want to do because your brother or sister gets all the attention.
• Blame yourself. You’re only human – there will be times when looking after your brother/ sister makes you angry, stressed or sad. The important thing is to talk to someone when this happens.
• Hurt other people - this will get you into trouble and make you feel worse, or hurt yourself.