Leapfrogging and Sibling Milestones: Parenting Through Bittersweet Moments – Finding Cooper’s Voice

I knew it was coming – the day my daughter Rosie would leapfrog her older autistic brother.

Leapfrogging is when a younger sibling surpasses an older one in areas like emotional, functional, or verbal development.

This summer, I enjoyed watching my 6-year-old daughter learn to do so many new skills.

Tying her shoes.
Taking a shower.
Doing her makeup.
Styling her hair.

It has been so fun.

Having a little girl is everything I dreamed it would be.
Sass. Spunk. Cuddles. Laughter. Tickles. Frilly Dresses. Random fashion shows.

As she speeds through all these milestones, it catches me off guard knowing she is doing things her older brother cannot do-yet.

Yet.

It is the word that lingers in my mind.
The word that reminds me…
That as Rosie bypasses Trux…

Trux is on his own timeline.
It is very bittersweet.

But…

Seeing Rosie interact with Trux, warms my heart. She is becoming his person. It is so amazing.

Regardless of how long this stage will last with Rosie and Trux, I will remain grateful.

Yes, this stage is hard. Rosie is our youngest. And the gap between Trux and all his siblings will be wide.

We will enjoy this stage, no matter how long it lasts.

Pictured: Rosie asleep on the couch afterschool, next to Trux. He does not like to share the couch with anyone, so this was a big deal. Normally, only Daddy can sit by him, but Trux will kick him off after a bit.

Written by Robyn DeMars of Stix and Fuzzies

Read more blog posts on Finding Cooper Voice here.