MSI Press Blog

  Sibling rivalry is part of family life—an ancient dance of competition, comparison, and love. But when one child has special needs, that dance changes rhythm. The usual push‑and‑pull of siblings becomes layered with protection, resentment, pride, and empathy. It’s rivalry with deeper roots. 1. The Uneven Spotlight In families with a child who needs extra care, attention naturally tilts toward that child. Medical appointments, therapies, and emotional support can leave siblings feeling unseen. They may not resent their brother or sister—they may resent the imbalance. Parents often walk a tightrope between tending to one child’s needs and reassuring the others that they still matter. 2. The Protector Instinct Many siblings of children with special needs develop a fierce loyalty early on. They defend, explain, and advocate. Rivalry softens into guardianship. Yet that protective role can also feel heavy—especially when it replaces ordinary childhood competition. The sibling becomes p...

  Temper tantrums. Whether you're navigating your toddler's grocery-store meltdown or managing a child whose frustration has hit peak volume during bedtime, tantrums can feel like the emotional equivalent of walking barefoot across Legos. It’s in these loud, chaotic, soul-draining moments that we parents are asked to summon something superhuman: calm. Franki Bagdade’s award-winning parenting guide,  I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them , doesn’t offer a fairy tale version of parenting—it delivers real talk for real life. With a career in behavioral observation and a deeply personal understanding of parenting exhaustion, Franki meets parents where they are: frazzled, burned out, and wondering what on earth just happened. The book is refreshingly honest, peppered with humor, and built on hard-earned wisdom. Franki’s stories and strategies help parents stay grounded, even when their child’s emotions are spinning out like a top in a tornado. Her approach is not about perfe...

  Temper tantrums. Whether you're navigating your toddler's grocery-store meltdown or managing a child whose frustration has hit peak volume during bedtime, tantrums can feel like the emotional equivalent of walking barefoot across Legos. It’s in these loud, chaotic, soul-draining moments that we parents are asked to summon something superhuman: calm. Franki Bagdade’s award-winning parenting guide,  I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them , doesn’t offer a fairy tale version of parenting—it delivers real talk for real life. With a career in behavioral observation and a deeply personal understanding of parenting exhaustion, Franki meets parents where they are: frazzled, burned out, and wondering what on earth just happened. The book is refreshingly honest, peppered with humor, and built on hard-earned wisdom. Franki’s stories and strategies help parents stay grounded, even when their child’s emotions are spinning out like a top in a tornado. Her approach is not about perfe...

Temper tantrums. Whether you're navigating your toddler's grocery-store meltdown or managing a child whose frustration has hit peak volume during bedtime, tantrums can feel like the emotional equivalent of walking barefoot across Legos. It’s in these loud, chaotic, soul-draining moments that we parents are asked to summon something superhuman: calm. Franki Bagdade’s award-winning parenting guide,  I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them , doesn’t offer a fairy tale version of parenting—it delivers real talk for real life. With a career in behavioral observation and a deeply personal understanding of parenting exhaustion, Franki meets parents where they are: frazzled, burned out, and wondering what on earth just happened. The book is refreshingly honest, peppered with humor, and built on hard-earned wisdom. Franki’s stories and strategies help parents stay grounded, even when their child’s emotions are spinning out like a top in a tornado. Her approach is not about perfecti...