the big "little" boy

My baby boy is nine. He tries to be so brave sometimes. I'm sure I remember reading someplace about this age being difficult to navigate for both the child and the parent. Making it even more challenging, is having a brother on the spectrum. Boy do I love him, and I forget how hard it is being the older sibling. He is going through a rough patch right now. He has problems with anxiety and phobias, and has been going to counseling for the better part of two years. He is doing better most of the time. Not so much right now. He gets caught up in his thoughts and needs reassurance to bring himself back around. I know we will get there, but the journey is long. He is such a good boy, my baby.