What’s a girl to do when she’s the middle of three sisters? It’s hard to get away or get your parents’ attention, especially when your older sister is disabled and your younger sister is lively. Here’s how Alison, 9, and her mom, Ginna, are working it out.

Ginna: Each of the girls is three years apart, but Alison’s place is unique in that her older sister, Julia, is deaf. So Alison learned sign language right along with English.

Alison: I’m usually the family interpreter for Julia when we’re playing with hearing kids.

Ginna: Those two have always been very close, which made it extra difficult for their younger sister, Mary, when she came along. It’s been hard for her to break into their relationship.

Alison: Julia is 12. She tells me everything. But Mary is really pesky. She always barges in and screams at me and my friends. She wants to play with us, but we don’t want to play with her. She makes me mad and embarrassed.

Ginna: Alison is usually a very kind person, except to her little sister. I know it’s hard for Alison when she has friends over and Mary wants to be included, so I don’t insist that they play with Mary. Mary either has her own friend over or I entertain her.

Alison: Another problem with having two sisters is that I never get a chance to talk to my parents in private. There’s always someone else around.

Ginna: We try to give each child individual attention, either on the way to lessons or by doing special things with each of them, such as attending plays or going on trips. Last year her Dad and I each took Alison on a trip without her sisters. We also read to each girl individually and put each to bed separately. Things should improve even more very soon because I plan on homeschooling Alison for awhile. That will give us much more time together.

Alison: I really like to get my mom to myself sometimes.