The sudden arrival of a new baby can sprout serious jealousy in your older child (or children) if they are not already prepared. The entire mood of the house is changed and suddenly they see their mom and dad doting on a new huddle of clothes – baby. The adorable baby becomes a huge jealousy factor when everyone talks baby, eats baby, sits baby, even sleeps and wakes up baby. While you prepare to give birth, prepare your child with what to expect. How? Let me tell.
1. Announce the arrival a few months before the actual arrival so that your older kid starts to focus on his new role as the elder sibling or the big kid of the house. But before you declare it flatly, ask your child’s opinion about how he/she would feel to have a baby to play with. Avoid terms like:
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There is going to be a baby
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Replace them with statements like:
You are going to be the big brother or so and how much special they are to you being your first baby. Include the kids in the preparations like prepping up the nursery, a tiny cupboard, shopping etc. Or alternatively, take your elder kid to a friend with a new baby or show infants to make up his mind.
2. If your child does not get too excited about the new arrival, it is your duty to create the happy ambience about you. It is simple; create a beautiful image of a baby by using examples of cartoons, for example how they would want to have a cartoon character to play with? Girls usually adore dolls and always want to have one around them.
3. As you prepare for the new arrival, buy presents for your older child so that he keeps himself busy when the new one grabs all the attention. Also, some of the parents forget that while they are always around their kids, they do not give them one-on-one time. Do not ignore your child and he will not feel alienated or left out.
Besides giving birth, parents of firstborns have another challenge of preparing their precious older child for the arrival of the second or next. Siblings develop unfounded jealousy when the new arrival suddenly takes their position. The key to handling s
