If your child is the only child then they are probably living in a Dreamland where both you and your partner’s attention is solely on them, they don’t need to share toys and the only disruption of peace comes from them. This is probably paradise for your child but if you want to extend your family, this will change. So how do you prepare your child for a sibling whether you are planning to have another child or are already pregnant with your second child, here are some tips that could help in preparing your little one for the arrival of a new little one?
Don’t tell your child straight away but don’t leave it too long. We understand that once you find out you are expecting you might want to keep it a secret at first and telling your child could result in them blurting it out in front of grandparents or family friends so it’s best to tell your child when you don’t mind anyone else finding out. Don’t leave it too long though as the longer you leave it, the less preparation they will have and also, it’s best they hear from you, not someone else.
Depending on the age you could try to find books related to the topic that are age-appropriate. This will not only mentally prepare your child but also get them used to family terminology and baby-related words.
Be honest about the situation. They might be over-excited and think that this new baby is going to come out ready to play with them and run around after them. Explain that the new baby will be small and that they need to be very gentle around them. You could have them practice with a teddy bear or a doll to understand how careful they need to be. Also explain that although they will be cute and cuddly, they will take up quite a lot of your time and attention plus explain the crying.
Try to involve your child as much as you can in the planning that way, they won’t get jealous. Show them their baby photos so they get the idea. Let them choose out some toys for their new sibling so pick out some new clothes for the baby. Having them involved in the planning will help them prepare and reduce any jealousy.
Do some special when the baby arrives. This could either be a special toy you can give them or maybe you or your partner have some quality alone time with them. You could even take them to a special place such as the cinema or an aquarium just for them to still feel that they are loved and important.
If they can come to the hospital soon after the baby is born, it’s a great way of including them so they feel like they are part of the growing family if this is not possible just explain to them that you will need to be gone for a bit and that you’ll be coming home with a new baby. You can facetime them or call them while you are in hospital so they don’t feel left out.
We hope that some of these tips helped you out 🙂
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