Preparing Your Child for a New Baby
Rose Morsh
Founder & Director at InventiveMinds Child, Youth and Family Support Center
As a practitioner in the field of early childhood education and through working with families over the years, I find nothing more rewarding than seeing families thrive in their parenting skills. Relationships and parenting are like watering flowers. Each flower blossoms differently and is unique, as is each child. Families are all different, like a garden full of bright colours filled with colourful butterflies.
There is nothing more rewarding than adding a new addition to the family. Having laughter in the house with the little ones running and playing with each other is precious. Family moments around the dinner table enjoying each other's company are memories we never forget. It is one of the happiest times in a family. Children will be floating with excitement and are loving, caring towards the new baby. They can be very proactive as an older sibling, alerting family members when the baby cries, and cheerfully watching and helping with diaper changes and other tasks.
It is also human nature for feelings other than happiness to appear. Feelings of jealousy and aggressiveness toward a new family member can arise as they realize they might not get the same amount of attention as before.
How to prepare your child for the arrival of a new baby?
Explain that a new baby is coming in advance
Involve your child in the preparations
Make changes to your child's routine in advance
Here are a few tips on what to do when the baby arrives
领英推荐
Behaviour changes and emotional stress can occur with the arrival of a new baby at home. Common problems include:
Overall, many established day-to-day behaviours may be affected. This is due to a tendency for children to try to reclaim attention they perceive has been lost to the new baby.
How to support your child's emotions
Children can feel some resentment or jealousy towards a new baby, especially since we all trigger a sense of codependency in our parenting skills towards our children at times. This resentment can worsen when the infant starts to move around and touch the older child's toys and games. It is essential to have realistic expectations from your child and their level of cognitive processing and development. Here are some ways to support them through this significant change:
Children are vulnerable, and as their advocates, preparation can help us support them fully. The goal is to ensure this is a positive transition for every member of the family. Consider consulting a parenting practitioner before planning and preparing for a new baby. They can support your immediate and extended family and anyone who's part of your support system with a plan to suit your unique needs as you transition. Grandparents, extended family and friends, can all be part of a beautiful transformation as they create a circle of support for your child and for you.
Parenting a growing family is rewarding, and having realistic expectations is the most crucial factor in maintaining a healthy household. In this scenario, everyone is mindful of each other's feelings and understands their role in the family dynamic.
Authored By:
Rose Morsh
RECE, Parenting Practitioner,
Family Mediator & Child Voice Practitioner