{"id":364,"date":"2017-02-21T10:40:55","date_gmt":"2017-02-21T16:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.iseeme.com\/blog\/?p=364"},"modified":"2017-04-13T13:32:13","modified_gmt":"2017-04-13T19:32:13","slug":"prepare-child-new-brother-sister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.iseeme.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/21\/prepare-child-new-brother-sister\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prepare Your Child for a New Brother or Sister"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Children can react with very different emotions when they learn they\u2019re about to be an older sibling. For every excited kid yelling \u201cI\u2019m a big sister!\u201d to everyone she meets, there\u2019s a quiet child who\u2019s scared the new baby will replace him, or a jealous older sibling who\u2019s acting out. Or you get all three emotions\u2014excitement, jealousy, and fear\u2014mixed up in one kid.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This is perfectly normal. A new baby means change, and change can be stressful, especially for kids. Here\u2019s a few ways to help your soon-to-be oldest child get used to a new family member.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Questions\u2014and Answers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re pregnant, and your daughter has questions about this whole baby deal. Answer her questions as honestly as possible, remembering not to interpret them from an adult perspective. Just because she asks how babies are made does not mean you have to give your four-year-old the facts of life. Instead, tell her the baby will grow in the mother\u2019s belly until it\u2019s ready to come out. Kids will generally be more interested with the baby and where it is now than the specifics of how it got there (in a pinch, saying it grows naturally might evade more delicate questions).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen will the baby get here?\u201d is another question you\u2019re likely to be asked. Remember younger children have a limited grasp of time, so giving the due date or how many months until birth won\u2019t mean much. Instead, tie the birth to an event such as Halloween, or to a season.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>While You\u2019re Pregnant<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are several things you can do during the pregnancy to help calm children\u2019s anxieties about their new sibling:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ask the child for help choosing the baby\u2019s name<\/li>\n<li>If appropriate, take the child to see the ultrasound or listen to the baby\u2019s heartbeat<\/li>\n<li>Let the child feel the baby move or kick<\/li>\n<li>Let the child help decorating the nursery<\/li>\n<li>Look at the older child\u2019s own baby pictures together<\/li>\n<li>Read age appropriate books about babies and childbirth<\/li>\n<li>Use a doll top teach the older sibling how to safely hold a baby<\/li>\n<li>Visit friends with babies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>During and After the Birth<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Talk to children about where they will be and what they will be doing while mommy is in the hospital, so they understand what will happen. A fun visit with grandparents or friends may distract them from any worries.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once the baby is born, have the child visit the hospital as soon as possible to be introduced to the new arrival. If possible, only have the parents and children present for this meeting.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Your child is now a big brother or sister. Show them you appreciate that milestone with a gift from the baby. Gifts for brothers from sisters (and vice versa) such as a new toy or book, make the child feel appreciated. A \u201cmy new baby brother\u201d book or a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.iseeme.com\/en-us\/personalized-gifts-for-siblings\/super-incredible-big-sister-personalized-childrens-book.html\">super, incredible big sister book<\/a> not only acknowledge the older sibling\u2019s new role, they provide a wonderful keepsake.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once home, try to keep the older sibling\u2019s routine as normal as possible. if the older child wants to help care for the baby, let them even if it means completing tasks takes longer. Be sure to praise them for being great older siblings.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Some older children seem to show no interest in the new baby. if this happens, don\u2019t worry. It\u2019s quite normal, and will pass in time. Try to make time for one-on-one parent interactions with older children, to reassure them your love for them hasn\u2019t changed with the new baby.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kids are adaptable\u2014before you know it both kids will be inseparable (and fighting over the last cookie). And congratulations on the new addition to the family!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Children can react with very different emotions when they learn they\u2019re about to be an older sibling. For every excited kid yelling \u201cI\u2019m a big sister!\u201d to everyone she meets, there\u2019s a quiet child who\u2019s scared the new baby will replace him, or a jealous older sibling who\u2019s acting out. Or you get all three emotions\u2014excitement, jealousy, and fear\u2014mixed up in one kid. &nbsp; This is perfectly normal. A new baby means change, and change<a class=\"more-link-excerpt\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.iseeme.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/21\/prepare-child-new-brother-sister\/\"> <i class=\"fa fa-long-arrow-right\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v21.0 (Yoast SEO v21.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Prepare Your Child for a New Brother or Sister | I See Me!<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Children can react differently when they learn they\u2019re about to be an older sibling. 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