If you have multiple children and you have fears that your young children will have rivalry with their siblings or vice versa, you may not be sure what you have to do to prepare them and get along. In the event that you are pregnant and want to avoid sibling rivalry from the first moment, these tips will go very well for you. This article focuses mainly on the rivalry that children can feel even when they are very young.
If you’re worried about this reason, the first thing we want to congratulate you, since you’re worried about getting the best for your children even before their birth, that’s a great sign!
Resentment and support
Even very young children may resent a new brother. So far, your first child has received all your attention and love. Then having a brother will seem like a real loss to him or her.
At the same time, it will also be a big profit. Siblings help children learn about sharing and cooperating, and can be a source of friendship and support for the rest of their lives.
Prepare your child You can start
preparing your child for the baby’s arrival during the third trimester. Young children do not have the ability to retain an abstract idea like “a baby comes” for a long time, so talking about pregnancy too soon can confuse you.
If your child is very young, it is more than likely that he will not have a very extensive expressive vocabulary (speech) for example, at 14 months, but their receptive vocabulary (the number of spoken words they can understand) is growing by leaps and bounds. This means that books about new babies, families and sisters and brothers are perfect. Another idea is to look at your daughter’s first months photos and talk to her about what happens when a new baby arrives home. You can even start the game with baby dolls, imitating the daily rituals you’ll soon see performing with your newborn, such as changing diapers, breastfeeding and bathing.
Include your child
Include your child in pregnancy as much as possible. Then, go to the hospital, both to see you’re okay, and to feel some of the excitement around the baby. Consider giving your child a gift as a gift from his brother. When you return home, you can suggest that she take care of her gift while you take care of the baby.
Point out what a good job he’s doing. Symbolic play can be a great way for your child to express the mixed feelings they will likely experience, so don’t be scared if they hit or talk aggressively with their dolls or stuffed animals. This is a safe and healthy way out for her. Include your child in routines with his brother as well. For example, when you’re feeding the baby, have your daughter sit next to you and tell you a story or sing a song together.
Finding ways to make your firstborn feel special is also important and can limit regression to baby’s behaviors (clinging, wanting a bottle if you leave it, crawling instead of walking), which is common when a new baby arrives. Both you and your partner must find time to spend alone with your firstborn child. If you are still patient, loving and supportive, your child will not only continueto thrive, but will become loving and enjoying his or her promotion as an older brother.
