PREPARING YOUR TODDLER FOR A NEW BABY
Written by Feba Maryann
Toddler jealousy could be adorable from an on-looker point of view, but it certainly isn’t when it comes to the child’s sentiment. As kids, it could take them forever to understand why infants need so much attention. So when their emotional insecurity gets the best of them they can feel out of the way. As parents, it certainly comes under our jurisdiction to help them out with a better understanding of how things were going to change for the better.
Read on to discover how you can sow the seeds for a meaningful conversation with your toddler, and prepare them to welcome the newest member of your clan!
Tell Them About Breastfeeding
To help your child adjust to the new breastfeeding routine, which is gonna take up most of your time, you must explain the phenomenon, in the simplest way possible. This helps them understand that it is the only source of nourishment for newborns.
Explain Why Newborns Are Biologically Different From Us
As a toddler, your child’s mind could be racing with some laughable expectations about the newborn. Though it wouldn’t be nice to kill the source of their creativity, it is vital that you clear things in their mind regarding the newborn baby. Explaining why they need so much attention in a child style process helps them become more aware as to how to behave in the presence of the baby. Try elaborating on the flabby necks, soft spots on the skull of a newborn, and those cute ruckled legs. Ergo, explain why being gentle is essential to take good care of the newborn baby.
Crying – Is Such A Primitive Language!
Before making other small noises in about the first nine months of age and speaking at the age of around 12-13 months, babies’ resort to the most basic language they know- which is to cry. After a point of time, your firstborn could become irritated at the hint of a cry almost for anything and everything – be it because the baby is hungry or sleepy, or simply uncomfortable. Prepare your firstborn to tolerate all such tantrums and never lose his cool over the baby. Try backing them with your newly profound knacks to handle your newborn’s insistent cry.
Major Missing
There are chances that when a newborn arrives into the family, the firstborn sibling could feel quite lonely, though it is completely unintentional. Apart from that, they might have an intimidating experience whilst they miss all the attention. Especially when gifts are presented to the baby, knowing that those were not meant for the toddler, can push him even further. The all-time occupancy of his mother’s arms by the newborn baby can also bring him down. It is in these situations, that either of the two parents must take the responsibility of consoling your toddler whilst the other manages the newborn. Try to tell them how he was pampered when he was a baby too and talk about how the newborn would appreciate its elder sibling’s joyous love and care.
Quiet Time Essentials!
In the eyes of your toddler, the fact that your newborn has to sleep almost all day could be nerve-wracking as simultaneously he or she is being denied the freedom to have fun too. But explaining that the reason for it is that – the baby eats often, ergo, she also needs to sleep often. Replacing all those noisy play-time activities, with some quiet time essentials such as books or soft toys can be a great alternative to choose from.
Complimenting Each Other
Being a toddler means all time is playtime and when the news of the newborn’s arrival pops in then he just can’t wait to see his new playmate. But after a few days, the excitement might die in vain, as he’d realize that all that newborns do all day is eat, sleep, and poop. But show your toddler how genuinely babies feel for some human presence and remind him how subtly the baby can entertain him even without being actively involved in his playtime.
There’s Never An Undersupply For Your Love.
Through a series of changes that might occur in the household as part of the baby’s arrival, it should be well understood by all that those will be just for the time being. Even as parents sometimes, you might feel as though the newborn takes up so much of your time that everything and everybody else feels secondary. But all these feelings are just the passing clouds that shouldn’t be given much thought. Instead, charge yourself with all those positive vibes, encompassing the laughter of all your children, and keep intimating them about the fact that there will always be enough hugs to satiate all their yearnings for your love.