Yes, all the kids are always equal for the parents. They’ll love the first and the fifth kid equally without any conditions. Well, that’s parenthood – selfless! But do your kids understand that? We doubt! Especially if you have only one child and you are soon bringing the second one in the world too. Your baby is full of insecurities and complexes on the arrival of a sibling and it can be very harmful for the child’s mental health and growth.
How to make your first kid ready for a sibling?
No matter how much you try, you just can’t make your journey of parenting two kids easier. And to add to the trouble, it’s actually very difficult for your first one to accept a sibling who’s now also going to share the love and care of the parents! You’ll have to face all sorts of weird behaviour and tantrums from your kid when you are actually busy settling down with a newborn. But we can make your journey easier. From making your child ready for the little one’s arrival to deciding upon the best kindergarten in Melbourne, we have some great tips listed below which will help your child to adapt to the new-born’s entry better.
Start Slow and Wisely – No need to suddenly break the news of the soon to be arriving baby to your child. After all, your first kid is just a little one now and wouldn’t even understand perfectly what it is to have a sibling. You can be very wise and slow in your approach. Gradually, let the child understand (with examples) as to how awesome it’s to have siblings and what fun life would be when your child shall have a sibling!
Try Storytelling Techniques – Children are very inspired by stories. And if you present them with good stories that show excellent bonding between siblings or how the first child becomes happy and gets company with the arrival of the second one, then probably your child would be enthusiastic to have a sibling of his or her own as well.
Let the Child Participate Actively in Preparing for the Baby – If you want your child to connect with the sibling even before his/her arrival, let the child participate in welcoming the baby with you. You can prepare the nursery together, get the new toys, clothes, and essentials for the baby and even decorate the house for the baby’s arrival day – all united as a family.
Not Neglecting the First One Even During the Busiest Times – We understand parenting a new-born is very tough and very time consuming. But remember, never neglect your first child during this time. The older one needs you most during this time when your attention is getting divided.
Let the Child Spend Some Time with Friends and in School — You’ll obviously need to take good care of the new-born. And no matter how much you try, perhaps the older one still seems withdrawn or too stressed during this time. You can actually enrol your child to an early learning centre in Melbourne like Kids & Co where your child will get to mingle with other kids of similar age and learn to share some space. The child will even see other kids with siblings and understand that it is natural and ok to have them. Of course, they’ll learn a lot too in this process under the able guidance of the teachers at the centre, which is an added perk.
You should know that the arrival of a sibling brings about lots of insecurities in your elder child which may later grow with age if you don’t nip it in the bud. If you aren’t careful now, you’ll have to face serious consequences later. So, it’s better to act wisely on time and follow all the above tips during this crucial period.
