How To Mentally Prepare Your Child For A Sibling?

So you are in your second pregnancy and are quite excited to welcome another child into the family. But have you thought how you are going to reveal the news to your first born? Scroll down to read few tips that will help prepare your first born for a sibling.

Tips To Prepare Your Child Mentally For A Sibling

1. Be straightforward: When revealing the news of your pregnancy to your first born, don't beat about the bush and tell him or her as it is. For instance – just tell your child that you will soon be going to have a brother or sister
2. Don't set wrong expectations: Parents often do the mistake of saying the wrong words thus setting the wrong expectations with their first born. So avoid saying “Mommy and Daddy are going to bring you a brother/sister soon to play with.” This will set a wrong expectation in your firstborn. How? Well your child starts imagining a playmate for himself or herself as soon as the baby is born and so when your child is not able to play with your second born he or she starts getting frustrated
3. Do not assume: You need to rule out all possible assumptions regarding your child's emotions. Once you break in the news to him or her, he or she will obviously feel happy but at the same time may also get sad with the thought of sharing his or her parents. With the three of you making a family, things will surely change as you have the fourth member join in. Reign in the negative thoughts by assuring your child that you and your spouse will always be there for your first born. Also, try to spend more and more time with your first born
4. Make your child responsible for small things: When you start treating your first born like an elder child and offer him or her some responsibilities related to the baby, he or she will feel wanted and a part of the family rather than feeling neglected. The best way to mentally prepare your child for a sibling is to involve him all sorts of activities related to the arrival of the new born. Be it decorating the room or the crib of the new born
5. Making some room: While it will take some time for the siblings to share the room and other things, it is always better to prepare your first born way ahead so that by the time comes to share his or her things, he or she is ready with a smile and there are no resentments
6. Prior experience: If your child hasn't had any experience being around a baby, you can have your child spend time frequently with your friends' or relatives baby. In this way your child will be comfortable slowly with having a younger one and will love to indulge in play with him. This will mentally prepare your child for a sibling
7. Make your child feel secure through your pregnancy: The thought of a new baby may at times may result in feeling of insecurity, as the child may think that with the arrival of new baby his or her place in mommy-daddy's heart will be replaced by the new arrival. So sit with your first born, talk to him or her and basically spend some more quality time with him or her to strengthen your bond with your first born

Also Read: 8 Tips to prepare your child for a Sibling

Completely avoiding your elder child may upset him or her thus resulting in the feelings of jealousy and resentment, which are both unhealthy and uncalled for. So ensure to spend some more time with your child and also include his father in day-to-day activities surrounding the child.