How To Help An Older Child Adjust To A New Baby

The news of a new addition to the family is very exciting and thrilling for all the members, but your older child may instantly become increasingly temperamental and find it difficult to adjust to the new baby. It is normal for the older child to feel insecure and confused, what with all your attention focused on attending to the needs of the newborn. He/she may display unusual possessiveness and throw temper tantrums, which are to be handled positively, to encourage your child to lovingly accept the new baby. In case you need any help in this regard, we are at your service. Follow the article to find some valuable tips on how to help your older child adjust to a new baby.

As soon as you get to know that you are expecting, let your child know that he/she will soon have cute company at home. You will have to develop affection in the elder child, for the arriving sibling. Your child may be too young to comprehend a lot of things, but if you attempt to explain them patiently and lovingly, he/she will surely develop an understanding of the situation over time.

 

You will have to tackle the insecurity of your child in a positive way. He/she may display unusual anger and make deliberate attention-seeking attempts. It is important to realize that he/she is feeling ignored and alone. Make your child feel secure and loved, by giving him/her special time and attending to his/her needs. The older child can become more problematic and jealous of the newborn, if this insecurity is not tackled in the right way.

 

You just can’t afford to leave your older child left out, no matter how busy you are with the younger baby. Get him/her involved in some way. You can keep talking to him/her even as you feed the newborn. Allow the older child to assist you in feeding, diapering, bathing, and playing with the new baby. This will help your child willingly adjust to the role of a "big brother" or "big sister" and he/she will not feel left out.

 

To reinforce the older child’s role as a “big brother" or "big sister", you need to constantly encourage him/her to play and spend time with the newborn. This will also help shed some of your load. Playing with the newborn will bond both the siblings and help the older child adjust better to the new reality. The more connection gets created between the two, the easier it will be for you to handle your older child.

 

An older child feels terribly ignored and uncared for, when your friends and family shower all the attention on the newborn, completely missing the former. It will do well to ask your family members and relatives to attend to the older child as well and not make him/her feel ignored. It is pretty normal for anyone to have insecurity issues, if all his/her share of attention is shifted to someone else, all of a sudden.