Preparing Child For Baby Sibling

When a toddler was previously an only child & had access to their parent’s full attention, but now they find themselves having to share it with the new baby, Behaviour Analysts point out, that this is a big transition for the toddler to get used to, & it can at times lead to sibling rivalry & attention seeking behaviours.

The toddler is now no longer the youngest, & along with this, the new baby needs so much of the parent’s time & attention. Child Therapists highlight that, a lot more is now expected of the toddler, in terms of the parents needing the toddler to be more independent & to do more for themselves, now that the parents have to devote so much time & attention to looking after the new baby. All these changes can be quite tough for the toddler to adapt to, as it has to be remembered that they are still so young themselves.

Behaviour Therapists point out, that often times, toddlers struggle with this transition, which can in turn lead to the toddler having difficulty managing anger, which they may then display in the form of tantrums & other behaviour challenges.

To Help With Parenting During This Transition Of The Arrival Of A New Baby:

* It can help for the parents to give the toddler a gift from the new baby when the toddler first meets the new baby.

* When the toddler meets their baby brother/sister for the first time, it is important for the parents to give the toddler lots of attention too – & for the parents to make a fuss of the gift that the toddler got from the new baby.

* It can, at times, be beneficial for the parents to try to include the toddler in helping with the new baby, for e.g., asking the toddler to pass them the wipes or the baby’s blanket, etc. & then for the parents to praise the toddler for for being so good to the baby.

* It is important for parents to paise the toddler for being “so gentle” around the new baby, as studies in the field of Behaviour Analysis have shown, that in terms of child behaviour, when children get praise & attention for a particular behaviour, it increases the chances of the child displaying that particular behaviour again, as it was reinforced when they done it before.

* It is beneficial for the parents to tell the toddler how the baby loves having them as their big brother/sister, & how the baby loves it when the toddler does that silly dance, for example – So that the toddler thinks it’s great that the baby thinks they are great, & so there is a higher chance of them developing a positive association with the baby.

* When the baby is sleeping, it is vital that the parents make the time to give the toddler their one-to-one time & attention, & it is so important for the parents to find ways to praise & include the toddler throughout the day.

Change is hard for everyone & toddlers are no different – This is why it is so necessary for the parents to be patient with the toddler & for the parents to make a conscious effort to make sure that the toddler is not overlooked after the arrival of the new baby.

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