Bringing Home Baby!

Bringing home a newborn to meet your toddler for the first time can be quite a juggling act. A new baby requires a great deal of attention and work. But when you already have a young child at home, it is difficult to keep them from feeling neglected. rnAn expecting mother with a 20 month old at home recently told us, “One of my biggest fears is that my toddler will hate our new baby”. Her concerns are not unfounded. Therapists have described a toddler’s experience to a newborn being introduced to the family would be equivalent of finding your significant other cuddled up on your couch with another person. As you can see, this can be a very traumatic experience for the toddler. rnA mother of three, with a fourth one on the way, told us that she always made it her goal to keep her older children from feeling left out. She often asks her family and friends to bring gifts for her older children instead of the newborn to prevent feelings of jealousy. rnHer youngest child, who is four years old, asked her whether she would love the new baby more than her. This is a common question that children have when a new baby comes into a family. “I try to change the way my kids see the new baby. They think that the baby is competition, but I ask them for help. I ask them to be my helpers and take care of the baby with me.” Making your older children become a part of the parenting process helps in more ways than one.