Of Jealousy and Rivalry

Parents are naturally overjoyed when a new member enters into a family. How about the older one? How would he feel if someone else is going to occupy his baby boy bedding?

Sibling Rivalry can be traced back to the moment when the child heard a new baby is coming. Making the child understand the situation is a difficult task. It would be even more difficult if the child is in the toddler stage. In this stage, the child thinks that the world revolves around him.

But how do you lessen the impact of the forthcoming little brother? There are a number of ways to do prepare the child for this.

Introduce the child to the little brother while he is still in the womb. Let him listen and touch your tummy. Congratulate the child for having a new brother he could play with. When the baby arrives, he will not be estranged by the baby boy’s presence.

While preparing the things for the new baby, you should ask the child to give his baby boy bedding and other stuff to his little brother. Make it a point that this would make his little brother happy and he is old enough to use those things. Using these things to the new child without saying a word would make the older one jealous.

Finally, let the older sibling touch or hold the child with your assistance. This will make him feel that he really has a brother. If the baby cries, tell him that his little brother is hungry or sleepy. In addition, let him participate in his little brother’s care. Ask him for assistance like holding the sheets for the baby boy bedding or holding the towel during baby bath.

Jealousy and rivalry is impossible to avoid but its impact can be minimized if acted on the earliest possible time.