You expect the birth of a second baby. That's just how to make the older child take this news calmly? Do not think that your senior will be uniquely pleased with the younger brother or sister. Think for yourself, he was the only one, loved and suddenly everything changes. These changes alarm him. To help him cope with this situation, you need to think about how best to prepare a child for this important event. "The second child in the family: how to prepare the elder" - the theme of our today's article.
The first and most important thing: tell him that you are expecting the baby, as soon as possible. Explain that they become more tired and grumbling at all, not because he is bored with your eldest, but because the birth of a new baby is hard work. Write down your crumb in some section. Let him have an occupation so that after the birth of a newborn he sometimes leaves home without the feeling that he is being expelled. It will be great if just now the child together with his father will have as many joint activities as possible: Sunday breakfast, walk on the playground, reading books before going to bed, board games. Other family members can also help you with this. Only it is not necessary to deny the child attention on the pretext of pregnancy. For example, if you are tired and want to rest, call him to lie down next to you. Read a book or just watch TV together. As soon as the fetal movement is clearly felt, put the palm of your son or daughter to the stomach - let them talk to their future brother or sister. When it becomes possible, take the eldest with him to the women's consultation, where he will be able to attend during the examination. If he hears the heartbeat of a fetus, a born brother or sister will become more real to him. Involve the child in choosing furniture and dowry for the future brother or sister. Together, review the old things and toys to choose those that can be passed on to the new baby. Do not force to give something with which the child is sorry to part. There will come a time when he himself will happily present this baby. Just do not press him and give him time. If you decide that the youngest child will sleep in the crib of the first child, then you need how you can begin to put him to sleep in a new bed. You need to do this a few months before the birth, and in no case in the last days before them. If you plan to transfer the child to another room, in connection with the birth of a baby, then it is better to do it earlier. Tell the child about this. Do not forget to emphasize that he gets a room because he grew up, and not because the room needs a newborn baby. You will have to pay attention not only to preparing the room for the baby, but also for the new room of the older child. Do it so that he will rejoice in his new room. You can buy new furniture, books and toys. Work out the design together, and then the child will see that you pay attention to him, and will not be jealous of the baby. Together, discuss the names that you think you should call a newborn, let the child take an active part in the choice. As the date of delivery approaches, explain in advance to your first-born that you will not be home for several days, ask to help you gather things, put something in your bag, for example, a drawing or a small toy. Say that you love him and will be bored, but by all means you will soon return and you will all be together again. You, on your part, can buy a gift in advance and present it after returning from the hospital, for being well behaved and helping around the house while Mom was with the baby in the hospital. Preparing the child for the birth of the baby, do not touch on issues that may not appear at all. For example, do not say: "Do not worry, we will love you as much as small." Do not ask before the birth of the eldest with expensive gifts, otherwise he will think that this will always be so. Call the child who is to be born "our baby" or even "your baby", so that the elder person has a firm belief that the crumb will belong to him, too. Be patient, talk with your son or daughter more often, and then you together with joy will meet the appearance of a new member of the family in your home.