Extend the compliments and say:
“Now we have 2 beautiful children!”
Around other people
Warn uninitiated friends that your toddler may
get jealous, so ask them to make a fuss over
him as well as the new baby when they visit.
Some friends may also bring a gift for the baby,
but forget about your toddler. Have some spare
gifts in the cupboard as back up.
Let your toddler unwrap baby’s gifts, so he is
involved in the baby in a fun way. (This also
starts teaching him about giving, and not only
taking – an important life lesson.)
When people comment on how beautiful your
new baby is in front of your toddler, extend
the compliments to him too. For example, you
could say: “Now we have 2 beautiful children!”
Feeling special
You need to make sure your toddler still feels
special, so that he doesn’t feel he has to
compete with the baby for your affection.
You can do this by highlighting his talents, so
he is reassured of his individuality. You could
tell him, for example, he is great at throwing
and kicking balls, and one day he will be able
to play ball with his little sister and teach her
his skills. Importantly, try to set aside a little
1 on 1 time for your toddler each day, even if
it is only 15 minutes.
Behaviour changes
Be prepared for your toddler to start acting out,
and even regressing into old behaviours such
as using a dummy. Be patient and accepting
of these changes. Let him have his dummy. At
the same time, start to draw his attention to
the benefits of being older and bigger than the
baby – that he can eat ice cream and play on
the jungle gym, for example, things which his
little sister can’t do.
Be sympathetic. Tell your toddler you know it
is hard for him to have to adjust to a new baby,
so he is reassured that he can express all of his
emotions, both positive and negative. By being
sensitive to how big an impact a new baby is
on your toddler, he should be able to adapt
quickly, and soon he will be loving his new
sibling. Good luck!