Are you about to have your second baby? While it’s true that every toddler struggles to some extent with a new baby around, you can do a lot to help your older tot at this time. Follow these tips to make life with 2 young children a whole lot easier.

Firstly is the importance of managing your expectations. There is not a toddler alive who is going to feel completely happy about life with a new baby. Mixed feelings are the order of the day: excitement meets jealousy meets babyish behavior. You can minimise jealousy, but not totally eradicate it.

Drip feed the idea of, rather than go on endlessly about, the new arrival. Talk about the baby (What do you think the baby will wear? etc) - but not every day. Watch for signs of confusion in your toddler’s face and change the subject if necessary.

It’s a good idea to read some new baby stories together. There are some excellent ones available that allow your child to explore his or her feelings about babies. Choose stories that involve problems, for example ‘Spot’s Baby Sister’ by Eric Hill.

There is a lot you can do to involve your child in the preparations: let him choose or make some pictures for the baby’s nursery for example. You could use this as an opportunity to give him a room makeover of his own. This can be less expensive than you might think if you get him a wall mural. Wallpaper murals cost far less than traditional canvases.

Lastly, make some special time for your toddler once the baby is here. This doesn’t have to be a hour - even five minutes (if it is quality, one-to-one time) is quality time to your older child. You might well find you are up to reading together while feeding the baby. Use all the help you can get from other adults to help you out here.

Share This