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Top parenting stories this week
How to Handle Jealous Siblings
If your first-born has started acting up since the birth of his new sibling, he may be jealous of this new challenger for his attention. Here’s how to smooth things out.
by: Elizabeth Pantley
In This Article
First-born Jealousy
- Teach your toddler how to play with the baby in the same way you teach him anything else: talk to him, demonstrate, guide and encourage.
- Don't blame everything on the new baby–be careful not to say things like: "We can't go to the park because the baby's sleeping."
- Acknowledge your toddler's unspoken feelings by saying things like: "Things sure have changed with the new baby here. It's going to take us all some time to get used to this." When your child knows you understand his feelings, he'll have less need to act up to get your attention.
- Say extra I love yous, increase your daily dose of hugs and find time to read a book or play a game. Temporary behavior problems are normal and can be eased with an extra dose of time and attention.
efore your new baby arrived, your toddler was told he'd have a wonderful little brother to play with and how much fun it would be. Then the little brother was born and your toddler started thinking, "This squirming, red-faced baby that takes up all your time and attention is supposed to be fun?" Here are 10 ways to help him make the transition from only child to eldest:
1. Teach him how to interact
Your first goal is to protect the baby. Your second, to teach your older child how to interact properly. You can teach your toddler how to play with the baby in the same way you teach him anything else. Talk to him, demonstrate, guide and encourage. Until you feel confident that you've achieved your second goal, however, do not leave the children alone together. If you see your toddler about to get rough, pick up the baby and distract the older sibling with a song, a toy, an activity or a snack. This action protects the baby while helping you avoid a constant string of "Nos," which could encourage the aggressive behavior.
