{"id":28791,"date":"2015-07-28T06:00:08","date_gmt":"2015-07-28T13:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=28791"},"modified":"2017-11-29T12:50:49","modified_gmt":"2017-11-29T20:50:49","slug":"how-to-help-children-adjust-to-the-arrival-of-a-new-sibling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/how-to-help-children-adjust-to-the-arrival-of-new-sibling-0728154","title":{"rendered":"How to Help Children Adjust to the Arrival of a New Sibling"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FamilyA happy event though it is, integrating a new baby into the family is a huge transition<\/a>. It\u2019s a huge transition for Mom and Dad, of course, but it\u2019s also a huge transition for older children in the family.<\/p>\n

The dynamic of the whole family<\/a> changes when a new baby arrives. The arrival of a new baby can be one of the most traumatic events<\/a> in a child\u2019s life. It is a significant transition that must be handled with compassion<\/a> and empathy<\/a>, lest you risk harming his or her self-worth and sense of security. The integration of a new baby into the family can create an emotional crisis for children. Therefore, children need the assurance of their parents\u2019 love more than ever.<\/p>\n

It is completely normal for children to experience jealousy<\/a> once a new baby arrives, even if the children are excited about having a new baby in the house. The reality is that children will have to adjust to the shift in the amount of attention they receive from their parents. Children may experience this shift as a loss that they grieve. How children adjust to a new baby depends on their temperament and the ease of the transition of integrating the new baby into the family. The goal for parents is to help children manage their jealousy so that, sooner rather than later, love for the new baby can take over.<\/p>\n

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The integration of a new baby tends to be most difficult for children 18 months to three years. Children younger than that aren\u2019t as aware, and children older than that typically have other things distracting them. When the time comes for the baby to arrive, parents need to ensure that children do not feel abandoned<\/a>. Having Mommy go away to the hospital can be traumatic if the children are on the younger side and don\u2019t understand why she left, which may make it more difficult to accept the new addition to the family once the baby is brought home.<\/p>\n

It is best to start preparing children for the new arrival before the baby even arrives. The goal is to help children feel connected to the baby and to become enthusiastic about its arrival.<\/p>\n

Strategies for Helping Children Embrace a New Sibling<\/h2>\n

The following are some strategies parents<\/a> can use to help children adjust to a new sibling:<\/p>\n