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Sibling rivalry in early childhood is a common problem faced by many parents. It usually happens when your firstborn has to share many things with the younger baby. Your toddler experiences tremendous change in his position in the family. He will definitely miss hogging the limelight. He may feel neglected as the baby is always the center of attention. He won't like sharing parents and toys with the new baby. He will see the sibling as a rival for his parents' affection. Your toddler may misbehave to seek attention or divert the limelight away from the baby.
In early childhood, a toddler's sense of identity is undeveloped. This explains why he feels threatened when he has to share everything with a new baby. A toddler may react with negative behaviors consequently. Parents should expect the firstborn to feel unsettled with the arrival of his new sibling. The correct way of handling sibling rivalry is to help him adjust to his new role.
Break the news of the coming arrival of a new baby carefully. Present it as a surprise or gift of a sibling to your firstborn. Tell your toddler that the baby loves him. Buy a gift for your baby to give to your toddler. The youngster will not question much about this but welcome the gift. You can also take your toddler shopping to select a suitable gift for his new baby sibling. This exchange of gifts trick is often used to set the stage for bonding between two siblings.
After your delivery, get your toddler involved with helping you care for the baby. He'll feel proud to be useful. Ask him to fetch things for his baby sibling. He will learn to relish his role of being big brother to helpless baby.
If you have visitors to see your newborn, ask them discreetly to spend some time with your toddler, too. He will feel happy to be included in part of the activity. If your newborn receives many presents and your toddler feels jealous or excluded, tell him that he can share in his baby's gifts. Pretty soon, he will realize that there's no fun in sharing baby things. He'll become too bored to bother being upset with baby's presents.
No matter what happens, avoid getting upset if your toddler misbehaves. Allow him a period of time for adjustment to his new role in the family. Remember not to neglect him. Show that you still love him just as much as the new baby. You can ask your husband to help out in caring for your toddler. This is also a special time for promoting father-son bonding since mother is very busy with the baby.
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