Tips to Build Sibling Attachment
By Anna Stewart
Ask a pregnant mother what her fears are and the answer may surprise you. With the first baby, fears tend to be about the pain of childbirth, financial woes and loss of independence. The second time around, a parent knows how to care for an infant and how quickly the dependent infant becomes a struggling-for-independence child.
But for many parents pregnant with the second, the fear is about the first child. How will she handle the new baby? How am I going to give my first the attention she is used to?
Preparing the first child for the arrival of the second is a big concern. Lorna Benton, MSW, specializes in working with children. “As long as a child is perceiving that their needs are being met, everything will be copasetic,” she said. “The difficulty is separating their wants from their needs. Healthy children want to please their parents and to be part of the process of including a new child into the family.” READ MORE.
© Anna Stewart
Anna Stewart, B.A., C.M.T., C.H.T., mothers three young children, one with special needs. In her classes, workshops and services, she weaves her expertise as a professional writer, creative artist and student of rhythm dance. Anna offers a number of classes in the Boulder, Colorado, area. She can be reached at (303) 499-7681 or via e-mail at anna (at) motherhands.com. Her web site is ww.motherhands.com.
Very true article. My older child was thrilled to be included in family time with the new baby, "helping" diaper and clothe her, etc. They get along great, still.
Posted by: Kate | January 13, 2008 at 01:46 PM
Thanks for the information, great post. I am pregnant now and have twin 18 month olds. So they will be a little over two years old when the new baby comes home. You gave somegood ideas on how to make this a smooth transition.
Posted by: Pregnancy123 | July 01, 2009 at 02:47 AM