Avoid Jealousy In Children When A Baby Comes

Jealousy in children is normal when a younger brother or sister arrives. The arrival of a new baby forces them to share both their space and the attention of their parents. These things even have to be shared with someone who is foreign to them, does very little and requires lots of time.

This time, they could, before, enjoy entirely for themselves. If parents do not manage to handle the situation effectively, it can lead to intense jealousy in children. It can cause unwanted behaviors, and even behaviors you thought your children had grown out of.

One of the demons that can cause jealousy in children is fear. This fear increases when the new baby comes home and needs attention almost 24 hours a day. Children may feel that they are not receiving the same loving care  (or at least not to the same extent as before).

They may feel ignored. As a result, they may become jealous and the new baby may become their new rival. However, this situation can be handled in a way that has no serious consequences. Let’s take a look at how to achieve this!

Make a plan to introduce your children to avoid jealousy

To make sure your children do not get jealous when their brother or sister arrives, they need to understand why the new family member requires so much attention.

To achieve this, it is important that you show your children pictures from when they were little and explain the care they needed. That way, the kids will better understand what happens when the new baby arrives.

If children do not understand why the parents care for the baby, why they need to be so attentive, and why they need to share the attention, they may reject the baby.

To avoid this, it is extremely important that parents talk about the situation in a way that the children can easily understand, as well as use their time well. That way, the dethroned princes or princesses will not lose all their personal space.

Likewise, parents can give their children a gift on behalf of the baby that will come soon. It could be a doll, a pair of slippers or something similar. That way, the kids will be curious about the baby that is coming soon.

They may even react in a similar way and prepare something with an emotional meaning that they can share with their brother or sister when he or she arrives.

What to do to avoid jealousy in older children when the baby arrives

To avoid jealousy in children, it is important to make a plan to introduce their new siblings. It will be the starting point, the first impression and the moment the older children will decide how they will treat the new baby, both in that moment and in the future. If parents organize things well, they may be able to avoid many future problems.

No matter how well you plan this meeting,  it is still possible that your children will be reluctant to get to know their new siblings, or accept him or her as part of the family. It is possible that the children are just shy, or it may be because they are rejecting their new brother or sister.

Identifying why your children are reacting in this way will help solve the problem. It is important that one’s children are allowed to express their feelings. Furthermore, one has to help them deal with their emotions.

Involve your children to avoid jealousy in children

In many cases, parents do not let their children hold the new baby, despite asking for it. That’s a serious mistake. One of the ways to make sure the children do not feel jealous is to involve them in the care of the new baby. 

There is no doubt that letting a baby hold a newborn baby can be dangerous. However, there is no reason why children can not do it if they sit down and their parents keep a close eye on them all the time.

Furthermore, if the children want to get involved in the activities, it is a good idea to let them get involved in the care of the baby. If they want it or you manage to encourage them, they can help bathe the baby. 

Under no circumstances should they be forced or emotionally blackmailed to do so. Whether it’s picking up a towel, giving the baby soap or letting them, gently, wash the baby’s head, this kind of contact is crucial.

The more moments you share with all your kids at the same time, the more they will create a bond. And, the less you will have to split your time. However, it is important that you avoid going to other extremes. In other words, under no circumstances should you let older children be responsible for the care of their younger siblings. 

If children are not allowed to get close to their new siblings, perhaps with the excuse that they have dirty hands or they may get hurting the baby, for example, it will only provoke jealousy and rejection in them.

All children have needs

Despite the efforts you make to prevent your children from becoming jealous of their new brother or sister, it should never be a substitute for the quality time your children need. Although a new baby has many needs, older children also have their own needs.

They really benefit from some time to themselves. It is important to take into account that a bond between a child and its parents is unique and not transferable.

This is why  it is essential that parents maintain their children’s routine. In particular, the aspects of the routine that will improve their well-being. It will help the children feel closer to their parents and understand that they are still very important to them.

In a nutshell, there are several things people can do to prevent their baby or children from getting jealous when a new baby arrives. As the baby grows, new challenges will arise and the children may become jealous of each other. Either way, these challenges are an important part of the wonderful adventure of being a parent.