How To Tell Your Young Child You Are Expecting Another Baby
Finding out that you are having a baby is often very exciting news, and like all exciting news, you can't wait to tell everyone around you. But if this is only your second child, you may wonder what your only child will think about becoming a sibling. Depending on the age of your child, you may want to carefully plan how and what you tell your child about the pregnancy, as sibling rivalry can start before the other sibling is even born.
If your only child is still a toddler, or even a younger child, they may not understand what it means to be pregnant until they can have hard proof. For instance, until you start showing or the baby is born, they may not be able to comprehend the fact that they will be a big brother or sister. It may be a better idea to wait until you start showing if even you think he will understand, as the risk for a hard-to-explain miscarriage is decreased.
Once your child understands that he will be having a new sibling, be open about all baby-related issues. Explain to your child what he can expect and look forward to when the baby first comes home from the hospital and during the first few months. Try not to leave exclude him. Instead, teach them what they can do to help Mom and Dad take care of the baby.
Books and videos are great tools to teach your young children about what it means for Mom to have a baby growing inside of her and what it will be like having a new baby in the family. The more time you spend in discussion with your child about the implications of a new baby, the more likely she will accept the change without any predisposed jealousy or sibling rivalry.
