It’s no doubt that having another child can be a difficult transition for older siblings. I am no expert when it comes to this, but I’ve made a conscious effort to be aware of Spencer and his reaction to his new sister. From the time Spencer first met Emme in the hospital, I wanted him to know that she wasn’t replacing him and that we loved him as much as we loved her (both of which are difficult concepts for a two-year old to grasp).
When people come over to visit, they are usually enthralled with the newest little one in our family, and I have seen Spencer usually watch from a distance or seek out attention himself. On a daily basis, I do my best to give him the love and attention that he needs. I haven’t mastered this in any way, but it’s always at the front of my mind when interacting with my little ones.
I am a big advocate of using stories to teach behaviors. Around the time that Emme was born, my sister in law gave Spencer a book called The New Baby by Mercer Mayer. I had never heard of this book before but it has been a great book to help Spencer with the transition of having a new sibling. I’ve often thought that this would make a great baby shower gift or older sibling gift, as it gives practical examples of how the older sibling can be involved in helping with the newest little one from giving cuddles to tickling their tummies to make them laugh.
Spencer has loved reading this book and it’s so great to see him make connections between the main character and himself. Sometimes I wonder what’s going through his little head when he sees his little sister getting so much attention. Often times, the only thing I know to do is to give him a hug and tell him how much I love him.
