The arrival of a new little brother

The arrival of a new sibling is a moment of great joy for the family, but one must know how to manage with the little ones in the house, since until now they have been the true princes or princesses of their parents. The reason is neither more nor less than the jealousy that they may feel, and that is part of the emotional process that they will feel with the arrival of the new baby, whom they may come to consider as a rival.

Although these feelings may appear from the beginning, it is normal that they become more important as time goes by. Around 3 or 4 years old, the older brother will tend to demand more attention than he feels you are giving him. At that moment you may feel a little abandoned by not having the unique and exclusive attention that you had before.

This situation is complicated for both the child and the parents. Therefore, below we leave you with a series of recommendations that will make this period easier for you.

TIPS ON THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW LITTLE BROTHER

• Give him attention whenever you can and make him feel that he is very loved through physical demonstrations such as kisses and hugs. It is also recommended that these situations occur in front of the baby, so that his brother feels that he continues to occupy the important place that he has always occupied.
• Don't give importance to any outbursts of jealousy you may have, and normalize the situation as much as possible. Do not punish him for it because in that case he would feel that he has lost the affection of his parents and from now on he will want to suppress even stronger jealousy.
• Never compare aspects of the two brothers, since the older one may interpret that there is a certain preference towards the younger one.
• Promote the autonomy of the older brother to make him more independent and not need excessive attention from his parents.
• Practice positive reinforcement towards him with comments that make him feel safe, loved and valued. We must show them that this is still the case.
• When the two brothers have their birthdays, you should never participate in their little anger. Intervene only to stop a fight, but never to find culprits or choose one of them.
• Look for situations in which the two siblings interact, have fun, and begin to create a special bond between them.
• It is advisable to reward or give some privileges to the older brother precisely because of his status as the firstborn. This will make him feel important and he will see that his parents continue to take him into account in a very special way.

As you can see, the arrival of a new sibling does not have to be a traumatic stage for the one who until now was the little one in the house. Following some little advice, the two brothers will end up becoming allies and will take care of each other forever.