Greetings Family.
Hope all is well with you as we approach the New Cycle, I had taken time off to bring forth new life and I give thanks for the Gift at the same time I recognise the challenges some mothers may face when introducing their new bundle of joy to the Family. Specifically, 1st Child Syndrome ;)
Having a new baby can be stressful for everyone in the Family, however, if you already have children, the most daunting task may be balancing your time with new baby and big brother or sister.
Here are 7 tips I have found to help with some of the challenges we may come across...
For sure you will need these things in abundance, you may have forgotten a lot of things that you learned when you had your first child, just be prepared to re-learn those things and more with your second, and third and so forth. Its important to cut yourself some slack, and to try to manage your time well. Creating mental and physical timetables will assist you in keeping your home in order and help establish a routine for your children.
Its very important at this time to make sure that your 1st born receives plenty of praise and encouragement from parents at this time, so give props where its due. Its easy to overlook the small achievements of your 1st born during this hectic period of settling down a newborn, try to remember that they are still growing and learning things everyday and there was a time that their small triumphs were greatly acknowledged by Mum and Dad.
One of the most vital things to promote is sibling participation, allow big brother or sister to help you with things around the house and encourage them getting involved with tasks for the new baby. Allow them to fetch things such as nappies, cloths and wipes. Tell them that the help they give is welcome and show them it is appreciated.
Allocate a period of time during the day for just you and big brother or sister, remenber, up until recently they had your undivided attention, spending quality time with them lets them know that they are still important and that there is no reason to resent the baby. Infact its a great time to establish to them how important their new role as an elder sibling is to you.
Now is the perfect opportunity offer more independence to your 1st born so deal with a new stage in their life that you may have been putting off. From potty training to learning a new instrument, help them develop new skills that will showcase their abilities and solidify their new role as no longer a baby. Sometimes children may regress when a new baby come in a bid for your attention they may display disruptive behavior. You can curb tantrums by stretching their imagination and keeping them physically and mentally engaged.
You may be tempted to relax their diet (as well as your own) due to the added demands of your family, but keeping on top of a healthy, balanced food regime will save you a lot more time in the long run. Try not to give in to high sugar snacks out of guilt of, Food Nutritionist Dr Sebi suggests that a lot of health and behavior disorders in young children stem from poor diets resulting in mucus build up, particularly in the brain. Save your self a trip to the GP with stimulating superfoods that will aid both you and your young ones immune systems.
The old adage is that it takes a village to raise a child, so if yo have two or more, it may take a small country! Seriously though, even if you feel like SuperMother at times try not to do it all alone, don't feel ashamed to ask your partner or trusted relatives and friends for help,sometimes you just need breathing space. Take some time for just you and baby away from your 1st born so you get a chance to miss them and appreciate them when they return. I recommend connecting with other mothers, new and experienced who may know where your coming from and can offer advice on how to deal with your new situation.
Remember that Love is the key to dealing with your children's relationships, no matter how old they are they still need your care and affection. Be sure to offer it in abundance so they can see it, feel it, and return it to their new baby sibling. I wish you and your Family the best on this beautiful journey, and have a fantastic New Year.
Selah
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