A new sibling changes the whole family fabric – that's a lot at once.
Keeping the connection
- Plan a small, exclusive piece of time each day (10 minutes is often enough).
- Involve the older child with little tasks – voluntary, never as pressure.
- Allow feelings to be named: "You're allowed to feel angry or sad sometimes."
Easing everyday life
- Keep routines as much as possible – predictability is calming.
- Steer visits: not everyone has to see the baby first.
- Gifts "from the baby" for the older sibling can make the welcome easier.
When it stays hard
- Slipping back into younger behaviour is normal and usually temporary.
- Under a heavy load: bring in a parenting counselling service or the child's key carer at nursery.
It's allowed to be bumpy for a while – that doesn't make you a bad family.