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Home › Articles › Family Life › When Baby Meets Toddler

When Baby Meets Toddler

Helping Siblings Adjust to the Newest Family Member

By Angela Harris

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Bringing home a new baby can be a time of great joy. It can also be a stressful time, especially for the exhausted parents of a demanding toddler. I vividly remember the difficult adjustment period between my then 2 1/2-year-old, Evan, and his brand new brother, Ethan. The boys are now the best of friends, but it wasn't always that way.

Normal Behavior
"It's normal for toddlers to behave unfavorably when a new baby is introduced into the family," says Dr. John Tedeschi, chief of pediatrics at Virtua West Jersey Hospital. It's also important for parents to understand that different children exhibit different reactions to the arrival of their new sibling. "What's crucial is to know your child – understand their personality, and keep the lines of communication open," says Dr. Tedeschi.

Cindy Kennedy Reedy, a child development and family relations expert at Arcadia University in suburban Philadelphia, agrees. "Young children, especially 2-year-olds, are in the midst of major cognitive and social and emotional growth," she says. "Autonomy is developing – they are becoming aware of who they are and what they can do. If a new sibling arrives during this developmental stage, parents must be aware of the impact this may have on the toddler." Reedy also suggests that although a parent's primary focus should remain on the toddler, having an infant in the family can actually encourage and enhance positive toddler development.

Realistic Expectations
It's vital to communicate honestly with your toddler regarding the baby, says Ann Douglas, mother of four and author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books and The Mother of All Baby Books
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