Introducing A Sibling

Bringing a second child into the world will upset your cosy family dynamic, this is a fact! Just how you prepare your firstborn for the arrival of his/ her sibling will ease the transition from “me” to “we”!

- Peta Daniel

Your family seemed perfect as it was, just mom, dad and baby. And then came the news that you were pregnant! Whether planned or not, the news brings with it some concern that your very happy family dynamic is going to change and your young toddler may not like the new addition to the family! M&P’s expert psychologist, Dr Sumayya Ebrahim, shares strategies that parents can employ with their young toddler while pregnant and when they bring baby home.

CAYLEY BOSHOFF - a data capturer from Durban is a mother of two: RosyLee (2) and Dreydin (8 weeks). “We only wanted one child and Rosy was our special, adored baby,” admits Cayley. “We did not plan on a second child.” On finding out that she was expecting, Cayley felt guilt realising that her special daughter Rosy would have to grow up quickly and miss out on being a baby. “It took me 20 weeks to accept the pregnancy. Then we found out we were having a boy and fell completely in love with our son.”

JOANNE HANNAH – a primary school teacher from the South Coast in KZN – was a middle child in a very busy family of three. There are four years difference between her and her older sister, and she was seven years old when her younger sister Michelle was born. Growing up, Joanne had difficulty dealing with the unequal treatment between her and her sisters from her parents. “My little sister is the blue-eyed girl in the family who can do no wrong and gets everything handed to her on a silver platter.”

EXPLAINING THE SITUATION