Whats the best way to prepare a three-year-old for the arrival of a new baby?
A. Include your child in some prenatal doctor visits and read books together, such as Our New Baby, that describe what life will be like with the new baby in the house. So that your child will learn there’s a time to be playful and a time to be calm around an infant, role play and model calm behavior, and provide practice in appropriate behaviors before the baby arrives. Another idea is to put a picture of your pre-schooler in the baby’s room with a sign that says “big sister” or “big brother,” and talk about all the ways he or she can be a helper when the baby arrives, for example, by getting diapers or wipes, bringing in the mail, and performing other small duties. Stay positive and when the baby arrives, don’t forget to give lots of hugs, kisses and praise to your child.
