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Today is National Sibling Day, where we celebrate our brother’s and sister’s, but some only children aren’t ready to give up their attention to a new baby brother or sister. It can be a hard transition for your first child to give up all the attention they’ve received from being the first bundle of joy to enter your life. We’ve got some tips on how to ease the pain to make having a new sibling something positive for your only child.

Keep Them Involved

Allow your first-born child the opportunity to be involved with the baby preparation. Ask them their opinion on baby names and even the color of the baby’s room. This will make them feel included and prepared for what is to come.

Read Books

Educate your child through storytime. Reading books about new siblings are a great way to envision their new brother or sister. Here’s a list of books from Brightly for the soon-to-be brother or sister.

Presents from the New Baby

The new baby will be receiving a lot of new presents. Try giving the soon to be brother or sister a present or two so they don’t think that the new baby is getting all the love. Something as simple as a new stuffed animal or their favorite meal “from” their new baby sister or brother will go a long way.

Hype-up Their New Role

Hyping up the new big sister or brother role by explaining all the fun activities they can do with their new younger sibling will let them picture the future. Explaining how important their job as a big sister or brother will create excitement in them until the big day!

Ultrasounds

Show your firstborn pictures from your ultrasound to make them aware of what’s going on in your belly. Share videos from the ultrasound if they’re available. Giving your child all the facts will make them feel as prepared as possible.

Following these tips are a great way to prepare your only child for their brother or sister to be! If you’re looking to connect with other Fairfax Families to get more advice about adding to your family, check out our family forums!