For a child, getting a brother or sister is one of the first big transitions. Suddenly they share the adults' attention and see routines change. Jealousy, steps backwards or more demands for attention are normal: they are not bad behaviour, but their way of asking whether they still have their place.

Before the baby arrives

  • Explain what will happen in simple words, without idealising it: babies cry and sleep a lot.
  • Look at photos of when they were little.
  • Make big changes, such as moving bedrooms, ahead of time so they do not link them to the baby.

Once the baby is home

  • Set aside a little time every day just for them. Ten minutes of uninterrupted play is worth a lot.
  • Give them a role, without forcing it. Choosing the baby's pyjamas or singing them a song.
  • Accept what they feel. “Sometimes you miss when there were just the three of us” is more soothing than “you have to love the baby”.
  • Do not compare them or ask them to suddenly act like a big kid.

If they start talking like a baby again or asking for a dummy, it usually passes. With patience and affection, the relationship between siblings is built day by day.