Adjusting to a New Sibling

Bringing a new baby into the family can be both an exciting and challenging time. Siblings can have a hard time adjusting to the new member of the family. Deciding what to tell children about new siblings and preparing them for the changes that will take place will vary depending on the age difference, but there are some rules of thumb experts recommend creating the best possible environment for your expanding family.

Articles

Preparing Siblings

Why Children Misbehave when a New Baby Arrives: Huffington Post addresses the challenges of bringing home a new baby to siblings. 

How to Help Older Children Adjust to a New Child: Zero to Three discusses ways to help siblings adjust to a new baby.

Bringing Home a New Child: Child Mind Institute writes about preparing children for a new sibling and how to make bringing home a new baby a positive experience. 

Bringing a New Baby Home

109 Things We Wish We'd Known

Advice from parents on things they wish they knew before bringing their new baby home. 

Adoption and Foster Children

Raising Both Adopted and Biological Children

How to parent both adopted and biological children in a way that welcomes adopted children into the family completely.

How to Help an Older Child Adjust to Adoption

Actions parents can take to help a new member of the family adjust. 

Learn the best way to introduce an older sibling to a new baby in this video featuring pediatrician Dr. Young, a Children's Hospital of Wisconsin pediatrician at Southwest Pediatrics.

Books

Children Books about a New Baby Sibling: PBS book recommendations for young children on adjusting to having a new sibling.

Electronic Resources

Articles

Preparing Siblings

Why Children Misbehave when a New Baby Arrives: Huffington Post addresses the challenges of bringing home a new baby to siblings. 

How to Help Older Children Adjust to a New Child: Zero to Three discusses ways to help siblings adjust to a new baby.

Bringing Home a New Child: Child Mind Institute writes about preparing children for a new sibling and how to make bringing home a new baby a positive experience. 

Bringing a New Baby Home

109 Things We Wish We'd Known

Advice from parents on things they wish they knew before bringing their new baby home. 

Adoption and Foster Children

Raising Both Adopted and Biological Children

How to parent both adopted and biological children in a way that welcomes adopted children into the family completely.

How to Help an Older Child Adjust to Adoption

Actions parents can take to help a new member of the family adjust. 

Learn the best way to introduce an older sibling to a new baby in this video featuring pediatrician Dr. Young, a Children's Hospital of Wisconsin pediatrician at Southwest Pediatrics.

Books

Children Books about a New Baby Sibling: PBS book recommendations for young children on adjusting to having a new sibling.