baby - A New Baby - Tips to Help Avoid Sibling Rivalry

Your second child is on his/her way. Of course, you are delighted at the prospect of a new addition to your family. You can't wait to hold a baby in your arms again - they do grow up so fast. Of course, it could be that your first child is not too sure about it all... The arrival of a baby is not only a major event for the parents, but also for any siblings. Especially if there isn't that big an age difference between your first child and the baby. Up until now, your first child has had all the parental attention and now the house is filled with items in anticipation of the newborn. There are cuddly toys that they can't play with, small clothes, and a lot of talk will probably centre around the big day. And then, of course, after the birth, there is this tiny human that can't play yet, that needs a lot of feeding and attention, mom and dad will be tired a lot - things will change. This is where jealousy can set in, which can cause a lot of additional stress for all involved. Luckily, it needn't be that way. There are a few things you can do to make the expansion of your family go that bit more smoothly... Introduction Before Birth No doubt you have already told your eldest about the upcoming arrival of the baby. This is a good stage to reassure your child that no matter what, you will love the both of them just as much. Depending on the age of your eldest, you can explain that you will probably be a bit tired because babies are very delicate and need a lot of looking after, stressing that that does not mean that you will love your firstborn any less. You could allow them to touch your belly and connect with the baby, and turn the whole experience into something very positive - when the baby is big and strong enough they can play together and it will be fun. Show trust in your son or daughter and tell them that if they want to, they can help you look after the baby. Of course, such help can mean everything takes a bit longer, but it will make them feel involved. Introduction After Birth If you decide to give birth in the hospital, it is advisable to take your first child to visit as soon as possible. It's important for them to see that mom is alright and the meet his/her new brother or sister. They will probably be amazed at how tiny the baby is and want to gently touch. If possible, allow them to do so - it's a way of bonding and not being allowed to touch could be taken as a sign of distrust. It's also a good time to cuddle your eldest and involve them in it all, reassure them that their place in your heart has not been taken over by the new addition - you are a family. Gifts A new addition to the family often means receiving gifts for the baby. If you already have plenty of items to assure your baby's comfort, it could be a good idea to ask kind family members and friends to buy a few little presents for your first child instead. This way, your newborn won't end up with a huge pile of cuddly toys that they can't yet play with anyway, and it will be a celebration for your eldest as well - what child does not like receiving presents? It will give everything a festive feel for all. After Care Having a baby and looking after them can be physically and emotionally draining and stressful, especially in the beginning. There just does not seem enough time in the day to do everything and get some rest as well. Of course, your first child will want lots of attention and might have some trouble adjusting to how everything has changed, despite your best efforts to the contrary. It's important to work as a team and allow the other as much rest as possible, and divide your attention between the children. Make sure you praise accomplishments in school, show appreciation for works of art and allow for bedtime story time. If there are relatives or friends nearby that are willing to offer a helping hand, it can be helpful to have them visit and spend some time with your first child. Perhaps they will offer to have your child visit them, which can be beneficial, especially if they have children of their own. But make sure your child does not feel like they are being "sent away" and feel excluded. Besides, as you probably have experienced already, listening to the stories of how a child's day went can be quite relaxing and will often bring a smile to your face - it's an excellent way to wind down after a long day, and appreciate the many blessings children bring to our lives. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.BabyNameVote.Com/ which is a site for Baby Names. Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kit_Marsters baby - The Making of a Mini-Model Baby modeling isn't an exclusive art - nor is it as potentially fraught with danger as modeling opportunities for older children or adults. Unlike modeling aspirations of someone older - a teenager or an adult - a baby-modeling career doesn't demand that the tiny one stand out among the crowd. She or he doesn't have to have the pearliest smile, the greatest physique, the wiggliest walk or any of those accoutrements that older model wanna-be's must have to be chosen from the ranks of the competitive hordes. After all, how many babies do you see that aren't just down right adorable? Yours certainly, isn't that right? As for danger, you're right there with your little tyke as she or he goes through the motions, or words, or as she or another holds him. Your infant or toddler is protected by those who have the most vested interests in his or her protection - mom and dad. So how do you get your baby started in a modeling career? Or at least a few modeling gigs? First, your baby must get noticed. You can help with that by entering your wee one in as many baby photo or modeling contests as you can find. Nor do you need to commit a ton of time and travel. Many Web sites, such as Baby Zone, host contests. Baby Zone gives away hundreds for the infant or toddler winner of each month's themed photograph contest. The money is not the best part of winning, however. The sponsors - the folks who cough up the winner's dough - are the very people that you want noticing your child. These sites, vendors and publications - Breyla, Baby Slumber, Babies 'R' Us, for example - are always on the lookout for a new diaper-laden diva to tout their wares. Baby beauty contests abound online - and get tiny little footsies in the modeling door. The Southern Cuties Photo Contest, for instance, is open to children infant through five. Two categories are judged - tikes under age two, and then ages two-five. Though the prizes aren't massive amounts of money they all include free entry into yet another photo contest, your child's adorable little face on the Internet for any model scout to see and just love, and an assortment of gifts provided by the vendor sponsors, all baby-related retailers or services. All of who just may need a model for their catalog, their site or their advertising campaign. Don't think that baby modeling is just for your little miss either. Boys are just as much in demand as models for children's clothing, toys and other goods. The Royal King mail-in contest is open to male infants as well as male adults. Statewide contests are held monthly, culminating in the national contest each September. Baby boys can enter the Baby King contest for ages zero to 12 months, the Tiny King one-three years, Little King four-seven years, and Junior King eight - 12 years. Winners receive sashes, banners, certificates and trophies. Again, the most important winning is your little ones photo displayed online in the Royal Photo Album. The key, in short, to fostering your child's baby modeling fling is to get her or his adorable little face in front of the folks who need the models. Photo contests are your best means of doing just that.