Enjoyment, not jealousy

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 01 Aug 2019
  • 2321 reads
12 comments
 

We’ve got a new baby in our house
– my baby sister.
Mummy has to sit to feed her
a lot
– so, she can tell me stories
and play much more
– she’s not as tired as she was before
when the baby was bumping around
in her tummy.
Now together there’s so much to do
me helping my Mummy
to get things ready
for bath time and nappy,
sorting the washing
– dirty and clean,
and all the time watching
– she’s much more interesting
than a doll:
I have to be gentle, but I can look
and soon she won’t sleep so much.
and she’ll notice if I make noises,
funny faces and show her my book,
and in a while,
she’ll laugh and give a proper smile!

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Children's
Love

Comments

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

This is lovely smiley

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Glad you enjoyed! Prompted by a new grandchild, who has an older sibling, but from older memories too! So good when the toddler feels involved and enjoys Mum and baby! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

sweet, wise poem, a heartwarming read!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Di! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

HI Rhiannon

Lovely poem - I hope you are keeping your family related poetry in some way for your grandchildren to enjoy when they grow up. I can remember a lot of very nasty looks given to new babies by older sibblings, but the age gap was 5 years for one and 7 for the other, so they had a longer time of being the only one.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Yes, a lot of sensitivity is needed, and the way of helping the older ones for the change will vary with age and age gap, won't it? But I do always think that the fact that a baby only needs physical care largely (although benefitting from being talked to from birth and cuddled), mean that parents can be so much more involved with the older ones and encourage them in care for the young one.

I do remember once taking my youngest two to a park where there was a sit-on train ride. Usually their older sister would have come with us, but for once she hadn't been able to, and I said, rather without thinking that we wouldn't be able to go on the train because she's wasn't there to look after the baby. Whereupon the older boy (about 3 and a half) asked matter-of-factly when his brother would die! I gulped down my horror and realised it was just a reaction to, for the first time, realising that a younger brother was a bit personally inconvenient to him, and the implication wasn't as bad as it sounded. I talked him through it a bit more sensitively I think! And he was always very good with his younger brother, even when they scrapped and the younger one could be very awkward because of his Aspergher's. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

I've heard that young toddlers can learn to bond with their baby sister or brother, by feeling the baby kick and share in the joy of movement that their mother experiences when carrying. Also from mum letting the toddler hold the baby, supervised of course, as much as possible from the time it's born.

I don't know if this is true never having gone through such a wonderful experience. Your poem expresses this joy and was a pleasure to read.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. My daughter in law has just had her second and the first is just two. I was wondering how she would connect the bumping in Mummy's tummy with the real new live baby! I think she is enjoying the time Mum sitting down with both as she feeds, and enjoys lying by the baby watching, and of course 'helping' with the jobs. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hippie girl on

alot of people can relate to this

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. Sorry to be slow replying. Glad you could empathise with it, good to see the famiily involved together! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Great! It must be wonderful to have such a caring older sister and she learns for when she is a mother one day herself! They say I was terriffically proud of my own baby brother and that I bragged everywhere even in the pram on street anyplace you can see it on the old B&W photos too. He is only just over two years younger. And still together we stand. Two little boys, each with a wooden horse. Keep well Rhiannon!

Tom Brown

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Your mother must have helped you appreciate and help each other!

My daughter had a young brother when she was nearly 11. She was in a school where the kids had rather a lot of money, posessions, but she was aware that they were rather envious of her having a baby brother!  That was a different age gap and she cerrtainly helped me a lot and learnt a lot for her future motherhood! Rhiannon