This past week marked back to school for my oldest. I will miss having her around! She is such a big help to me in so many ways. She keeps her 3 year old brother entertained, and is always willing to help out with her baby brother too. Sometimes, she will climb into his crib in the morning to play with him. She will always go into wherever he might be fussing if I am in the middle of something if I ask her to and entertain him for a few minutes. She can make him smile like no other person, except maybe me and my husband.
Back to school time can be hard on your baby. I noticed this morning that my little man (who was still asleep when his big sister left) was crawling from room to room like he was looking for something. I finally figured out that maybe he was looking for her! I got a little pang of sadness for him because in a couple of weeks, his big brother will start preschool, too. But, I know that he will be fine. His siblings are a big part of his everyday life, though! Having them gone will definitely be something that he notices.
So, what can you do to ease your baby into a new routine? Here are a few ideas:
Take the time to play with your baby. A lot of time, the older siblings entertain baby. When they aren’t around, he will be looking to you for his entertainment. Make sure you take some time out to sit down on the floor with him, read a book, or just snuggle with him.
Allow some down time for all the kids when they first get home from school. Your kids will naturally want to say hi to the baby, and give him a little attention after being gone all day, just like they want attention from you. Make sure that there is time for that.
Talk to your baby about his siblings. Although your baby might not understand everything you say, he most surely knows his siblings names, just like his own. Mention them in conversation in a soothing tone, and baby will be reassured that everything is alright.
Enjoy your time just having the baby around. Life can seem a little simpler with just one child. Try not to fill up his days with errands, but instead, take time to have fun, and have plenty of bonding for just the two of you!
Back to school brings schedules and routines, and baby will adjust quickly and look forward to that time of day when his siblings get back home from school!
*Photo courtesy of Morguefile.com