The New Baby at Your House

Rating:
Summary: Good for younger children, too!
Review: I bought this book for my 2 year old as we prepared for his new sibling. Some of the text is a bit too much for such a young child, but the photos lend themselves to telling a story that children of any age can understand. He liked to see the pictures of tiny babies, and also liked to hear how the older children felt about the babies. I think this book really helped him to know what to expect. We have lots of "new baby" books, but I feel this one is superior - photographs rather than illustrations really help young children know what to expect.

Rating:
Summary: The best book for upset siblings
Review: I read this book many many times to my children as they expected new siblings (we have three kids). Now I am buying it for my nephew. The reason this book is different from other "New Baby" books is that it gives young children a voice for the often strong negative feelings of having a new sibling. Young kids, preschoolers and younger, can't put words to their emotions. This book shows young children who are angry at their new baby brother or sister, feel they are being abandoned by their parents, feel ignored, feel they don't get any attention anymore, can't stand the sound of crying, hate the smell of diapers that need changing, and more. Your child may not tell you he/she feels these things, but believe me, they all do.
Many parents think that if they keep telling their older child how wonderful the new baby is, and what a big boy/girl their older child is, and "be nice to your new baby," that it will sink in. Well it doesn't work. Older kids are very hurt/threatened/scared but the entry of a new baby in the home. Many liken it to the feelings a woman would have in her husband came home one evening with a new, younger wife and said, "Look what I brought you! Don't worry, I will still love you, even though I love my new wife very much, and I will still have time for you, even though I won't have as much. I want you to love my new wife just like I do, and help her out, because you are older and can do more." HA! Once a young child can see that he/she is not alone in having negative feelings, and can put words to those emotions, they can work on them, explain them to you, and believe it or not, they tend to abate.

Rating:
Summary: Exceelent book
Review: We bought this for our daughter (along with the author's book "I'm going to be a big sister") and our daughter loves it. She loves looking at the photos of older siblings interacting with their newborn siblings. In fact, our daughter already wants to be involved with changing the diaper and giving baths.

Lets see how she feels in a few years when her sibling is three and follows her everywhere.