After G was born, and I saw how my sweet little (then 23 months old) Q changed, I came up with a new strategy for new babies being brought into our home. With each subsequent birth, the older child or children has received a gift from the new baby at the hospital.
When DJ was born, the kids were given baby dolls with diapers, etc., so they could do what I was doing with the real baby while I was doing it.
When B was born, my mother-by-marriage went to town. I mentioned to her what I wanted to do, and she not only gave all three older kids baby dolls, they were anatomically correct baby dolls to match their baby brother. We had a great time laughing over this. She went so far as to make front carriers for each doll and get them their own diaper bag, clothes, diapers, etc. It was really something.
As my oldest kids have gotten older, they no longer get a gift from the baby. They were not happy about this when T came along. Can you just see my 13-year-old son with a baby doll? Umm. I don't think so. Anyway, for A (and I don't remember clearly but possibly B), there was a box of fun little things to do. This box was kept up high, so I could get it down for him when I knew I was going to be busy with the baby. It was a special box that had to be put away when I was done.
My plan is to do this again when Lachlan joins us. T is the only one I'm worried about. So, I'm trying to come up with some little, unmessy things I can put in a plastic shoebox for his use when I'm feeding, changing, bathing, etc. Lachlan. Anyone have any good ideas? These have to be sturdy things that don't have too many pieces. I'd love to hear your input.
...Or, I could just hand it over to my mother-by-marriage again. It might be fun to see what ends up in the box.
1 comments:
I vote for letting M-I-L fill the box. :o)
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