Congratulations! Having a baby is a wondrous experience and it's definitely something special to be having a second, third, fourth or fifth child. This is when you get to experience the joys of having a baby and you know what you're doing! For the older sibling, it can sometimes be hard to adjust to the thought of having another child to share the attention of mom and dad. One of the great ways to help eliminate some of the stress is to get your child actively involved in the pregnancy. Talk to them about being a new big brother or big sister and how the new baby will look up to them and let them help you become prepared. Here are some great ideas on how to get siblings involved in the baby shower.

Have a Different Sort of Baby Shower ?

One of the things that you can do to get older siblings involved is to have an 'Introducing My Little Brother or Sister' party. The focus of the party is now on both or all of your children, so that the older sibling is very much involved. Allow them to help you decorate for the party. Choose a cake that they think their little brother or sister will love and of course, allow them to choose the baby a gift from them they think will be wonderful. When older children are more involved with the pregnancy and life of the new baby, they will be less stressed, less nervous and have reduced fear about the new baby.

Gifts for Big Brother or Big Sister ?

Gifts for the older child at the baby shower are also a wonderful idea. It turns the shower into a party for the big brother or sister as well as for the baby. Wonderful ideas of gifts may include educational toys that the older child will love to play with. Another is special t-shirts for the older child so they can proudly say, "I'm a Big Brother," or "I'm a Big Sister." Even a fun puzzle or a miniature rocking chair would be wonderful in this situation. It's all about letting the child know that they are extremely special and that they are going to have a very large part in the life of the new baby!

Let the Child Do Things at the Shower ?

Perhaps they can pass out the supplies for a shower game or help serve cake and ice cream. You might even have them take pictures for the baby to see when he or she is a bit older. Of course, you can judge what to let them help with depending upon their ages. The whole point is to simply have the older child feeling more involved and very important so that they don't feel like they are left out of the spotlight. For a young child, this can be quite a hard feeling to deal with. As a smart Mom and Dad, thinking ahead and using these methods, you'll rid that feeling from the very start!

These ideas will help make the transition smoother for the older child and in fact, they may have no problems at all with the arrival of the new baby. Ultimately they will bond with the child before it's even born, the same way that you do, by being a great big brother or sister from the very beginning!