Becoming an older sibling can be difficult for children to deal with. Rachel Howe explores how practitioners and parents can help

My brother was born when I was two years old and I clearly remember meeting him for the first time. I was quite taken aback at becoming a big sister and didn’t fully understand the implications. In fact, I told my parents that he shouldn’t come home with us when they put him in the car.

Since becoming a childcare practitioner, I’ve observed a wide range of reactions from children as they become older siblings. This can affect the whole family and even the nursery that the child attends. My experiences inspired me to write a dissertation for my early childhood studies degree on the approaches practitioners and parents put into place to help and support young children through the transition into siblinghood.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

  • Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month

  • Unlimited access to news and opinion

  • Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here