Tips to help you prepare children for an adopted sibling
Wondering how to prepare children for an adopted sibling? Preparing your children for a new brother or sister involves lots of communication, honesty and love. The staff at our Texas adoption agency has some tips to help prepare your family for a newly adopted brother or sister.
Prepare children for an adopted sibling with lots of talking and reading
The most important thing to remember as you prepare your children is to keep the lines of communication open. Talking, playing and reading can all help your children prepare for a newly adopted brother or sister.
- Make time to answer questions and discuss how the new baby will fit into the family.
- Try role-playing with children to help them experience what life will be like with a new family member.
- Talk about how babies behave, including when they eat and sleep.
- Encourage your child or children to ask questions when they are anxious or confused.
You can also read books to younger children about the new baby, or you can suggest books that will help your older child understand how life will change after the baby comes home. Here is a good source for book ideas: Best Books to Help Prepare Kids for the Adoption of a Sibling (creatingafamily.org).
Explain that a newly adopted brother or sister may not “match” your family
Sometimes children expect their sibling to look like them, but this might not be the case with a newly adopted brother or sister. When you prepare children for an adopted sibling, you should have a frank discussion about the fact that families don’t have to be a matched set. Families can look different, and that’s okay.
If you are adopting a child of another race, your child may have questions about why the baby’s skin is a different color than theirs. You and your child may find yourself fielding questions about your family when you are out in public. It helps if you talk with your family about ways to answer questions before they occur and catch you off-guard.
Involve your child in the preparations for baby
As you prepare children for an adopted sibling, get them involved in the process. Let them help you pick out new clothes, toys or room decorations. When the baby comes home, let your children help with the baby’s care as much as their age allows.
The caring staff at our Texas adoption agency is here to help you through the joys and changes involved with growing your family through adoption. Contact us for more information.
