my sil (hubby sis) is due in less than a month.. she has a daughter who is 3 years old. her hubby will come after the delivery. the prob is she just cant stay without her mum, she has fun with everyone but just keeps checking her mom. even while playing she goes check and continues.. she keeps waking up in the midst of her sleep to see her face..
she doesnt even let her go to the baathroom. we are so worried how she is gonna stay at the delivery time coz kids are totally not allowed in the hospital for staying. and she cries soo soo much even if her mom goes out for half an hour..
plz share your experiences how u guys handled OR managed.
she is the apple of everyones eyes and its gonna be difficult for us too..
Re: taking care of a 3 year old girl near her mom’s delivery
Awwww this is such a tough time for older siblings. Maybe arrange outdoor activities she likes, or make her talk to her mom on the phone if possible (video chat) so mom keeps reassuring her (will be tough for her during labor). My kid will be 3 when the next one comes but he does well without me for quite a bit.
Re: taking care of a 3 year old girl near her mom’s delivery
Stock up on her favourite cartoons, collect her favourite games and play with her, gift her new toys during the time her Mum’s in the hospital so her attention is diverted.
And pray the Mum has a quick and safe delivery and a quick recovery time so she can get back to her elder daughter ASAP
Re: taking care of a 3 year old girl near her mom’s delivery
This is a normal phase kids this age go through, especially once there is another baby on the way. Just be understanding and try to comfort her, and then use her favorite things to distract. Be prepared with a few new cheap items you can use to get her interests. New puzzles, coloring sets, jewelry, toys (legos, balls, dolls, etc), her favorite shows/books, etc. She’s going to miss her parents. There’s no way around that. But you will be able to distract her and comfort her.
Re: taking care of a 3 year old girl near her mom’s delivery
My nephew was quite attached to my sister and still is. He was 14 months old when my sister was hospitalized and he wasn’t even allowed to visit his Mom because he was too young for the nasty hospital germs.
And since my brother-in-law had to work as did the rest of us, he hired a professional nanny. Not just an aunty that watches kids but someone who worked for a Nanny agency with professional qualifications. I know that my nephew wouldn’t have stayed with his khalas or his nana/nani whom he knows best but somehow, he did well with he Nanny. Sometimes you just need a professional.
Since your SIL will be in hospital for a short time, it may be wise to hire a professional to manage the kid.