Toddler Regression

My 3 year old toddler has been very welcoming of his new baby brother. In fact, he has constantly wanted to hold his baby brother and is always excited to wash his hands every day, sit down in a comfortable chair, and place his arms in the right position to support the baby’s neck. It is very sweet to watch and something I’m grateful for (instead of the tantrums and jealousy).

I am very cognizant that this is a lot of change for a toddler to process and it is also a lot of change for our family in general. There can be periods where what was once routine can be transformed or reduced and what was once something special between a child and parent can be misunderstood if it is used in a different context given these changes. For example, my wife was singing Baby Beluga and the ABCs to the newborn today and my 3 year old asked “Mommy, I thought that was my song?!” She had to explain that when the baby was in the womb, he heard it also and that it was their song. Luckily that explanation was sufficient for him (for now), but it could have gone poorly because of all the change.

Separately, there has also been lots of tantrums and fighting, which can potentially be attributed to all the changes or it is just a normal part of the growth process for toddlers. I’m not sure which one it is, but will take it day by day and hope it is not a regression associated with the newborn being part of the family.

What my wife and I talk about a lot is to make sure each child receives individual time with each parent to make sure that our relationship with each child does not change. There is plenty of time (with some juggling involved) to be sure quality time is spent together and they know they have a healthy outlet for the attention they need. This weekend, our goal is to get our 3 year old some Mommy Time and for me to watch (and play with) the other two. Luckily, I am good at juggling and hopefully the quality time will go a long way to ensure there is not a toddler regression!