Sibling Jealousy

My nearly 4 year old is changing so much, she has always been super sweet and well behaved and now she’s like a different child. She is getting very jealous of her 1 year old sibling and I just feel like I’m completely failing 😭 I try to give her as much attention as I possibly can but it’s really hard when I’m also a mum to a baby aswell. Even when I do play with her she will end up in tears ‘you’re not doing it right etc etc’. Anyone else in the same position? Trying my hardest but full of mum guilt 💔

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Yes, you’re not alone. My eldest is almost 4, youngest 16 months. Until recently my eldest was generally happy with her sister, now she gets jealous of me spending more time with her. All the emotional stuff of being a toddler is really hard and I’m definitely more stressed now which I think is rubbing off on them. It’s so hard!

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it’s so hard! And yes I feel that with the stress rubbing off on them. She has always been such a mummy’s girl and now she’s finding more comfort in my partner which I’m glad she is but at the same time it’s breaking my heart 😫

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Treat them both the same and talk to them in the same way. This is one tip I watched from an fb video. For example, to the 4 yr old say: Hold on a moment ‘insert name’, let me change his nappy and I’ll come and play with you. To the 1yr old say: Hold on a moment ‘insert name’, she needs to go to the toilet and I will be right back!

Maybe you need to also find an activity that is suitable for both the 1 and 4yr old.
Vary the level of challenge so it suits them both on the SAME activity. I know that’s not easy! Its a lot of DIY and effort on your part. e.g blowing bubbles (easy), try arts and crafts (edible paint), edible play doh, moon sand, diy bins/ (join fb page ‘activities for toddler and kids’ for a lot of ideas on keeping kids busy).
You can play with them both and get the older one to play with the younger sibling.

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I think Motherhood has made me more bitter than I realized…

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I’m four months in and I don’t really have hobbies right now. I don’t do anything for myself except maybe doomscrolling or listening to a podcast while I breastfeed my baby. I used to craft and have game nights with friends. Activities that usually are at least 2 hour stretches. Now if I have an hour free my mind immediately goes to baby, or doing something in the house for baby.

And I thought I didn’t mind. Like I knew postpartum could be very mentally consuming. But I think it’s altering how I view people around me and it’s prodding at my relationship with my husband.

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We took a family trip last weekend to see his best friend and their kids and let them meet the baby. He brought the laptop. He’s always brought a laptop on trips and it’s never been a problem to me before. But one night we both woke up while the baby was still asleep, and he wandered out of the room. I tried to fall back asleep but couldn’t. So I went to the kitchen to try having something warm to drink to settle me. And he was there at the table running the bot from his laptop. I flipped out at him. But there really wasn’t reason to. It’s not like I needed help with the baby and he was ignoring me. He wasn’t avoiding our friends. He was just awake and unable to sleep and found something to do with his time. Yet my snap reaction was “why the hell would you do this on a family trip?”

I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the less complete sleep from baby’s middle of the night feed? My brain being just consumed by baby? Maybe I’m not as over that shopping incident as I thought? But I’m just so annoyed at his hobby right now. The green eyed monster thinks “you could be using that time differently” but realistically to do what exactly??? Stare at our baby in the dark???

I spent probably an hour apologizing to him after I snapped. And he’s of course hurt and frustrated because I said some very mean things in the moment.

I don’t want to be this jealous, angry person. But I also don’t know how to find time for myself in this right now outside of basic hygiene. It’s like I’ve forgotten how to be myself, even if just for an hour.

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