Prepare a Child for a Sibling

I'm pregnant or we're having another child soon and I want to prepare my child well for the arrival of a sibling.

Child's age: [AGE]
How they currently feel about the new baby: [excited / worried / in denial / we haven't told them yet]
My main worry: [jealousy / regression / feeling pushed out / they're too young to understand]
Current relationship between us: [very close / fairly independent / complicated]

Give me a sibling preparation guide:
1. **When and how to tell them** — age-appropriate language and what to include
2. **Before the baby arrives** — how to involve them in the preparation
3. **Managing the 'dethronement'** — the psychological shift of no longer being the only child
4. **The first meeting** — how to make it positive
5. **After the baby is home** — keeping them feeling loved and important in the chaos of a newborn
6. **The jealousy and regression** — what's normal, how to respond, when to be concerned

I'm pregnant or we're having another child soon and I want to prepare my child well for the arrival of a sibling.

Child's age: [AGE]
How they currently feel about the new baby: [excited / worried / in denial / we haven't told them yet]
My main worry: [jealousy / regression / feeling pushed out / they're too young to understand]
Current relationship between us: [very close / fairly independent / complicated]

Give me a sibling preparation guide:
1. **When and how to tell them** — age-appropriate language and what to include
2. **Before the baby arrives** — how to involve them in the preparation
3. **Managing the 'dethronement'** — the psychological shift of no longer being the only child
4. **The first meeting** — how to make it positive
5. **After the baby is home** — keeping them feeling loved and important in the chaos of a newborn
6. **The jealousy and regression** — what's normal, how to respond, when to be concerned