This week on Two Parents & A Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Becky Kennedy (Good Inside) for a conversation we are SO GLAD we had two days before welcoming baby #2.

This episode is basically a crash course in all things new siblings, starting with how to prep your existing child(ren), what to do during the first meeting, and how to manage things once you’re finally home.

First, she level sets something we think every parent needs to hear: the goal is not raising the world’s most thrilled big sibling on day one (because... that’s just not a thing lol). With that in mind, Dr. Becky shares practical tips (that take all of 15 seconds) to ACTUALLY help prep your toddler for a new baby.

Then we get into the first meeting itself: hospital or house? Gift or no gift? Job or no job? And she covers toddler reactions during this intro that can feel super alarming, but are often completely expected.

And then we get into sibling dynamics... what to do in those very glamorous moments when everyone is crying and nobody wants to share mom, and why trying to be “fair” can actually be the thing CAUSING sibling rivalry.

So if you’ve got baby #2 (or 3 or 4) on the way, watch this episode. Or send it to a friend who might need it, because this one DEFINITELY helped us :-)

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome back to Two Parents & A Podcast!

00:00:37 Meet Dr. Becky Kennedy (Clinical Psychologist, Founder & CEO at Good Inside, & Mom of 3)

00:02:28 How perceptive are toddlers, actually?

00:07:00 One of the biggest disservices we do to toddlers when introducing a new sibling

00:10:35 Best practices for prepping siblings

00:16:52 Biggest mistakes when introducing siblings

00:19:06 Why understanding your own child matters most

00:22:25 Dr. Becky’s #1 tip for introducing a toddler to a new baby

00:24:37 The unfair expectations we put on toddlers

00:26:53 Hospital or house: where should siblings meet?

00:28:45 Should you give the older sibling a gift or a job?

00:33:45 Reactions that alarm parents but are actually normal

00:36:41 Expected behavior vs. cause for concern

00:44:38 What to do when both kids are crying

00:48:47 Why narrating to babies and toddlers matters

00:51:08 Good Inside Baby: first 24 hours home + partnership after baby

01:02:48 Shaping sibling dynamics for the long term

01:11:48 There’s nothing more important than repair

01:13:40 THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

#twoparentsandapod

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Listen to the pod on YouTube/Spotify/Apple:

https://www.youtube.com/@twoparentsandapod

https://open.spotify.com/show/7BxuZnHmNzOX9MdnzyU4bD?si=5e715ebaf9014fac

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-parents-a-podcast/id1737442386

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Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/twoparentsandapod

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Follow Alex Bennett:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/justalexbennett

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@justalexbennett

Follow Harrison Fugman:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/harrisonfugman

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@harrisonfugman

Find our guest:

Website | https://bit.ly/41U9It9

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/drbeckyatgoodinside

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@drbeckyatgoodinside

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Key words:

Two Parents & A Podcast, Alex Bennett, Harrison Fugman, Dr. Becky Kennedy, Good Inside, preparing your child for a new sibling, first meeting with new baby, avoiding sibling rivalry, toddler and new baby, toddler jealousy, introducing a new sibling, prepping toddler for baby #2, sibling introductions, sibling transitions, hospital or house introduction, big sibling tips, parenting podcast

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Preparing your child for a new sibling: before, first meeting & avoiding sibling rivalry (Dr. Becky)