Gift to new big sister from baby....

[Doberbrat]

When should the baby 'give' it? In the hospital? When we get home?

Gotta get that wrapped & packed....

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Doberbrat

When should the baby 'give' it? In the hospital? When we get home?

Gotta get that wrapped & packed....

Hmmm...I hadn't thought about this one. I know that we'll go shopping w/ DS to pick something out for his baby brother. What will baby be giving the older sibling?

[gypsyhips26]

i was thinking baby brother would come home bearing gifts for big brother. that way the new babe isn't only bringing himself home but a cool gift for his brother.... what that gift will be I have no idea.....

[Doberbrat]

Originally Posted by busymama77

What will baby be giving the older sibling?

A new Disney princess book, and either a Ben Rudnick cd collection or the Scholastic book dvd series that amazon had on clearance a couple of weeks ago.

DD loves music and so far gets very minimal tv time. I figure w/a nursing nb (and now that she’s 4) I can stand to relax the standard a bit and it will buy me some extra ‘quiet’ time. Either way, she’ll think its awesome and it will benefit me.

I’m also getting her a Big Sister shirt but that’s going to be for the hospital introduction I think (for pics!)

I also bought a coming home outfit, but will ask the person who’s watching her if they can run her over to Carters or Gymbo and have her pick out something instead. I’m not really *that* picky about a coming home outfit and I think it will be really special for dd. She’s already picked out the bow that will go on the baby’s gift….

She’s THRILLED to be becoming a big sister – I’m hoping these little gestures will make it stay that way.

I’m an only child so I know nothing about this stuff and am a little nervous about it.

just one more thing to keep me awake at 4am....

[Jelinifer]

I got my gift from "the baby" (aka my young brother) at the hospital when I first met him. I have no recollection of how it all went since I was only 3 but I look over-the-moon excited in those pictures. My dad took pictures of the whole gift exchange (I guess I picked out a gift to give to the baby from me too) which is pretty neat to see 23 years later too. FWIW, I got a Gumby and Pokey figurines and a baseball mitt and glove.... I still have that little Gumby figurine too

[staceychev]

I've never heard of gifts from the baby. I understand giving gifts to celebrate being a big sister (and I intend to do this), but won't your kids think it's odd to get a gift "from" someone who obviously can't really give a gift? Honest question, and asked respectfully, so please don't flame!

[tmareeh]

We gave the baby gift to older sibling at the hospital. Baby boy gave big sister some arts and crafts supplies. She was 3 at the time. Things like markers, playdough, etc. It gave her something to do while hanging out at the hospital with us all day. We are having the third one now and will do the same thing.

I think it's nice if the gift is something a little forbidden (eg candy, DVD, etc.) It makes it that much more exciting.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Hmm...I was just looking at really nice O'Wool blankets for baby. Maybe I could get them matching ones? I hadn't thought about it, but I guess DS would probably like a gift from the baby. Hmm...

[Doberbrat]

Originally Posted by staceychev

I've never heard of gifts from the baby. I understand giving gifts to celebrate being a big sister (and I intend to do this), but won't your kids think it's odd to get a gift "from" someone who obviously can't really give a gift? Honest question, and asked respectfully, so please don't flame!

interesting thought. I dont *think* so but dd just turned 4 last week. I dont think she's going to look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak....

if she does, we'll just tell her we bought the gift on the baby's behalf.

yikes, now I'm worried about it!

[carmel23]

Originally Posted by Doberbrat

interesting thought. I dont *think* so but dd just turned 4 last week. I dont think she's going to look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak....

if she does, we'll just tell her we bought the gift on the baby's behalf.

yikes, now I'm worried about it!

Its just fun and a nice gesture from the baby... its like "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." It is a symbol of the spirit that one wishes to foster between siblings, and represents that the sibling is a 'gift' to the older child.

I don't think children see things so literally, and will really, seriously think "well that baby couldn't get this gift"...

and I wouldn't want to impose my adult thinking about whether the baby can give a gift yet or not on a child.

Plus, its fun

I say go for it, Doberbrat ... I'm sure even my eight year-old will be happy to get his gift from his baby.

[Dena]

Originally Posted by Doberbrat

I also bought a coming home outfit, but will ask the person who’s watching her if they can run her over to Carters or Gymbo and have her pick out something instead. I’m not really *that* picky about a coming home outfit and I think it will be really special for dd. She’s already picked out the bow that will go on the baby’s gift….

She’s THRILLED to be becoming a big sister – I’m hoping these little gestures will make it stay that way.

I’m an only child so I know nothing about this stuff and am a little nervous about it.

just one more thing to keep me awake at 4am....

Aww, I love having the big sister pick out the coming home outfit! I think I will shamelessly steal this idea, if you don't mind!

I am an only child too, and knew nothing of sibling stuff when dd2 was born, or what to expect bringing another child into the family, but like your dd, mine was thrilled to be a big sister and has been amazing with her little sister. It has been so neat to see the bond between them grow. Of course, they fight like cats and dogs sometimes too, but I have been assured this is normal. I was lucky - dd1 was never a very jealous child and it was very easy to bring another baby into the family. She is even more excited about twins on the way!

With regard to your original question, we gave dd1 her gift from dd2 when I brought dd2 home from the hospital. (dd1 loved dh's and my serapes, so I made her one of her own out of polar fleece and gave it to her from dd2). However, I was at the hospital less than 24 hours, so coming home was also the first time dd1 met dd2. Dd1 also had a present she had picked out for dd2, so they exchanged gifts then. I think I will probably wait for homecoming this time, too, even if that is not their first meeting. It just seems simpler to wait until everyone is home.

Oh, and dd1 totally bought that dd2 picked out this present for her. Never crossed her mind dd2 wasn't capable of doing so. She was three. An older child (7 or 8) might not have the same reaction, but I have found my little ones pretty much buy anything I tell them. Which is good and scary all at the same time.

[moonInLion]

In late pregnancy with DD, we explained to DS that the baby would like to give him a gift upon her arrival, so the two of us spent hours browsing toy stores what he would like to have. Lots of fun! In the end he settled for a big truck from Lego which was a great choice.......it kept him busy for quite a while after her arrival, and forced us to give him 1-1 time in the early days to build with him. We gave that to him, all wrapped up, when he first met his sister at 2 a.m., 3 hours after she was born (at home). To him, it made a lot of sense then, given the big box, why my belly was so big!

This time around we will definitely get gifts from the baby to both children, and likely we will let them choose again and enjoy the anticipation of the baby's arrival.

[Belle]

We gave Dd1 a baby doll of her own on Dd2's birthday. This way she could have her own baby to baby. We had our baby at home so no advice on when to give it. I guess when she first meets her new sibling.

[caro113]

Are you having a shower? When a friend of mine had her shower, I made a point to bring a baby gift and a big sister gift. Her daughter (6yo) was thrilled! So if you are having a shower, you may want to consider that.

I don't think it's terribly odd too give a child a gift from the baby. I gave my DD a first birthday gift from her older sister (whom she hasn't physically met).

Another friend of mine ended up having her baby in a hospital and because of something going around (it wasn't flu but it something else, back in March of this year) her daughter (4.5yo) wasn't able to see her mother so she ended up staying with us. We bought her some play dough set and then sat down with her to explain that her mom wasn't coming to get her that night because she had her little brother and we explained that a lot of people were going to come over and see the baby after she went home. We then gave her the big sister gift to help calm her and ease her fears of her mom being in the hospitals. So giving the gift while you're in the hospital can be a good idea, too, especially if she's not able to see you in the hospital.

Overall, I think it really depends on your child and how much she can handle and understand.

[MaterPrimaePuellae]

Originally Posted by carmel23

Its just fun and a nice gesture from the baby... its like "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." It is a symbol of the spirit that one wishes to foster between siblings, and represents that the sibling is a 'gift' to the older child.

I don't think children see things so literally, and will really, seriously think "well that baby couldn't get this gift"...

and I wouldn't want to impose my adult thinking about whether the baby can give a gift yet or not on a child.

Well, my DD is 2.5, and she would definitely ask, "Did the baby bring this from the uterus?" It would confuse her.

We'll probably let DD pick out the coming home outfit, let her wear her big sister shirt, and give her a baby carrier from mother and father to match my carrier for the baby.

The Sears' Discipline Book chapter on sibling rivalry recommends have some small, wrapped gifts for older siblings that you can pull out if someone happens to bring only a gift for baby and not the older child.

[lilmamabrown]

Originally Posted by MaterPrimaePuellae

The Sears' Discipline Book chapter on sibling rivalry recommends have some small, wrapped gifts for older siblings that you can pull out if someone happens to bring only a gift for baby and not the older child.

That's a great thought!! I was thinking about the big sister-little sister gift exchange but just having some things on hand for when visitors come by w/ something and don't consider your older child is a terrific idea!