• Call your local hospital to see whether a sibling class is offered for your children to take.
  These classes go over what babies like and dislike, what it's like to change a diaper, and other basic information that your children need to know. They must learn that it isn't okay to toss a Tonka truck into the crib with baby.
• See whether your local hospital has a sibling class that you can take with your children.
  These classes give you a general idea of how your children may act with a sibling around and offer some things that you can do to prevent them from being jealous.
• Get your kids involved with the preparation and arrival of the new baby.
  Ask for their help. Have them draw pictures to put in the baby's room, pack the diaper bag (after you lay all the stuff out), and fetch diapers or bottles for you. Getting your kids involved with the baby helps them feel more like a part of the baby's life.

After you've done this preparation, how are your children going to act toward the new sibling? That depends on your children and their level of maturity. When you take a "new sibling" class, you'll find that behavior usually is sorted out by age. Normally, a 2-year-old is expected to show anger or jealousy toward a newborn while an 8-year-old may be exhilarated. But that isn't always the case.

You may find that you have to keep an extra eye on your 2-year-old who wants to help you by carrying or picking up the baby — while your 8-year-old suddenly seems to be angry with you for no apparent reason. Whatever the ages of your children, they may experience increased bouts of crying, temper tantrums, and regressions (such as bedwetting, acting like they can't feed themselves, wanting to be carried when they're fully capable of walking, and so on). You may find that your younger children actually try to take the baby out of your hands so they can crawl into your lap. These actions usually are signs that your children aren't being heard and need your attention.

Excerpted from Parenting For Dummies, 2nd Edition™, published by Wiley Publishing, Inc.

For more information on "Parenting For Dummies®", or other books, visit Dummies.com.