HomeAnswersPsychologist/ Counselorsense of insecurityMy first child does not want a sibling. Please help.

Why does my son refuse to have a sibling?

Share

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Medically reviewed by

iCliniq medical review team

Published At January 14, 2018
Reviewed AtJanuary 29, 2024

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

My wife is five weeks pregnant and it is the second time. Our first kid is now 6.5 years old. He is totally refusing to have a sibling. He makes statements like "I do not want a brother or a sister". We are a good family like this." He says it is not a good idea to have a baby". He does not want his mother to be fat and has a big tummy. We did not tell him yet that my wife is pregnant. How can we deal with this and would this affect him psychologically?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

What you are describing in your child is the normal insecurity of the firstborn child. Whenever there is a second baby expected due to the constant attention that the coming baby gets, the first child gets insecure and feels unsafe as young children have a different mindset. They feel that their parents will be snatched away from them. Also when the second child is born, the elder one craves for more attention from the parents. This is also called sibling rivalry. You need to ensure your elder child that he will be loved and taken care of as earlier. You need to explain to him his responsibilities with the second child and that he is also responsible to take care of the younger child. When you make your child responsible with affection, this fear will slowly go away.

Thank you.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Akanksha Sharma
Dr. Akanksha Sharma

Community Banner Mobile
By subscribing, I agree to iCliniq's Terms & Privacy Policy.

Ask your health query to a doctor online

Psychologist/ Counselor

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy