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Our Baby’s Growth Chart
Powerful Parenting Tools recognised the need to provide parents with a tool to help their child or children engage in the idea of having a little brother or sister.
The nature and composition of your family will change over time, particularly when the wonderful news of a new baby is made known.
During any transitional time in a family, children can become anxious, concerned or even fearful of how this news will impact on their little lives.
This is only natural. It is up to you, as parents, to help children manage their feelings and emotions. Our Baby’s Growth Chart helps your child understand what is happening inside Mummy’s tummy and creates an early bond between child and baby brother or sister.
It excites their little imaginations about the pending arrival of their baby brother or sister.
It shows them how the baby is growing and developing inside Mummy’s tummy each week.
And when the countdown has finished - wow! A beautiful little miracle – their very own little baby brother or sister!
How To Use
Our Baby’s Growth Chart
The chart commences at the end of week 12, generally regarded as a ‘safe’ time to tell friends and family of your wonderful news.
Once you have explained what has happened inside Mummy’s tummy, reveal the chart and show your child how it works.
Each week, ask your child to open a door to find out what their little brother or sister looks like and how they are growing. We have used approximate length and weight calculations.
You may wish to demonstrate, using a ruler, how long baby has grown each week. You may even wish to show your child how heavy baby is by using home kitchen scales. It is truly amazing to watch their little faces as the excitement and anticipation builds.
By waiting each week to open a new door, your child is also learning patience.
Systematically opening new doors helps your child with their fine motorskills. When baby is born, open the last door to show your child their little brother or sister.
If the baby comes early you may need to fast track the countdown! Best wishes to you and your family from Powerful Parenting tools.
Some Helpful Hints
It is traditional for friends and family to celebrate your newborn with gifts. However, your child may feel left out and somewhat bewildered when all the gifts are for the new baby.
Buy a gift for your child and when baby is born the gift can be given to your child from baby.
When the news of a baby is made known, let your child choose a doll or toy baby and ask them to ‘teach you’ how to care and look after baby. Their little imaginations at work will fascinate you.
 Introduction from Terri Sheldon, Psychologist Learning that there is new baby about to be welcomed into a family can mean adjustment issues for both adults and children. For children this could manifest as behavioural or emotional problems. Younger children especially don’t have a point of reference for a new baby and it can be hard for them to understand what is happening. The Childhood Charts Baby’s Growth Chart impressed me because it is an active, visual tool that will help children understand and engage with the new baby over a significant period of time and prepare for its arrival. Baby’s Growth Chart is ideal for children of preschool and all primary school ages. All children will enjoy opening the doors and seeing the detail revealed of the baby’s development week by week. Parents have a great opportunity to involve the whole family during this very important time. - Terri Sheldon, Psychologist  Terri Sheldon (pictured) is a registered Psychologist in the State of Queensland, Australia with over 23 years experience in child development and child, adolescent and adult mental health. She has worked extensively in government, community and hospital systems as well as private practice on the Gold Coast. Terri was one of the first psychologists specialising in child psychology to set up in private practice on the Gold Coast.  Terri is a specialist member of the College of Counselling Psychologists and the College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists (Australian Psychological Society). Terri has served as a board member of the Eating Disorders Association of Queensland and the Queensland Branch of the Australian Psychological Society. She is also a trained practitioner of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) andEye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Her special interest in children and their wellbeing includes a focus on the growing obesity crisis. In the past two years Terri and her business partner Dr Peta Stapleton have developed a unique psychologically based body shape-change program called SlimMinds®. Terri has co-written a chapter in the recently released book titled “Your Mind Power: Strategies for Behaviour Change”. |
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