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Helping Children Adjust to a New Sibling with Empathy and Confidence

Guide your child through the transition of welcoming a new sibling by building empathy, emotional awareness, and self-management skills.

Welcoming a New Sibling

Welcoming a New Sibling

Plan Objectives:

  • Green tick Strengthening Sibling Relationships: Teach children to develop trust, patience, and connection with their new sibling.
  • Green tick Understanding Family Dynamics: Help children recognize and embrace their evolving role in the family.
  • Green tick Managing Emotions: Provide tools for children to express their feelings constructively rather than through frustration or jealousy.
  • Green tick Encouraging Empathy: Support children in understanding the needs and emotions of their new sibling.
  • Green tick Fostering a Sense of Belonging: Reassure children that they are still valued and loved in the family.

Why This Plan?

This plan addresses the following challenges by developing targeted skills

My child struggles to understand the changes in family dynamics

My child feels overlooked or less valued by parents due to the new baby

My child acts impulsively toward the baby and is afraid they have lost their “place”

My child struggles to understand how they feel about the new family addition

Real-Life Applications

How this plan's skills apply to real-world scenarios for everyday success

Adjusting to a New Sibling’s Presence

Teaches children how to bond with their sibling and participate in their care.

Managing Feelings of Jealousy

Helps children express emotions in a healthy way rather than acting out.

Feeling Secure in the Family

Encourages children to build confidence and recognize their importance in the family.

Understanding the Baby’s Needs

Helps children develop empathy and patience when interacting with their new sibling.

Courses Included

Relationship Building Basics

Course Objectives: Social Relationship Management

  • tickTrust: Develop the ability to build and maintain trust, strengthening supportive connections.
  • tickBenefits: Understand how healthy relationships enhance well-being and personal growth.
  • tickCommunication: Practice effective communication skills to improve interactions with others.
  • tickBoundaries: Identify and set healthy boundaries to protect emotional well-being.
  • tickConflict Resolution: Explore strategies to resolve conflicts constructively for lasting relationships.
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Cultivating Empathy

Course Objectives: Social Empathy

  • tickEmpathy Development: Develop empathy by understanding and responding to others' emotions and views.
  • tickCommunication Skills: Enhance skills with active and empathetic listening techniques.
  • tickLeadership Empathy: Understand empathy’s crucial role in fostering trust and inclusion in teams.
  • tickEmpathy Practice: Practice empathy daily through supportive actions towards others.
  • tickEmotional Intelligence: Cultivate emotional intelligence for better relationships and interactions.
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FearLESS: Building Brave Young Hearts

Course Objectives: Emotional Fear Management

  • tickUnderstanding Fear: Recognize fear’s role and learn when it’s helpful or harmful.
  • tickCoping Strategies: Explore methods to manage fears like social anxiety and failure.
  • tickStress Management: Practice mindfulness, breathing, and movement to reduce stress.
  • tickGrowth Opportunity: Reframe fear as a stepping stone for building confidence.
  • tickSupport System: Help friends and family face fears with empathy and courage.
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Emotional You: Managing Your Emotions

Course Objectives: Emotional Self-Management

  • tickUnderstand Emotions: Recognize how feelings influence thoughts, behaviors, and relationships.
  • tickCope with Stress: Use breathing and distraction techniques to manage challenging emotions.
  • tickBuild Emotional Skills: Develop a toolbox for regulation, stress relief, and problem-solving.
  • tickCommunicate Effectively: Share emotions with trusted individuals for stronger social support.
  • tickCultivate Positivity: Set goals and engage in activities to foster long-term emotional health.
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Meet the Course Creators

Dr. Kymberli Barker

Dr. Barker is the mother of two fantastic young men, and they are her priority in life. She holds degrees in biochemistry, math, forensics, and psychology. She is a consultant and a professor at multiple colleges, including the Citadel, and Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. She spent fifteen years in public education, prior. Her personal focus is child advocacy and she developed the Guardian ad Litem/(GAL)/CASA program for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She is tribally and state sworn as a GAL. Her favorite thing is being a mom.

Dr. Barker created her own or was part of the team that created the course.
  • Relationship Building Basics

Ali Dareneau

Ms. Dareneau is an English teacher with dual degrees in Psychology and English Education, she enjoys helping students reach their potential, especially when it comes to English Language Arts. With over 16 years of classroom experience and working with education-based companies, she brings creativity and enthusiasm to the classroom and beyond. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2007 and completed her Masters's degree in English Education in 2013 which have both shaped her into the passionate educator she is today. Her professional experience as an English teacher, curriculum designer, and writer demonstrates her passion for reading and writing and solidifies her belief all students can strengthen their reading and writing skills no matter what level they begin their journey.

Dareneau created her own or was part of the team that created the course.
  • Relationship Building Basics

Mandy Mahr

Mandy Mahr is a Masters Level educator who served in public schools in the United States for 15 years before becoming an online tutor to schools with at-risk students, providing social emotional support as well as skill recovery in reading and writing. She is also a consultant for content creation to provide guidance to organizations wanting to engage and employ GenZ. With the technological advances the world has seen in just the last twenty years, it is her goal to train learners to be ready for jobs that don't exist yet. She is passionate about helping learners develop social emotional skills before reaching the workforce.

Mandy created her own or was part of the team that created the course.
  • Cultivating Empathy

Lauren Hudak

Lauren Hudak is an educator with over eight years of experience. After graduating from the University of Virginia with degrees in English Literature and Media Studies, she went on to get her Masters in Teaching from New York University. Lauren has worked with all ages of students from Pre-K through college, but she thrives when working with middle schoolers. She believes this is the perfect age to integrate mindfulness, technology, and social emotional learning into student learning objectives. She wants to help students conquer their fears and build a better world. When she’s not teaching, Lauren loves being outdoors, traveling and spending time with her family.

Lauren created her own or was part of the team that created the course.
  • FearLESS: Building Brave Young Hearts

Dr. Corina Weir

Dr Corina Weir with over 8 years of specialized experience in behavior change and pediatric psychology. As a former University lecturer, she has a passion for educating the next generation. Her role as a working mother of two young children provides her with firsthand knowledge of the challenges and importance of fostering skills in emotional regulation.

Dr. Weir created her own or was part of the team that created the course.
  • Emotional You: Managing Your Emotions