Daughter Wants a REAL Baby Sister for Christmas

It's good that she really wants a sister.. but do not let this make you feel badly.

You just have to explain to her that it's not up to whether she wants a baby sister or brother... and it's not a wish that you can fulfill just because she wants one.

With that said you could get her a hamster, this would help teach her responsibility of caring for someone else. Or a guinea pig, they make really good pets too.

Just a thought.

D.

All people have to learn when things are impossible. It's so sad and so frustrating but this is one situation that you can help her. You can use this opportunity to accept no. It's hard. And you can help her by letting her talk to you about her "grief" and how we have wants and we have needs and sometimes they don't gel. And we have desires that are impossible to obtain and we have to learn that. I feel for you. Learning to accept the answer "no" in a graceful way takes time and patience. Keep talking to her about it every time she brings it up and show her how you can wish and pray for something but sometimes God's answer is, "no".

Your daughter probably already knows she can't have EVERYTHING she asks for. If she doesn't this is a good opportunity for learning.

In the meantime maybe you can find a charitable organization that has some babies! Take her to visit and do a little volunteer work. Maybe take a baby gift to a needy mom.

Is your daughter a nuturer? Very mothing? Etc. My youngest is that way and from a very young age has asked for a baby. So I let her help in the nursery at church, she loves helpng to feed the babies, play with the older more mobile ones and even helps with diaper changing. She would be a great big sister but I plan on her being my last so... the other thing is we have gotten her pets. She loves them, takes care of them and the smaller ones is even able to cuddle, carry, dress up (to some extent). I don't know if pets are an option for you but if she wants something to nurture you should encourage that (not all girls are naturally motherly) by allowing her to have something to baby and take care of. BTW my youngest is only 4 but she takes very good care of her cat, fish and puppy. Always feeds, plays with, takes them out and cleans up after them as well as the loving. She also is loving on other family pets that were not gotten "for her" like my 12 year old Rotty who is crazy fat because my daughter will not leave her food bowl empty and the dog thinks she must eat everytime there is food in her bowl. LOL We are working on this.
Also there are some great baby dolls that are very life like. One breathes and cries, etc. She may be too old for something like that but maybe not. My girls love theirs. Although she does need to learn she isn't going to get everything she wants in life and there may be disappointments I would not just say "too bad" to my 8 year old. I would try to find something that she could love on while explaining and teaching about disappointments and being greatful with what you have. My SIL always got everything she wanted (including a baby sister... 4 and a brother to be exact 8 to 13 years old now) and now she can't get pregnant even with fertility treatments soooooooo... she is not able to deal and not greatful that she has a good husband and extended family that love her and neices and a nephew that adore her, etc. She is just depressed and miserable and taking it out on everyone around her to the extent that on Thanksgiving she didn't even give my kids the time of day and she usually "kidnappes" them from me at family get togethers.
Good luck, hope this helps :)

LOL!
My son used to ask for this also. He got tired of the same answer everytime so he finally stopped asking.

I also considered fostering. What about a pet? It would be hers and she would have to take care of it.

Good Luck!
S.

i like all the other response but for a Christmas gift that may satisfy the actual "baby" wanting- American girl plus 100 other brands these days have babies that "look and feel real" they are a heavier than a cotton stuffed baby doll with hair and faces that could be mistaken for a little baby.... this may be a good gift especially if she only has a few dolls....

A kitten would probably take her mind off the real baby. I think cats are less expensive to maintain, and certainly there is less responsibility in caring for them than with dogs. My granddaughter's cat, she got as a kitten, follows her around and even takes walks with her. They can be great companions.

K.,

I'd say if you can, this would be a GREAT opportunity to get her a pet.

However,

When my girls were about this age we invested in a nice baby doll. My older daughter got twins! LOL...

Give the following link a try.

http://www.leemiddleton.com/

These are VERY nice dolls. They feel so real we sometimes just pick up my daughter's to hug and/or rock "just because"... In fact, the year Aimee got Mariah we took her to the grocery store with us wrapped in her blankie and with her bottle and passie. People didn't believe that it was a doll, she looked so real. They actually had to touch her to believe us that she wasn't real.

Funny story: Aimee handed her to me because she'd gotten tired of carrying her. She wanted me to put her in the seat of the cart. Well, she handed her to me by her arm, and I caught her by the leg. In just a few seconds a lady came to me VERY upset "How dare we handle a BABY so roughly!"... We still laugh about it.

They are pricy, but Mariah, Jacob, and Holly have been with us for years and years. They will be passed down again and again. They are considered collectible dolls, but I bought them to be loved, and we do. We SO do not worry about their collectibility. They are snuggly.

The year Aimee got Mariah she got the baby doll, several outfits, blankets... extra passies...etc. Like a layette. That was her Christmas. All of it. It's easy to string it out over the living room floor and make it LOOK like its a LOT of stuff. In reality, the babydoll cost so much I had very little money left. Most of her clothes and other items (Diaper Bag) came from our local Thrift Store. I did buy her a really nice blankie, a package of premie diapers, and two new outfits.

Happy Hugging!

T.

Some organizations look for places that children can spend the holidays when they don't have parents. I know I used to go spend the holidays with a family when I was in a children's home. This late in the year, it may not be possible, but it would be something to discuss with her. I know that can be a good experience. You could also check with the school if there is a family in need that has younger children that you could spend time with. Fostering is a great idea.

The baby doll and puppy dog are good ideas Either one of those would be great! You could do one of those and my idea in combination, as I would not reccommend going with or my idea alone, I think she needs to have a "fun" tangible Christmas present too at that age! I think that you should find one of those organizations that sponsors a child in a foreign country where you pay a monthly amount to help the child. I would try to find an organization that offers a lot of communication with the sponsored child. I bet there is some kind of program out there that provideswuarterly letters from the child or something. Another idea if you don't want to pay to sponsor a child is that you could find a child that you could babysit and have her be the one to "take care" of the baby, toddler, little girl, or whatever and let her have half or all of the money! That may be a very satisfying option for everyone involved. You could even babysit a child and take the money that the two of you make from babysitting and use it to sponsor a child, or just let your little girl have it, save it for the future or whatever! Let us know what you end up doing and how it goes!

Why do you think she would come up with this idea? Maybe some friend of hers in school has a new baby, if so maybe she could visit that baby sometimes.
I bought a life like doll about 20 yrs ago called "La Baby" it is soft and very real looking, then I went to yard sales to buy clothes for her, she wears a 3 mo. sz.
If you can't find a good doll, then perhaps try a pet.
NOT a puppy.

She may hurt it , go to Mesquite Animal shelter and adopt one.
I support several animal orgs. and have adopted 2 dogs for myself. They seem to appreciate a new "forever Home".
My furry babies are totally devoted to me.
hope it may help.
BF