My stepdaughter always causes trouble with my newborn. She tried to lift him up but almost dropped him five times, tried to feed him apples, and even nearly spilled hot soup on him. I knew she didn’t mean any harm, but her actions scared me, so I decided to keep my baby’s nursery door locked whenever I wasn’t there.
One afternoon, I was in the kitchen preparing lunch when I suddenly heard my baby crying loudly. My heart raced as I dropped everything and ran toward his room. To my shock, the door was wide open, even though I was sure I had locked it. Inside, my stepdaughter was standing by the crib, holding a toy over the baby and crying herself.
When I gently asked what was happening, she admitted she felt left out and thought that if she helped with the baby, I might love her more. Her actions weren’t meant to hurt anyone — she was simply overwhelmed by jealousy and fear of being replaced. My heart ached for her as I realized she needed reassurance, not punishment.
From that day on, I included her in safe, supervised activities, like reading to the baby or helping me pick out his clothes. Slowly, her jealousy faded, and she became a proud big sister. It wasn’t easy, but with patience and love, we turned a tense situation into the beginning of a stronger family bond.