On Monday August 18, Daniel Tiger Season 2 will premiere. This new season the Tiger family will be getting a new member, baby Margaret. Daniel will be come a big brother and learn all about what that entails. I’m thrilled for this new season because of all the new strategies that the kids and parents can learn through the season. Having a baby in the family means that the show will now be dealing with issues surrounding siblings, sibling rivalry, jealousy and more issues that come up through being siblings.

I was provided with a screener for the new season and also some tips on welcoming a new baby brother or sister. I’ll give you my thoughts on the episode and those tips below.

• Don’t Spill the Beans too Soon – While it’s always helpful to prepare your preschooler about what to expect and talk with them about new experiences, young children don’t understand time the way adults do. Since it can be difficult for them to wait for events happening many months in the future, try to wait as long as possible to tell your child about the new baby.
• Discuss What to Expect When You’re Expecting – Talk with your child about what to expect from newborns – they sleep a lot, cry, and can’t play games or talk (at least not the same way as your preschooler can)! If you know a family or friend with a new baby, make a brief visit so your child can see firsthand what an infant can and can’t yet do.
• Crown Your New “Big Helper” – Involve your child in caring for their new sibling right from the start. Encourage them to pick out items for the baby’s room, get the diapers when it’s changing time, and sing or talk to the baby. Giving them specific ways to lend a hand helps preschoolers feel needed and more grownup.
• Make “Mommy/Daddy & Me Time” – When the baby arrives, set aside “just you and me” times with your older child. Whether it’s a trip to the library or simply reading a story together before bed, it’s important to make sure your older child doesn’t feel left out.
• Let Them Know How Proud You Are – Help your child to feel proud about being the older brother or sister by showing your appreciation for all the things they can do that the new baby can’t yet accomplish such as using their words. Reinforce your older child’s role in the family as the big brother or sister to the new baby.

The new episodes are very nice. We watched them together as a family. We watched the first two episodes which had 4 of the 11 minute episodes contained within. We watched the Tiger family preparing to welcome baby Margaret, Daniel’s feelings about the new baby and how Daniel could help his family during this time of transition. I think that kids who are going to be big brothers or big sisters. There were also some good ideas as well.

There will be a twitter party on Thursday August 14 from 9pm EST to 10pm EST for parents who want to talk about the show and welcome baby Margaret. Follow the Hashtag #DanielTigerPBS and @PBSKids