Will There Be a Lap for Me?

We've used this book as we prepared for three different births at our house. My son, who was 1-1/2 at the time we were reading it to him, loved it. The portrayal of the changes in Mom during the pregnancy and the fact that she is busy with the baby afterward helps prepare the children for the reality of a new sibling. The book reassures children that they are still important to Mom, even if her lap is full, and that she will still make room for them.

We live in the country, and don't have a lot of exposure to other ethnicities or ways of living. I bought this book because it was about adjusting to a new sibling, and I'd heard that it showed breastfeeding as well. But I was delighted to see such a wonderful book showing an urban way of living - riding on the city bus, and an African American family; a male baby sitter. I don't think the author was consciously trying to be 'different', but I think this book is great because so many children's books seem to assume that all children are growing up in suburbia (or even in the country), and that's simply not true. The book covered the subject matter very well, too. I think it helped prepare our oldest daughter (3) very well for the arrival of her baby sister.

VERY SWEET. IT REASURES AC HILD THER EWILL ALWAYS BE ROOM FOR THEM. LOVED IT

A realistic look at how your older child's world will change when the new baby arrives. This book will also remind you of the importance of making a priority of spending time one-on-one with your older child--even just 10-15 minutes snuggling and watching the birds!

This is a nice book to add to your reading time for a soon-to-be older sibling. I found it suitable for my 2 yr old, yet it is not too young for a 4-5 yr old. The story shares the fears and concerns of a little boy whose mother is pregnant. The author skillfully manifests the boy's concerns into a surface worry that he doesn't have room on his mom's lap as her pregnancy progresses. Obviously, this is a manifestation of his fear that she won't have time and/or attention for him, but it's not played up. I really liked this approach, as most pre-schoolers have an indirect way of expressing or understanding their fears. It helps me as a parent remember that my child's concerns might show up in subtle ways.Very well illustrated. I also liked that the characters weren't white. It's hard to find children's books that aren't about mainstream white families. (We're caucasian but try to stock a diverse book stash so our kids learn about other cultures.)Highly recommend this book.