A newborn child. Ahh yes, a different, yet wonderful experience. How would you feel when you know you are going to have a new member in your family? For me, the wait was filled with suspense and exhilaration.

I felt the tension as I observed my family members busy themselves preparing for the arrival of our tiny little princess (at least, it is my parents' first tiny little princess grandchild). The fresh grandparents were even more apprehensive than the new parents themselves. They have long anticipated for a special-relationship with this child, so much so that they volunteered to do almost everything such as housekeeping, meals, babysitting and so on. They even gave the new set of parents endless ideas on baby care.

Oh my, the arrival of this little Messy Tey has indeed brought an enormous change to our entire family. It was not easy for each of us to cope with our new roles and responsibilities for this dynamic change. Nevertheless, the family teamwork has brought us closer to each other by giving us more opportunity to spend more time together. We can see how powerful the birth of a child is when one little tiny figure can bring so many adults together.

The situation is however more complicated living with a young hyperactive puppy at home. We had to ensure that the puppy is flea-free for the safety of the baby. The puppy too is part of the family. Will the puppy be able to accept the new family member who is on her way? Well, that can be sorted out later.

Ahh yes, the preparation was chaotic, but it was all worth it.

When she was born, her tiny figure captivated me. She could hardly open her eyes. At a closer glance, I noticed she looks just like me. We share the same eyebrow, the same eyes... So that is what we call genes! I sat beside her for a moment and whispered in her ears: "Welcome little one." I guessed she understood what I said because she responded with a smile.

Without a doubt, preparing to greet a newborn can indeed be quite hectic. A newborn baby can easily cause much tension and distress amongst family members, making them fall prey to arguments over petty things such as where would be the most suitable location to place a baby cot and so on. Such cycles of arguments can be avoided if all family members work together as a team. We must remember that each and every member of the family is equally excited over the baby's arrival, and would love to play a role in giving a warm welcome to the little one. Therefore, family members have the responsibility to work towards avoiding negative emotional challenges. After all, welcoming a newborn is a happy event worth rejoicing!

Although the opinions of extended family members are valued, we must always remember that the parents of the newborn are the primary people responsible over the baby's welfare. It is therefore advisable that any suggestion related to the baby is to be discussed with them first as a form of respect.

No doubt the baby is the star of the family when he or she arrives, but family members should also be empathetic towards the new parents' needs, especially if this is their first baby.

We should also not forget to familiarise your pet(s), if you have any, with the newcomer to avoid any form of jealousy. Oh yes, animals can get jealous too. Haven't you observed a dog snarling, growling and barking at another when the owner gives attention to the other one? Human beings cannot even control themselves when tempted with jealousy, so we should be even more careful when it comes to dealing with animals.

A timetable can also be drawn so that each family member takes a turn in feeding / bathing / cradling the baby. This would at least offer some time-off for the new parents to cope with their own personal matters. Delivering a baby is no joke. This also gives an opportunity to the new mother to have adequate rest to regain her strength so as to avoid any future health problems.

When all the necessary precautions and steps are taken, we can be sure that the experience of welcoming a newborn in our home is a great one that everyone cherishes for it is a moment of joy and happiness. The child is the symbol of hope for the family. Along with the birth of a child is a flicker of new hope that he or she shall walk down the path of righteousness to uplift humanity. This child is a potential pillar of society. Oh yes indeed, every newborn is special...