Newborn and Children

If I was the mother, and it was MY 4 year old and MY newborn, I would be telling the 4 year old to simply knock it off - there's no reason for him to be poking the sleeping baby in the face, however gently he might be doing it. But if I was you, and it was not my kid doing it, I probably would not say anything, only because generally other parents don't like people besides themselves correcting their child.

Upside: baby will learn to sleep through anything.

My fam?

Dude. Stop that.

I'd tell the 4 year old, "You know, while the baby's sleeping, you can have some special time with mommy. So let's let her sleep, okay? Come on over here and let's play this game quietly, just you and me!"

Yeah, I would tell him to knock it off too. At 4 they are old enough to know that you shouldn't do that. My daughter was 2 when my son was born and that was hard enough to keep her fingers, hands, face and body out of his body space but at 4 I think I'd have less patience for that type of behavior! ;)

Ok... she said she doesn't plan to say or do anything, she just wondered what other moms would do. Sheesh!

If it were me, I'd tell my kid to knock it the heck off!! 4 years old is old enough to understand "That's NOT OK!", and I wouldn't have a lot of patience for it.

I'm constantly telling my 6 year old to leave his baby sister alone! He kisses her and wants to buy her everytime she closes her eye! I agree with the other poster however unless the mom is asking for your help and your opinion I wouldn't say something. Not really your problem.

I would, in front of the mother, politely ask the 4 year old "Why are you poking your baby sister in the face while she sleeps?" It will address the situation a non-confrontational manner. What the mother does from there is her call.

Basically, unless she says... "I don't know what to do! My son keeps poking the baby in the face while she sleeps!"

If she isn't asking for your opinion, don't do any correcting. Does she see it happen and not do anything?

Or... are you watching the newborn and 4 yr old? If they are in your care, even for just a short time, you can say something. But if you are with her, and she doesn't say anything, you are probably right in not saying anything.

I would tell any child doing this, "We leave people alone while they are sleeping."

I would ask the brother not to touch while the baby is sleeping. But if you aren't going to do or say anything, does it matter?