ABSTRACT
Jealousy, for Ursula Wise, is part of the human condition and cannot be entirely avoided. It can be helped by being handled well. The main area of concern for Wise's correspondents is that of jealousy associated with the arrival a new baby. While making plentiful suggestions as to how a young child might be prepared for a new baby, including referring to readers' suggestions, Wise also points out that young children cannot be made immune to jealousy. Wise, too, points out that hostility towards a new baby can be converted into hostility towards others – aggression towards a sibling can be transferred onto something or someone else. Similarly, feelings of jealousy can be experienced in a different form, such as guilt or showing an over-keen interest in the baby. Such manifestations are not so easily recognised as having their root cause in sibling rivalry. Jealousy can be diverse in its unconscious expression.
