12 Ways To Teach Your Child To Share

If you’re still finding it a struggle to teach your child to share, hear what the experts have to say. 

- Sue-Ann Baumgartel

It’s Friday afternoon, and you are getting your preschooler ready for a play date at the local playground. You pack a snack, fill your son’s favourite Spider man water bottle with some fresh water, and grab a handful of cars from the toy box. Like a dog knowing he’s about to go out for his afternoon walk, your little one happily holds your hand while walking down to the playground. You see your friend and her child waiting at the playground, and your son runs ahead to play with his friend. The playground is fairly crowded, but you both manage to find an empty bench, which you promptly rest upon in order to catch up with each other. Once settled, you cast your radar around the playground, to see where your kids are playing. So far, so good – they are both playing in the sandpit together. Moments later, you hear a cry, but don’t register it as belonging to your son. Another moment later, you see your friend’s son run up to her. “Adam won’t let me play with his cars!” he cries.

Sometimes, this is all it takes for some parents to feel that they have failed in bringing up a “good” child, even when it comes from the mouth of a four-year-old. Do you laugh it off as behaviour inherited from his father, while inwardly narrowing your eyes at your friend’s child? Or do you hide your embarrassment by downplaying this “selfishness” as just a phase, or do you intervene with the full force of a mother tiger? Or should you acknowledge the situation by sympathising with your friend’s child, but ultimately letting the two children sort it out among themselves? Here are some ideas on how to encourage children to share:

Make Sharing Fun