"It's MINE!"

Sharing is considered a beautiful character trait. If you have lived on this earth long enough with your eyes wide open, you know as well as I that human nature is not naturally filled with goodness. So, how do I help my child to develop a good, loving and kind character? How do I teach my child to share?

Be a Role Model

Children learn from what they see. Teach your child what sharing looks like by acting this out in your own day-to-day life. When we show kindness to others and joy through our giving, children see this as a positive encounter. They too will desire to see people happy and desire to be generous through their giving.

Practice Taking Turns

Often children fear the loss of a toy or fear that they will not have the opportunity to experience something. Children need to know that their patience will award them with a turn! This may be something which will require your active involvement as the parent/adult to ensure everyone involved gets a turn. Reinforcing the concept that everyone will take a turn and no one will be left out is key!

Teach Ownership, Not Possession

This is probably the hardest concept. Ownership is understanding that the item belongs to the child but they do not need to have possession of it all the time. If my child has a play-date at our home, the toys belong to her (ownership), but by allowing her friends to play with her toys, they have possession. She will still have them as her belongings, but she will have more fun in sharing in possession of her toys.

Reminding your child that they will always have enough, that they will always have a turn, and ultimately they are never losing out, your child will have the confidence to share.