tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043204189075832021.post7130920099291091384..comments2023-10-29T05:52:44.950-04:00Comments on Fun Homeschooling Toddler Activities: Teaching a Toddler to Share?klhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07016445412762379421noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043204189075832021.post-28410034220488195212008-05-30T13:43:00.000-04:002008-05-30T13:43:00.000-04:00What a great question/topic! I would have to say ...What a great question/topic! I would have to say that I mostly disagree with everyone else here on this one. I think sharing is very important, but I'm not sure I want to teach it in and of itself. The important lesson for our little ones to learn is selflessness. <BR/><BR/>If a child (at any age) is not sharing a desired toy, I am more concerned for the state of his/her heart. Yes, it is the natural thing for toddlers/babies to NOT share. That's because, naturally, our little ones are sinners. Our job as parents (from the moment they are born) is to teach our children that they are sinners in need of a savior. Secondarily, we should be working on the matters of their hearts... selflessness being a prime one. A selfless child shares willingly... it's just a product of a child who has a heart after God.<BR/><BR/>You asked about sources... where am I getting this? Right from Scripture! If you want a secondary book to read with some great teaching along these lines, I heartily recommend <I>Shepherding a Child's Heart</I> by Tedd Tripp. It's a great read about training our children up in Christ!~Babychaser~https://www.blogger.com/profile/12789794457673145109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043204189075832021.post-57063182607476153142008-05-20T22:49:00.000-04:002008-05-20T22:49:00.000-04:00Silvia,Thanks for your comment! I have a follow u...Silvia,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comment! I have a follow up question, though. What are you basing your opinion upon? Research? Observations of people teaching their toddlers to share unsuccessfully and then around some other age suddenly getting it? I really want to know, because it is clear that there are strongly held opinions on this (and virtually every other) issue in parenting, but I rarely hear rational. <BR/><BR/>One other thing - I agree that it is a game at this age. But I disagree that this nullifies the learning. When my daughter plays with her little shape-sorter toy, she's playing a game, but that doesn't mean she isn't learning shapes in the process. In fact, she knows the basic shapes because we play games with and about them. And so when we play the "taking turns" game, I agree that for her it is a game. But I don't think that means she necessarily isn't learning the concept of "taking turns" in the process. <BR/><BR/>Thanks again.klhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07016445412762379421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043204189075832021.post-3254041209770755552008-05-20T13:05:00.000-04:002008-05-20T13:05:00.000-04:00This is just my personal opinion, but I don't thin...This is just my personal opinion, but I don't think you need to worry about "teaching" sharing to your child. As kids get older, they start to get the concept. I think it's nice to talk about sharing, but until they are developmentally ready for it, it's not going to really affect them. :) Till then, it's just a game to play with you. LOL<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sending this to the carnival!Silviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18258194238677454294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3043204189075832021.post-77404349992639461812008-05-20T12:52:00.000-04:002008-05-20T12:52:00.000-04:00There are different kinds of "sharing," and I thin...There are different kinds of "sharing," and I think some are appropriate to teach toddlers and some are not. To put it in economic turns, there is free-market sharing (allocating scarce community resources in an equitable way with the agreement of all parties) and then there is communist sharing (obliterating all distinctions of personal property). <BR/><BR/>Turn-taking on certain kinds of toys (or in games) can be free-market sharing. It needs to be well-defined when it is whose turn. I like your music example very much. <BR/><BR/>Having two children close in age, another issue is with community toys, such as blocks or playdough. If the children are not happily able to split these themselves, then I usually divide them and expect them to each keep their own share separate, or otherwise only take a reasonable portion. With crayons, for instance, you can only color with one crayon at a time, so there is no call for monopolizing a huge pile. These sorts of toys are essentially mine, and I set the terms on how they can be used.<BR/><BR/>When it comes down to special toys, though, no, I would not ask a young child to share those. That implies that those things do not really belong to you, but can be reallocated by a higher authority. My kids each have toys that are their own, and the other child may only play with them with express permission, which may be revoked at any time. The same would apply to friends coming over. (With friends, though, I would make a special effort to talk ahead of time about which toys we would let the friend play with in order to have fun together, if I expected it to be an issue.) I do expect appreciation if a child, ON HER OWN, volunteers a special toy to show kindness to a friend, but an adult requiring it obliterates the virtue and creates confusion, in my opinion.<BR/><BR/>Well, there's quite a thesis on it. :-) I'm not completely consistent with it, but that's how I tend to approach it.Queen of Carrotshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03193758647591339890noreply@blogger.com