“Mine, mine, all mine!” or “Share, share, that’s fair!” Of course, sharing can be very difficult for some children (at any age). Often children do not distinguish between the concepts of owning and sharing.
- To distinguish between owning and sharing, create situations involving both concepts. Have two things available that you own and offer your child one but not the other. For example, say “You can play with these toy keys, but not my car and house keys”.
- Before a visit from friends, let your child choose some “prized” possessions to keep outside of the domain of sharing, but also let him know that most of his other toys will be shared during the visit.
- Engage in activities that allow you to demonstrate how it can be more fun to share and play together than to play alone (e.g., building a large house with blocks, completing a large puzzle).
- Refer to the section on “Toy Jacking” later in this chapter.
