What age can we learn a child to share?
❓ And why is it so important?
✔ Children should learn to cooperate during play, negotiate, wait and deal with small disappointments. Sharing and consession helps them learn the principles of playing together, fairness and compromise. They learn that sometimes if we give, we can also get something back.
✔ This becomes especially important when he starts interacting with other children on the playground, goes to kindergarten, and then to school
❓ From what age?
✔ We cannot ask a child under three years of age to do this. Sharing also requires emotional control, which he has not yet learned and cannot, although by the age of three he can already understand that he must give in and wait his turn. However, it is emotionally difficult and adult help is needed here.
❓ How can we help?
✔ Learn by playing: for example, drawing together, putting together a puzzle, praise and encouragement along the way.
✔ Emphasizing positive points: “If you lend a friend a doll, then in return he will lend you a train”
✔ Going through the situation step by step and practicing: play blocks where children and parents are waiting for their turn.
✔ Using an example: show that sometimes adults have to share too
✔ Allow to speak emotionally: the child's emotions have the right to be. It is his right not to give up his favorite toy. We adults don't give everything away either. Discuss in advance what can be shared and what should be put on a separate shelf / not shared with others, because it is especially valuable. Ask him why he didn't give in, maybe he has a good reason?
❗ Along with learning to share, we must take care that it does not turn into oppression. He must know that if the other child does not share, he may also refuse to share. It's a two-way process and a natural part of the game, and that's how we help the other side develop as well.
❣️ It is important to remember that children learn until preschool age, each child is unique and has its own pace of development. Some are naturally inclined towards it, others less so.
