BellaOnline Forums Family Siblings Should you force your kids to share?

Should you force your kids to share? Should you just avoid the fights and buy them double of everything?

If they cant share then tough everyone gets nothing in my book. Thats how I would do it. I cant wait to be a mom I'm gonna be one tough momma so says my mom.javascript:void(0)
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As parents it is our job to teach yound children how to share. We are all born selfish, unable to share. Just spend time with a newborn.

I don't believe time outs work. I've used them with various children in the past and all the kid has done is sit there until his time is up and then go back and not share again.

What are some ideas you have?

In my experience, you have to sit there with them and demonstrate sharing. This takes a good little chunk of time though.

We'll play a game where everybody has a toy, and there is a timer for 5 minutes, (or even better, a song, like musical chairs - musical toys) when the timer goes off, or the song changes - everybody swaps toys!

Now, on the other hand my daughter is 8, and my son is 2. There are toys that are totally inappropriate for the 8 yr old to be playing with (I don't know if she is regressing or intentionally trying to annoy the 2 yr old) I make her give those back. And if Seth takes one of Jordan's "girlie" toys or special toys - he has to give those back as well. I do believe there is a thing as "special" property. But those things should be put away before guest come over becuase it is not fair to have toys out that EVERYONE can't play with.

Thank you so much for sharing. Your idea is amazing and would work really really well, not only to get them to share but to spend time together learning how to play with each other.

Time is something no parent should be stingy with.

Play the trade game with young kids, they want something another kid has - fine they just have to trade them for it.

LOL - We're reinstituting the age old system of bartering!

I think there was an episode of "Rugrats" with that theme, chuckie wanted a ball, but had to get Angeilca a cookie, but in order to get angelica the cookie, he had to get Lil a worm....it went on and on.

The scary thing is, our toddlers these days are probably savvy enough to do just that! <img src="/images/graemlins/rolling.gif" alt="" />

I find that kids who want something another kid has all the time to be very tiring. I'm still researching techniques for these children.........

This may just take a lot of patience and consistent reminding to trade for something. It may also just be that you have to let the kids figure out a system for themselves, there is a pecking order in any group. <img src="/images/graemlins/wall.gif" alt="" />

I don't think you should force your kids to do anything. You should teach them and guide them to do the right thing.