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Every parent has seen their child go through the “mine” stage. Sometimes it is cute and comical, and sometimes it is frustrating. With the holidays behind us and the toys still shiny and new, the word “mine” is probably thrown around more.
Age 3 is when kids start to understand the concept of “mine” and “yours.” With that, comes a slightly off-sense of fairness. As adults we see sharing as equal – 50% for you and 50% for me. For toddlers and kids, their idea of sharing is more skewed, where they get 90% of everything and you get 10%.
Elizabeth Swider, MD, Pediatrician at NorthShore, shares tips on teaching children about sharing:
Remember to be patient with kids, especially the younger ones. It will take them awhile to understand the concept of sharing and tantrums might happen. Parents should feel reassured that this will improve with time and it’s not a parenting flaw, but rather a normal stage of development that takes time.
How did you teach your kids to share?