Sharing is caring

I've recently started teaching Tibbons the core principles of sharing. And I have to say, in many respects, it seems to be going quite well, albeit I'm taking a softly-softly approach.

If we're playing a game together, he will pass me one of his toys and say "share-a-mummy" which we all know means 'share with mummy' - a proud parenting moment. It seems, though, that mummy is a preferable (and perhaps rather more predictable) sharing partner than Tibbons' peers. Passing toys to them takes a bit more coaxing and explaining, but he at least grasps the concept - even if he doesn't always embrace it.

The thing is, as a concept, sharing has one major flaw, as T discovered at the swimming pool this weekend. While you're duty bound to share your things with others, you can't expect or demand the same from them.

How then to explain to an eager two-year-old that the beach ball those children were playing with was not, despite his assertions to the contrary, his own and nor was it a valid candidate for sharing?

Luckily, in this example, one of the children noticed Tibbons' enthusiasm for their orb of pure joy (a beach ball to you and me) and passed it to him - a sweet gesture that instantly had me wondering what I would do when he refused to give the ball back.

I needn't have worried; T threw the ball with glee and everyone was happy. Erm, everyone that is except for Tibbons, who now had proof positive that my assertion that he couldn't expect strangers to share with him was bogus and consequently wanted to know why he couldn't have another go.

What can I say? It's a difficult world to explain to a toddler.