Sunday, March 6, 2011

FAQ NUMBER 3: That's MIIIIIINE! Sharing tips on sharing!

We've all been there...right in the middle of a play date and mortified by your child's unwillingness to share that coveted toy.  The situation can be awkward and in the moment, it is hard to know how to teach a child to share.

Try one of these tips the next time this situation arises with your child:
  • Young children have a hard time understanding the concept of time.  To them, handing over a favorite doll or truck may seem like they'll never see it again.  Provide a option of measuring time in a way they understand, such as "I'm going to set the timer for 2 minutes and then I'd like to see you share that with your friend, and then they can play for 2 minutes and they will give it back." Play fun music and let each child hold the desired toy for one song. This is a great option to break up arguments in the car!
  • Negotiate a trade! Your young child might be more enticed to share when presented the option of exchanging for a toy they've eyed at their friend's house.
  • Model a great example! Children model what they see. When playing with your child or in daily routines, speak the language you want to hear from your child. Use "please," "thank you," "when you are done with that, may I please use it." etc.
  • Keep your expectations real. Obviously expecting your child to hand over their favorite sleeping toy close to bed time or brand new toy at their birthday party might not yield the best result. At times like this,you can explain to the other child that your child is very tired or excited but will be happy to share the next time they see each other.

Remember that learning to share is a typical part of growing up. Given regular opportunities to play with peers, paired with your positive example and encouragement, your child will soon learn to be a generous friend.

Speaking of sharing....we are one step closer to releasing our first product and are happy to SHARE that this weekend we launched our first website. You can now access our blog and find out more details on a product that can give you more examples on how to encourage sharing, tackle other parenting challenges, and learn how to play with your child in creative, age appropriate ways at www.milestonesandmiracles.com. Let us know what you think!

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Welcome to our blog! As longtime friends, we recently decided to combine our professional experience (as a speech-language pathologist and physical therapist) and "Mommy Experience" to create a company dedicated to something we are both extremely passionate about - letting kids be kids! Milestones and Miracles, LLC was formed in 2010. Our mission is to empower parents in understanding the natural progression of their child's development (and not rush it along and skip stages). We develop and provide developmental products to support this learning process, bonding families through engaging, fun, and meaningful experiences! We are thrilled to share that our first product, 1 2 3 Just Play With Me is available for sale. Visit www.milestonesandmiracles.com to learn more and order a unique product for yourself & your child or as a gift! We will continue use this blog to share about topics that interest and excite us. Stay tuned!

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