The Value of Sharing: How to Teach It to Our Kids

Sharing is Caring – What a thoughtful line! we usually come across this saying in our kid’s rhyme books. Sharing is a wonderful feeling and it is important to inculcate the value of sharing in children from the beginning for a beautiful upbringing.

How awesome it looks – if your kid is having a biscuit packet and their friend/cousins/even siblings happen to come at the same time and they share it without creating any fuss. It’s good to teach your kid the importance of sharing in early childhood as well.

It’s easy to do, all you need is to help them to know the value of sharing & few benefits of it –

#Helps in making friends -Teach your kid that when you share your toys for playing, etc with other kids, they feel happy and grateful for it. It helps in making friends quickly. It also reflects generosity which is the best quality for any individual.

#Enhances their Emotions – Sharing helps in creating good bonding. When they share things with their friends, it creates a good bond and makes them good with their emotions.

 #Improves their Empathy – Having empathy in kids is important, it makes them kind and respectful to everyone. Sharing, especially in the case of someone who is less fortunate, can be a good way to inculcate empathy in them.

Related Article: 10 Good Manners To Teach Your Kids

Get ready to explore few quick ways to teach your kid the value of sharing right now –

1. Making Them Comfortable with Sharing

Kids especially toddlers love their things/toys and are possessive. If some kid visits your home and starts playing with a toy that your kid is not even fond of, wants it at the same time. It happens and it’s normal. I have encountered such a situation with my toddler initially as well- but I have overcome it. The key was communication and good interactive sessions with my girl. Keeping it simple I made her understand it is okay if someone visits they can play & the same goes with her if she visits anyone’s home, she too can play. This deal is done. Now she never throws any tantrums if someone plays with her toys.

2. Making Them Realize That It’s Temporary

This is very important, children need to make understood, that after playing with toys, the friends return it and they have to do same. This makes them okay to share anything. I have told my daughter that if someone does not return, I will ask their mom to return it politely. It’s the kind of guarantee I am giving her, which makes her secure.

3. Don’t Force Them

If they are not ready to share don’t force them. Make them understand with love instead of shouting or hurting their emotions. It otherwise affects their self-esteem and they can get unruly. Also, remember more you become rash with them, the more they become rebellious.

Related Article: 5 Unique Tips To Build Consistency In Your Kid

4. Praise Them for Sharing

Praise them always for sharing, in private as well as in front of others. They feel an invisible crown when their parents do it. Usually, whenever my guests go, I make sure I praise my little girl for different things, like Wow, you behaved so well, Aunty was telling me she is a good girl, etc kind of things. Similarly, whenever she shares any stuff with someone who visits our home, I praise her afterward as well.

5. Be a Role Model

This is something which I write in each blog, for making your kid follow anything, you need to practice it. Our house help comes in the morning, but on Saturdays, she usually comes around our lunchtime, we have made it a point to share our food with her, sometimes she eats and sometimes she says she will take it home. My daughter has noticed it and I have made her understand sharing is a joy, especially when someone is needy- Sharing is not only about sharing toys with friends but also with helping, sharing food/essentials with less fortunate ones.

Take Away:

Make Sharing fun for kids. Teach your kids with love and affection instead of yelling, screaming, and comparing them to anyone else. Respect your child’s possessions and make them share only if required. Don’t throw your unrealistic expectations on them, without teaching them the value of sharing. It takes time for kids to accept things, don’t rush!

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