6 Ways to teach children to share with others

Children need to learn many things, one of which is to share with each other. This is a skill that your little one must master in order to build good relationships with other people in the future. Unfortunately, teaching children to share is not an easy task.

However, you don't need to worry, teaching children to share with friends and other people around them is not difficult as long as you know how.

Why is it necessary to teach children to share?

Sharing is a "skill" that is vital or important to have in life. Just like fostering a sense of empathy and educating children to care, teaching children to various is also important.

During the early stages of cognitive development and physical development, children's sharing skills can help support their growth and development.

Based on the Baby Bonus page, the ability to share is something that children need to have since childhood.

This sharing skill is used by children to be able to socialize with friends and other people around them.

After children begin to understand the concept of sharing with others, they will usually find it easier to socialize in schools, courses, and the home environment.

Teaching a child to share is tantamount to telling him the concept of "giving".

In this way, your baby will learn that when we give something to others, this kindness can be replaced back to us later in unexpected ways.

Indirectly, teaching children to share also teaches how to negotiate and take turns in doing things.

These various things are of course very important for children to learn and have from childhood until they grow up, including in the development of children 6-9 years.

How to teach children to share

Fighting over toys is not uncommon for children. At a young age, children are very difficult to give what they have.

They feel they have full rights to an object and feel a need for it so they do not want to lend it to others.

In fact, to have good relationships with peers, your little one needs to share.

So that these bad habits do not become ingrained and carried over to adulthood, you need to teach children to share.

Here are some ways you can apply to your little one so that he is willing to share with others:

1. Teach children to share at the right age

Indeed, sharing is part of empathy. Sharing can be said as the ability to see and feel something from another person's point of view.

Children usually do not develop a strong sense of empathy when they are under six years of age.

Teaching children to share should not be done without considering that age.

The reason is, if you are taught this early, it can be frustrating. This will worsen your relationship with your little one.

Instead of the children wanting to understand, it will be even more difficult for you to teach them to be willing to share.

The best age to teach children to share is around 3-4 years when children start to play and cooperate with their peers.

Do not be surprised if in the early stages of teaching children to share, they seem to prioritize their wants and needs.

In fact, your little one can get angry if his desire, for example to play with toys, is hindered because he has to share with his friends.

Over time, your little one will better understand that what he has to other people is important.

2. Explain the meaning of sharing

In learning anything, your little one needs to be given an explanation of why they should do it and how to do it.

Before you teach children to share, it would be good to start with simple insights.

For example, letting them know that sharing doesn't always give your little one what they have. However, sharing also has the meaning of lending something.

That means, children don't have to worry because these things will come back to him.

That way, children no longer refuse to take turns playing toys with their friends.

3. Don't be pushy

Teaching children to share is important for children's lives, but you should not force it.

You still have to respect the wishes of your little one, especially if he is selective enough. Take, for example, the child only wants to lend the ball but does not want to lend the doll.

If that's the case, don't force your little one to lend you the doll. In the early stages, you and your child may need to sort out which items are allowed to be loaned or not.

So that you don't end up fighting later, keep toys that you shouldn't borrow when your child is playing with friends.

In this way, at least the child will not feel disappointed to share or hold on to toys that they do not want to share.

Don't worry, the longer the child will start to be generous to lend the toy to someone who he believes can look after it well.

Over time, the child's sense of empathy will develop and he will no longer be choosy about sharing.

4. Be an example

Children learn many things from the people around them, especially you as parents.

Teaching children to share will be more effective if you also behave in this way. In order to serve as an example, you may need to do the following:

• Try expressing your intention so that your little one understands, "These bananas look delicious, can you please have a little?" From small conversations like these, you teach that sharing can make other people happy.
• Give compliments if there are other people or your little one's friends who share something with him. This can motivate children to do the same.
• Always give offers when your little one wants something, “You want this candy? Father / Mother give one, yes. " Don't forget, also teach how to teach children to be grateful when they are given something by someone else.

Some of these behaviors can make children learn from those around them that sharing is not really a difficult thing to do.

5. If the child does not want to share, ask why

According to the Baby Center, you can ask your child's reasons for being reluctant to share with friends.

Take, for example, when a child quarrels with a friend over fighting a Lego toy, it's best to break it up before things get complicated.

After the two of them have calmed down enough, discuss the situation with the child and their friends as wisely and calmly as possible.

The child or friend may explain the chronology of events from their own perspective.

Furthermore, you can respond to both of them by saying, "I think you both look really upset, don't you think?"

Offer responses that make the child and their friends believe that you understand their feelings without appearing partial.

If your child seems adamant about sharing toys with friends, you can ask why.

Maybe the reason why children are reluctant to lend toys is because they were given by someone closest to them, such as grandparents.

Understanding children's feelings is also part of how to teach children to variety. You can provide other solutions by taking turns playing together.

6. Show that sharing is fun

Anyone, especially children, really likes fun things. In order for children to think that it is fun, you need to apply games when teaching children to share.

This will be even more fun if your little one's friends are involved. One of the games that can train children to share is to draw and color together.

To do this, provide a large drawing book, colored pencils or other drawing tools. Ask the child and his friend to draw in the same book and exchange drawing tools.

Another way to teach children to share can also be done by inviting the little one and his friends to taste the snacks they bring from home.

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