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Teaching Kids About Sharing
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Age 2 is when kids get a sense of possession, and that's when you can start using language to express the concept of sharing, even if they don't quite understand yet. With siblings forced to share something that's divisible - say, the last cookie or a pile of Legos - it may help to allow one child to divide the item with the understanding that the other child gets to pick his share of the goodies first. Therefore, it's in the dividing child's best interest to make things fair. At age 3 or so, kids begin to understand that if it's a toy, then the item will be returned. It may help to time turn-taking and give each child a minute or two with the toy, then switch off. On the other hand, it's important - especially when there's sibling rivalry - to allow kids not to share. When you know a younger brother will just step in and mess up his older sister's Barbie collection, then it's OK to intervene and have the kids play separately. Finding activities for them both to share, like playing musical instruments or making forts in the living room, are ways to foster togetherness without the need to share.
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