I think that nurturing the desire to share in our children is very important and it starts within the family. It is relatively easy to get your kids to see why sharing with their friends is so important & necessary. No one wants to be buddies with a selfish kid who is unwilling to share. In fact, it won't take long until that kid has no friends at all.
The problem seems to usually lie with siblings. Why is it that the ones we love the most, we seem to treat the worst? Or should I say we are "allowed" to treat the worst?
So many times I have seen parents start out strong in "making" their children be nice & share with each other, but I think often times parents get a lil' worn out with all the bickering they have to help kids work through that it seems to often times eventually break them down.
Its true, in the beginning you have to be so "on it" every second, it can be trying sometimes. But if you are willing to stand firm & not even let the lil' things slide between siblings, then you will soon see it pay off. The fights will soon be further between because your children will begin to value each other & "selfish" will soon evolve into "selfless". Instead of going through a store making comments about what they want & "need", they will start looking with new eyes & a new mindset & start thinking about what they would like to get for their siblings instead.
I do think it is good for kids to have things that they can see as "theirs", but it is just as important to encourage them to be willing to let their siblings enjoy those things also from time to time. If you notice your child is having a hard time grasping this concept, try sitting down with them & helping see the other side of the coin. What if their sibling got a new toy & refused to share it with them even after they had already had a lot of time to play with it. How would that make them feel? If they still are having a hard time being willing to share with their siblings, then maybe that item should be put up for a lil' until they are ready to change their attitude/focus.
Having children who are more focused on others than themselves has been a top priority to Super Daddy & I since the beginning. It has by no means been an easy road, but we have continued to push through & conquer each new hurdle we have experienced with our children & it's been well worth it.
Its the lil' moments of seeing the fruit of your efforts come out that make it all worth it. When we go to the "red store" (Target) & the cashier offers one of them a sticker & they say, "May I have some for my sisters too?", it just warms my heart. When one sister gets some candy & unprompted offers to share with their sisters, it melts you & makes it all worth it.
Nurturing the desire in our children to share & think about others is a huge piece in developing empathy in them, but its starts within the home. Teaching our children to love & care for their siblings as they do for themselves is so important. It will help to make them better people & improve the family dynamics as a whole. So, stay strong & don't grow weary. Stay on top of it & it will pay off!
Does Adley's new ride fold easily? I've noticed it in lots of pictures at different places and was wondering how easy it is to use.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't fold, but fits easily into our trunk. If you can fit a double stroller, you can fit her "new ride". It also grows with your child & eventually turns into a tricycle. It definitely steers easier than a stroller & my ladies can even maneuver it. Adley loves being able to look around & play big girl. They are going to stop making them soon, so catch a sale & swoop one up :)Fisher price I believe.
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