Sharing 'Toys'
I must have really goofed somewhere along the line on teaching the kids to share their toys. They are both quite strong willed and when they see the other one wants a particular toy, something in them goes off and says "I wanted that toy too!" Or if they were playing with a toy ten minutes ago, but left it and are happily playing with something else, they are suddenly outraged as the other decides to play with the forgotten toy, "HEY! I was playing with that!"
The other morning things sunk to a new low. I heard G crying his sad cry from the kitchen table where they were both eating breakfast. I went in and asked him why he was crying and he said, "A won't let me have a lightsaber." Now, this would be a pretty normal thing to hear except for the fact that we don't own toy lightsabers (surprise!). They were fighting over PRETEND toys!
Now, it gets better. I didn't really know what to do at this point (besides laugh and go tell Hubby), but I came back and asked A if she would share a 'lightsaber' with G. She held out her empty hand and 'gave' him one. He says.... "NO! I don't want THAT one! I want the OTHER one!" Meaning that he wanted the one in her right hand! So I asked A if she could give him the other one and she did and went off screaming as if I'd robbed her, while G trotted away happy with his right-handed lightsaber. She proceeded to 'steal' it away from him and I did what the logical parent would do....I 'took' all the lightsabers and put them on top of my dresser.
I don't remember exactly how we worked this out. I think it had something to do with Hubby explaining to her that he could make two of the same lightsabers, one for her and one to give to G. And also I reminded her that if she couldn't share pretend toys with her brother, how could I send her to school and expect her to share real toys with her classmates.
Gee whiz!
The other morning things sunk to a new low. I heard G crying his sad cry from the kitchen table where they were both eating breakfast. I went in and asked him why he was crying and he said, "A won't let me have a lightsaber." Now, this would be a pretty normal thing to hear except for the fact that we don't own toy lightsabers (surprise!). They were fighting over PRETEND toys!
Now, it gets better. I didn't really know what to do at this point (besides laugh and go tell Hubby), but I came back and asked A if she would share a 'lightsaber' with G. She held out her empty hand and 'gave' him one. He says.... "NO! I don't want THAT one! I want the OTHER one!" Meaning that he wanted the one in her right hand! So I asked A if she could give him the other one and she did and went off screaming as if I'd robbed her, while G trotted away happy with his right-handed lightsaber. She proceeded to 'steal' it away from him and I did what the logical parent would do....I 'took' all the lightsabers and put them on top of my dresser.
I don't remember exactly how we worked this out. I think it had something to do with Hubby explaining to her that he could make two of the same lightsabers, one for her and one to give to G. And also I reminded her that if she couldn't share pretend toys with her brother, how could I send her to school and expect her to share real toys with her classmates.
Gee whiz!
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