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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU *NOT* to make my child share her most favourite toy?

96 replies

Quiettiger · 13/08/2017 09:03

DD is 2 1/2 and is obsessed with Paw Patrol. The day before yesterday, DH bought her Zuma and his hovercraft as a surprise. She was over the moon and it has gone everywhere with her, including bed. She is very possessive over it.

Yesterday, she had a play date with her 3 year old friend (lets call him A). He is also obsessed with Paw Patrol and tried to take said toy off DD who was playing with it. DD refused to give it to him and A told me that DD "wasn't sharing nicely".

I told him that DD didn't want to share at the moment and that we had lots of other toys to play with. A's mum backed me up and he went and got something else to play with. When DD then put the toy down to do something else, A took the toy to play with it, and when DD wanted it back, I told her it was now A's turn to play with it, because she put it down and he'd starting playing with it. She went and got something else. So far, no drama.

Both A's mum and I are of a similar opinion that it's OK not to give something to someone else just because they demand it - especially if it's a "prized" possession. I also think it teaches the ability to have boundaries and be able to say no to someone. DD is in general a generous child who shares and plays well, as is A, who is a lovely kid.

Later, I was explaining what had happened to another friend who also has a 3 year old (lets call him B) and I said my attitude was that if the toy was available, then who ever wanted it played with it until they put it down, but they didn't have to share just because someone demanded it. She was appalled, accused me of teaching my child to be selfish and told me my example of "you wouldn't give an adult your mobile phone just because they demand it" analogy was ridiculous.

Who is the unreasonable one here? Is it me because I'm happy for my child to say no about sharing and respect that, or is it her for thinking you should share everything without question? We have had issues in the past where her child, B, has just snatched toys off DD and told her that "it's mine now because we're sharing", resulting in lots of tears from DD so I'm happy to be told this is clouding my judgement.

OP posts:
swingofthings · 13/08/2017 10:56

told me my example of "you wouldn't give an adult your mobile phone just because they demand it" analogy was ridiculous.
TBF, I agree with her on that one. A mobile phone is not a toy and not something that you would share to play with, so I do agree that if you used this as an example, she got the wrong end of what you were trying to explain.

Goldmandra · 13/08/2017 10:57

When I started childminding, a very wise friend advised me to establish some rules about my own children's toys and sharing. She suggested these principles and they worked well for us:

All toys that are accessible can be played with by anyone.

If my own children had toys they didn't want to share, they were put away in their rooms.

Sharing meant that anyone could pick them up and play with them. It didn't mean they could take them off each other.

If one child appeared to be preventing the others from playing with a toy by guarding it or keeping it for an unreasonably long period, we would use a timer to help guide turn-taking. I was careful to make sure this didn't prevent children from deep exploration of a toy they were particularly enjoying.

Sharing can mean playing together with something, rather than taking turns. Sharing is not handing over a toy when another child demands it.

Depending on age and stage of development, I encouraged the children to negotiate, explain their own needs and feelings to each other and find a mutually agreeable arrangement. This equipped them to manage similar interactions when an adult was not around to mediate.

No child had to let someone else hold their comfort toy/transitional object.

Also, the majority of toys available were my toys which anyone could play with. This prevented my own children from feeling like they always had to share their own toys.

I watched an older child at a friend's house a few weeks ago using sharing to bully another guest. This girl brought out a box of toys which she was happy to share with a slightly older lad but not with his sister who was slightly younger. She was actively encouraging the boy to play with the toys then instructing the younger sister not to touch them because they were hers. Her mother did nothing to intervene.

I had already intervened in similar bullying over a game so didn't feel able to do anything as both girls had parents present who could have done so.

I think the adult analogy is a good one and not at all ridiculous.

You don't demand equal access to other people's property but it is socially appropriate to make certain things available to guests and friends who don't have their own to hand. You can fiddle around with the puzzle from my coffee table for as long as you like. You can borrow my phone to make a phone call but not explore it or keep hold of it. You absolutely cannot go and help yourself to the dresses in my wardrobe.

We wouldn't eat a bowl of crisps without offering them to others if it was the only one available but we also wouldn't offer food from our own plates during a meal, demand food from someone else's plate or help ourselves from someone else's plate. Those could all be described as sharing.

If I am with my friends, Jane and Mary, they both get to share the same things. If I encourage Mary to share my bowl of crisps but don't offer one to Jane, then Jane will, quite rightly, feel confused, hurt and angry.

There are complex rules around sharing and teaching them to children isn't simple. Some adults get the adult rules but can't work out a child-friendly equivalent, especially if it doesn't suit their own precious princess and a meltdown is likely to ensue.

I think you got it just right, OP.

smurfit · 13/08/2017 10:58

Sharing isn't handing something over as soon as it's demanded.

If something can be played with together then by all means, share instantly. If it can't, then some sort of turn about. There's is a difference between 'I'm going to invite you to my house and flaunt the new toy but never let you touch it' and 'I'm still playing, not right now'.

The park is a different ball game and the 'put it away so they don't see it' or forced sharing with strange kids isn't overly fair in public spaces (unless it's a public toy like noodles at the pool or something).

Mxyzptlk · 13/08/2017 10:59

YANBU even if it's not a "special" toy.

Why should the child have to hand the toy over right away, just because someone else demands it? If child B is being made to do that, he will clearly feel he should get his own back by bullying pressuring other kids to give him things.

It's like watching a TV programme then your DP comes in and says "You need to share the TV with me, and I'm changing it to another channel."

Quiettiger · 13/08/2017 10:59

Thank you all for this - it makes me feel a lot better!

Just to clarify, DD and A took it in turns to play with the toy quite happily, they just didn't hand it over to each other on immediate demand.

B, however has a complete meltdown if he doesn't get the toy straight away and claims it's "not sharing".

CecilyP - I adore your idea, although the mother of B wouldn't if I took DH's dirty farm clothes! (He's a farmer) Grin

OP posts:
ChasedByBees · 13/08/2017 11:03

You are correct.

thehousethatjillbuilt · 13/08/2017 11:04

I'm guessing that B only has one child.

Her system of sharing would not work in a house with siblings close in age, no matter how reasonable the older one. And it most certainly wouldn't work with twins/triplets!

Quiettiger · 13/08/2017 11:05

thehouse - yes, he is an only child, but then so is DD and A.

OP posts:
contrary13 · 13/08/2017 11:29

YANBU, whilst 'B's mother... is being completely and utterly unreasonable (and possibly raising a selfish, entitled monster for the future...!)

You and 'A's mother have the right idea, OP.

Cherrytart6 · 13/08/2017 11:30

I think it's usual to take turns (either timed or as long as a child likes) with most toys. Special things are different and could either be hidden pre play date (with child owners agreement) or aim to explain to other child that it's a special toy not for general use.

Goldenbear · 13/08/2017 12:00

If it's a comfort teddy type toy some younger children like to take them everywhere and they can't really be hidden. My DD at 6 still takes backpacks of special teddies. However, she wouldn't mind a child having a look with them now. She has a jellycat pig that at 2 went everywhere with her and she just didn't want to share it and I never forced her to. At the same time it wasn't worth the hassle me forcing her to leave it at home.

NikiBabe · 13/08/2017 12:31

Children do need to learn to share but equally children also need to learn they cant just take what they want when they're a guest in someone's home and when tge things do not belong to them.

Oldraver · 13/08/2017 12:36

I do agree with you..I think the notion of a child 'having to sharer' is overrated. Transfer this to an adults possesions and they wouldn't be so keen to 'share cos it's only fair'. I think adults get confused to children playing and being fair over communal toys ie at a playgroup or park... not personal possesions

I do think though if it's something she wants to hold onto it would of been a good idea to put it away

deadringer · 13/08/2017 13:23

Like gold I childmind and anything that is new or precious to dd is put in her room for safety. Anything in the playroom is for everyone to play with. Same for playdates, anything precious is put away. It always amuses me at toddler group when lo's are told to share, it usually happens when a child has something and another child wants it. The parent seems to think that sharing means the child giving up the thing they have to their dc. I just tell them they can have it after my mindee has had their turn.

thehousethatjillbuilt · 13/08/2017 13:34

I agree with PP that comfort teddies and "one special toy from birth"s are different. But these tend to be less tempting to other kids. A grubby and tatty bear or elephant or whatever is significantly less tempting than a shiny new toy from paw patrol or whatever the latest fad is.

notevernotnevernotnohow · 13/08/2017 14:05

told me my example of "you wouldn't give an adult your mobile phone just because they demand it" analogy was ridiculous

It's not ridiculous. You could swap mobile phone for pretty much anything. too many people expect children to share anything and everything when they don't expect the same of them as adults.

No children are not the same as adults but they do deserve some respect, and that includes with their belongings.

swingofthings · 13/08/2017 14:35

You sound like a wonderful childminder Goldmandra.

Still think mobile phone is very different though. I'd be very happy to share a book with a friend if she'd ask to borrow it, even one that means a lot to me but I wouldn't tell her it's ok to take my phone when I've put it down because she wants to play a game on it. A phone is a working tool, something that holds private information.

Genghi · 13/08/2017 15:05

But people do share mobile phones with friends and family if they ask. If a child comes over for a play date you consider them a friend to her otherwise what's the point of inviting them round. So friends share. They don't snatch or steal but if they ask politely then your dc should be taught to let them play.

notevernotnevernotnohow · 13/08/2017 15:08

But people do share mobile phones with friends and family if they ask

Some do, some don't. But the salient point is nobody tries to make them if they don't want to!

Willow2017 · 13/08/2017 15:09

Friend is an arse.

The kids WERE sharing just not allowed to grab the toy off each other which is a good lesson.

She is raising a child who will expect his demands to be answered immediately if she thinks its ok to take toys that someone else is playing with. Good luck with that!

All kids should have the right to say no to sharing a special toy/keep it out of the way when friends come round (but sometimes that isnt possible so kids need to learn that they dont get to take anything they want when they want it)

You and your friend are doing fine, ignore the arse Smile

Goldmandra · 13/08/2017 15:25

But people do share mobile phones with friends and family if they ask. If a child comes over for a play date you consider them a friend to her otherwise what's the point of inviting them round. So friends share. They don't snatch or steal but if they ask politely then your dc should be taught to let them play.

If I was using my mobile phone and a friend asked to borrow it, I would finish what I was doing before handing it over (unless there was some urgency to their need).

In the same vein, the OP's DD was fine with the other child playing with the toy once she had finished what she was doing. That's perfectly acceptable sharing.

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