Toys etiqutte

[Nancey]

What would you do and how would you feel if your toddler tried to take a toy off another toddler and their mum stopped your child taking the toy? Thanks

On the bare facts you've given, I'd probably say thanks to the other Mum and reinforce to my own child that he/she has to wait for a turn, then distract them with a different toy/play option.

If she did it nicely, I would think nothing whatsoever of it. Takes a village, and all that.

I'd thank her and think no more of it.

Thanks for your responses. Really interesting to hear people's views.

Non issue. That's what toddlers do, and that's why you loiter near them to help alleviate any problems - like the other Mum did. As others have said, you distract with another toy.

Non issue? That's rude...

Then again, what can you expect from a Take that fan :)

I'd be fine with it. Six of one, half a dozen of another - my toddler doesn't win every toy-battle he goes in for. If an adult intervenes gently and 'fairly' (ie no shouting, distracts with another toy/good humour etc), then I'd be perfectly happy.

eh ??

How's that rude ???

It's what toddlers do - I don't see why anyone could possibly have "a view" on it. Would you be willing to let us know what's prompted the question ?

I know it's what toddlers do, I was interested in how mum's feel about how other mum's deal with it. Some mum's would just let your toddler take the toy their child is playing with, (say at a children's centre or some such) in the interests of "sharing" & not stepping on your toes and instructing your child, (in the event you don't stop your child from taking), whereas other mums might step in and stop your child taking the toy telling them their child is playing with it.

If you're the only adult within arm's reach of one toddler attempting to forcibly remove a toy from another toddler, you intervene gently and positively and redirect the taker.

If you don't want someone else doing the intervening to stop your child, you need to make sure you're there to do it every time yourself.

Letting children take toys from each other has nothing to do with sharing. In fact, sharing is a concept way beyond most toddlers. The furthest most can get along that road is understanding that they cannot have the whole box of toys and prevent any other child from touching anything. Taking turns with one item doesn't make sense until they are more of a pre-school age.