Toddler and Babies: Play

[MissWooWoo]

My toddler has always been very good at sharing but recently has shown a different side and has been snatching toys away from younger children . I accept that this is a normal part of her development but do not allow her to get away with it - gently reminding her that she is to share/not take toys out of other people's hands. This is going reasonably well.

What is not going well is trying to get her to understand that babies will snatch things from her hand as they do not understand the concept of sharing. She got incredibly upset over this yesterday and despite me trying to explain she had a massive tantrum poor thing.

What can I do to help her understand/improve the situation. I am visiting a friend next week who has a little one and am worried about it.

Just keep at it, and brief her a Lot ahead of time, esp when you know you'll be seeing babies. Preparation and repetition often the key to heading off tantrums.

How old is your dd? Is she old enough to understand babies don't understand?
There's 18 months between my 2 ds's, but what I've always done is when the baby snatches something I "tell him off" too iyswim.
I take whatever toy out of his hand and just say, no snatching, but it is purely for ds1's benefit

She (almost) 2.8

and I don't think I'd feel comfortable telling off someone else's baby - esp when the mum is right there!

of course if it was her sibling doing the snatching then I would definately do that

I agree with silverymoon... I also have two little ones (DS is 19mo and DD is 6mo).

DS has to abide by the sharing rules but if DD grabs something from him (doesn't happen too often just yet) then, she also gets told to give it back.

IMHO, they are probably both too young to understand the concept of sharing, but neither is too young to abide by that concept!!!

Your LO shouldn't have to deal with a younger child grabbing toys off her without them being returned if she (i) had them first and (ii) was playing with them at that time.

Just MHO

HM

yes but the little one wasn't my baby so wasn't my place to "parent" when the mum was sitting there

Could you not just tell the mum you are having issues with the sharing thing atm and ask her if it's ok for you or her to just say to the baby "no snatching, your turn in a minute" I do it to all my friends babies and they do it to mine.
I'm sure your friend will understand.

that's a good idea - I'll be visiting a different friend at the weekend and would feel much more comfortable saying this, although having said that not sure I have the balls! This little one has just turned one, do they understand the "no snatching" at that age? my dd never did this so never had to deal with it (until now!)

They understand the word NO at that age, without a doubt. My ds2 will be a year next week and he definitely knows no, just when he's about to put a handful of cat litter in his mouth!
They can understand no from about 9 months.
I'm sure your friend will be fine with it, it's not like anyone is actually going to punish and discipline a baby is it? It's just coosing words to make the toddlers see they aren't the only ones who have to comply to the rules.

Agree totally with SIlverymoon

urgh! the more I think about it the more cross I am now that the mother of other child didn't intervene herself and thinking about it I did hear her say no to her dc when making a beeline for the cat litter tray. Grrrr. Why didn't she help me out?

Don't stress about it now MissWooWoo It's done. People like an easy life don't they.

wise words SilveryMoon and I will definately talk to my friend at the weekend and hopefully she'll understand

Goodluck.
Remember, if your friend doesn't understand, it'll be her turn in a couple of years and you'll be able to laugh in her face

silverymood - You are a wise old bird!!

Ack.. silverymoon

And I didn't mean it to sound like you were old,.... just wise.

Was just going to say, less of the old you