What do you think of this to help my two squabblers to share??

[OComeOliveFaithfOil]

Tomy Discovery Dome

They fight like cat and dog (dd1 is 3, dd2 15 months), dd1 has a pop up wendy house thing that they both play in but it is causes MAJOR fights at the moment as dd1 says it is hers (true) and she has attacked dd2 twice this weekend, with quite bad scratches round her eyes .

They both stop and stare at this when it comes on and we want to get them a joint present anyway...

Will it work? [hopeful face]

so then you would have one each?

i have discovered that dd1 here claims everything as hers anyway, so i imagine your dd2 would end up with whatever dd1 doesnt want (until dd1 changes her mind again if shes anything like mine)

has your dd2 started fighting back? i discovered my dd2 shouting and hitting out at dd1 the other day - she has discovered how to stick up for herself a bit! gave dd1 a bit of shock if nothing else

wouldnt it just be wonderful if they played nicely together

the aim is to say, this is a toy to share, isn't it nice to play together etc. Pipe dream probably.

Dd1 is a bit of a softie and from what I can see, dd2 is a thug! Ha! So I think she will be the one duffing up her older sister. I have warned dd1 that when dd2 is mobile, she had better watch out.

Have just been on Argos and the damn thing is sold out everywhere anyway .

one thing i try to do is get dd1 to get a toy for dd2, say things like "if you get a toy for K then she will let you get on with your puzzle" or "if you give K your barbie horse she will not bother you in the tent" and then i tell her she is being a very good helpful girl to mummy

my biggest nightmare is dd1 loves doing puzzles on the floor but dd2 just come along and messes them all up. dd1 gets very upset

just one more thing, dd2 here is running about like a maniac now and since she started doing this they play so much better together, can play more games together etc, and dd1 sees her more of an equal now, and a playmate

hth

Hmmmm - isn't it a bit young for your 3 year old?

dd2 doesn't even crawl yet . Have told her she has to walk for Christmas.

x

hmc - I thought that but she goes on and on about the ad when it comes on. And she likes dens, is always under the bloody table with dolls etc.

I found that if I just remove whatever they are fighting over they learn to share or do without. I only have to tell them now, that if they can't share, no-one gets to play with it, and they stop.

Ah well - she knows her own mind I guess!

ways to practice sharing:

Egg timer. they often have similar things at school or nursery so might already understand the concept.

as jasnan says, threaten to remove toy if constantly fought over. very effective if you stick to it, you rarely have to actually do it.

but a 15 month old would be too young for all this. i just remve my 19 month old from her older sisters' toys when she's spoiling their games. they are 5 and 4 and very nice to dd3 but maybe that's partly because they know if she's a pain they can call me and I remove the baby and take her off elsewhere.

i am giving all 3 a joint present this christmas. (dolls house) they are used to sharing. they have loads of shared toys.

on the den v wendy house front:

mine ignore their wendy house and two tents with connecdting tunnel in favour of ENDLESS dens made from cushions, furniture, blankets. drives me crazy... so much clearing up.

I have told her that instead of pushing/hitting dd2 she has to call me and I will remove her. At the moment, she tells her to go away and leave things, then waits, then gets annoyed when she doesn't move and lashes out.

Has spent a lot of time on the naughty step, grrrrr.

At the moment they do not have shared toys so I am hoping that this will help.

yes we have home made tents too

the duvets get dragged from upstairs much to dd2's excitement

dd1 stops dd2 interfering with a 'talk to the hand' gesture and a fierce "NO!" or a shove if that doesnt work

the naughty step works here - i put dd1 on it say very loudly "come on K lets go and play"

dd1 hates being left out

but dd2 thinks it hilarious and she runs back and forth teasing dd1 by peeking round the door