Why Sharing is Caring

Learning to share can be a challenge for young children, however it's a necessary skill that they need for play and learning in their childhood. Since sharing is a vital skill, it’s important for you to teach your child about this concept and demonstrate why it’s so important. Here are some ways to help your child learn about this very important skill:

Be a good role model: Children learn a lot from just watching their parent’s actions. When interacting with your child, it's important to emphasize the importance of sharing on a multitude of levels. From cooking in the kitchen to arts and crafts time at your dining room table, it's always pertinent to find ways to show your child how to share -- even if it's among their siblings and family members. One of the best ways to instill the importance of sharing is to take turns adjusting the radio with your spouse on the next family drive. This is a simple (and fun) exercise that will show your child how important sharing and turn-taking truly is!

Praise them: When you see your child demonstrating great sharing behavior, make sure to point it out and praise them. Although you might hesitate at first to praise your child for sharing, it does have a series of positive long-term effects, such as instilling the importance of sharing. Just think: if you're at work and your boss praises you for arriving on-time every day, you'll then known the importance of showing up on-time. When you praise your child for sharing, they will recognize this as something positive and will then continue this good behavior moving forward.

Practice it: Playing games with your child in which they are expected to take turns and share is a great way for them to get into the habit of sharing. During the game make sure to say things like “ Now it's my turn to build with the green blocks, but I’ll share the red blocks with you.” They will understand the process a little better when you explain to them what you are doing. This will also be a surefire way to excel the process and will further instill the importance of sharing!

While learning to share at home is the best place for children to grasp this very important concept and begin to learn what it’s all about, we make sure to always focus on the importance of sharing here at Miss Sue’s.  We developed a creative, constantly-evolving curriculum and program where our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child – socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. To learn more about our program or to take a tour of the school, give us a call at 516-938-0894.