It’s not an easy task to teach your child to learn how to share but one that they must get the hang of before they start school, college or anywhere that they will want to have friends.When two toddlers decide that they want the same thing at the same time it can be tricky to try to explain to them to take turns and more often than not your explanation of why they should share will fall on deaf ears. All they will be thinking is ‘I want it now!’Children see everything as theirs and they will probably be often heard yelling ‘MINE’ to their friend when in fact it is not theirs and may well belong to their friend whom they are trying to wrestle it away from.Teaching them to respect other people’s belongings can be a difficult task but one that needs to be taught to ensure your child can be taken to other people’s houses, shops or on outings without them taking claim for every toy in sight.

·         If they want to play with some-one else’s toys get them to learn to ask first. Stop them from running and grabbing the toys and encourage them to ask before they take. If it is your home, your child will relax knowing that if a child comes to play they will have to do the same. If they don’t want another child to play with their favourite toy then don’t make them, ask them which things the visiting child is allowed to play with. You may find you hear them offering toys and saying you can play with these all the time, you don’t need to ask! This will work well with siblings. A child needs to have things that are solely theirs but they must respect that others will also have things that they will not have to share.

·         If you are outside and an argument breaks out over something that neither child owns it is often better to explain that they have to take turns so they both get to play with it or if they don’t you will take it away. This may result in both of them being upset if the object is removed but it will start to teach them that they have more fun when they share.Sharing can take time but children learn a lot from their siblings, parents and people around them. Stick at it, be firm and don’t give in or back down and you will soon have a child who will happily share and have more fun doing so!