‘Sharing is caring’ is a famous adage we all have heard. Our generation is fortunate enough to grow up with siblings and live in a joint or extended family. Our family set-up taught most of us the significance of this adage, and the atmosphere taught us the practical meaning of sharing.
We can now see the social structure and norms changing compared to how families lived earlier. Now, more and more parents choose to have just one child and, at maximum, two children. In such a scenario, where attention and love are bestowed on the single child, the parents need to teach their child sharing from an early age. Search for the best preschool near me and find the right school for your child that reinforces the essential skills.
Toddlers begin to understand the language and its nuances, sensing and picking up from the atmosphere around them. This is also when they observe their parents keenly, picking up and emulating their parent’s mannerisms and behaviour. Suffice it to say that this is the right time to teach them a few very important lessons that will help enrich their lives as they grow.
The Best preschool in Ahmedabad emphasises the practice of sharing and encourages parents to begin guiding their wards in adjusting and being a part of the social structure. Below are a few tips to help you teach your child the concept of sharing.
- Set an Example: As we know that children emulate and learn from their immediate family, it will be good to set the right example for your child by practising the art of sharing yourself. Seeing you share with family, friends and others will teach and encourage your child to follow in your footsteps.
- Talk about Sharing: One of the best ways to teach your little one is to talk with them while you both share some quality time or are engaged in an activity together. Toddlers instinctively put their own needs first, which is also when they are developing their empathetic side. Tap into this by beginning with the mealtime or while enjoying a treat. Ask them if they like their ice cream and can you have a bite of it, and offer them to take a bite from your treat. Go ahead and offer a bite to your partner or anyone else with you, and do this with a cheerful smile. This simple gesture will send a positive signal to your child about sharing.
- Passing the Parcel: Turn sharing into a game by playing with toys and asking for your turn to hold or play with the toy. Then pass it back to the child by saying your turn. This game of my turn and your turn will establish the essential foundation and understanding of sharing.
- Playdates: Organise playdates with your friends’ kids or classmates and involve them in playing simple board games. Make sure you announce the rule of multiple winners instead of one winner, which is the general rule. This idea is not to make kids feel slighted or superior to the others, instead teach them that playing and sharing the win is fun and is not a competition to declare one better than the other.
- Positive Reinforcement: Every good deed and act must be rewarded. The reward does not need to be a material/gift every time. Remember, the children understand and revel in love, and this is what they need and look for the most. Praise your child when they happily share with others. Praise can be with words, an affectionate smile, a hug and a kiss. Let the child know how happy her gesture has made you. Try to treat them with a gift once in a while to keep their interest alive.
Try out the above mentioned time-tested ways to introduce your child to the world of sharing and caring before or after your child goes to a Pre School in Ahmedabad. Make sure the environment is not stressed or heavy when you teach your child the important life skills of humanity. A tensed atmosphere will send out a negative message to the child, sowing the seeds of self-doubt and even fear in some cases.
