Is It Right to Make Kids Share?

"One child kept trying to snatch the truck away. 'No,' his mother said. He tried running at the toy; she had to grab him and hold him back. Finally, he released a scream that went on and on like a dial tone."

"I had made another child happy by making my own child suffer. Of course I wanted to raise a child with a sense of fairness, someone generous who cared about others' feelings."

"For weeks, I kept revisiting what had happened. But was forcing him to share like that right, or helpful?"

A child brought a toy to the playground, attracting attention from other kids. The parent felt pressured to enforce sharing, leading to the child's distress. This situation raised questions about the balance between teaching generosity and respecting a child's attachment to their belongings. The parent reflected on the implications of forcing sharing, considering the long-term effects on their child's development and emotional well-being. The experience highlighted the complexities of parenting and the challenges of instilling values in children.

Read at The Atlantic