Sharing . . . !?

I am trying, strike that, teaching, nope, using words to express the importance of sharing with my kids.  As to whether or not those words are sinking in, and having an impact on their behaviour, well, it seems like not.

Back in December the kids were given gifts over the Christmas holidays.  In one instance, the girls both got new jackets and my son was given a game.   The instructions were that he was to share the game with his sisters.  Even I can see where this is going to end up.  He is certainly not, no way, no how, going share his sisters' new pink jackets so why should he share his Christmas present.  Yeah, didn't go over well the first time they played.  I put the game away.

Several weeks later the game came out of hiding.   I was folding laundry and I could hear some of the conversation that was going on down the hall and went along the lines of, “the game is mine.”  “Yeah, but you're supposed to share it, it's for all of us.”  “No, it's mine and I can share if I want to.  And right now I don't want to share.”

Not long after the words are exchanged I hear the thumping of footsteps down the hall and “mom-meeeeee!”  Problem resolution time.

This is where I start to ramble a bit away from the story.  I get a lot of grief from my family members about stories I tell.  I use a lot of words to get to the point.  Sometimes I go around in circuitous manner so that no part gets left out.  I get that it can be annoying for someone trying to listen, and so I do try to go for brevity, but it doesn't always happen.  As much as my family gives me a hard time, I started to wonder if people I meet everyday feel the same way, but are just too polite to say anything.

Back on track, Ella poses to me, “mommy is the game for all of us?”  I respond with, “it is to share.”  She runs down the hall and repeats to Ryan and Ava, “Mommy said it was for us to share!”  I hear frustrated thumping down the hall (I know it is Ryan).  “Mommy, auntie gave the game to me so it is mine.”  Arghhh!  Me, “Yes, Ryan, auntie gave the game to you, but she said you need to share it.  I know you kind of got left out and the girls got jackets and auntie gave the game to you, but she asked you to please share it with your sisters.”  Ryan, “So it's mine?”  Me, “It's for all of you.”  Ryan, “but auntie gave it to me!”  Me, “yes she did, but she wants you to share it.”  Ryan, “okay.”  Running and thumping his way back down the hall I hear, “MOMMY SAID THE GAME IS MINE!”  Noooooo.  You can see now where the rambling around in circles gets me.

All I can hear is Jim laughing in the other room.  Great, just great.  Obviously, “SHARE THE GAME!”  might have worked better.  I felt as though I had an opportunity to impart on my kids the importance of sharing.  I don't think it worked in that moment.

I am grateful for the teaching (and learning) moments in my days – most of them.  Sometimes I just shake my head in exasperation.