My Commie Daughters

To instill in our kids the idea of sharing, I have the mantra, "There's no mine. Only ours," and "Everybody shares everything." It all started because we got tired of hearing the girls fight over who gets to play with a toy. There's no reason to fight over a single toy when they're sitting in a pile of toys right in front of a toy box! I know all kids fight over toys, but this was getting crazy and we decided to nip this in the bud.

When we see or hear the girls fighting over a toy and deem it a silly argument, we usually take the toy and no one gets to play with it for a while. Over the last month or so I've taken that one step farther. When I've seen them fight over a toy, I've made them follow me to the kitchen and watch me throw it away. Most of the time what they fight over is play jewelry (plastic bead necklaces, bracelets...). The arguments greatly decreased both in frequency and intensity. They're catching on. Last week they had another argument and I decided it was time to take things yet one step farther. I stopped the fight and made them follow me to the kitchen and then made them both hold the toy and put it in the trash can themselves. I think it really sunk in. Not only do they not get to play with the toy, but they don't get to play with it ever again.

A few days later I heard them fighting over a toy in their room. I listened to hear how this would end. Imagine my feeling when I heard one of them (I couldn't tell if it was Abigail or Elise) say, "Shh. Ok, ok. You can play with it now. I'll play with it later." YES!

Then a few days later we went to the doctor's office and were reading books in the waiting room. When it was time for us to go see the doctor, without saying anything, both girls jumped off my lap and said to each other, "Let's put our books back so the other little girls can read them." YES!

I have good little Commie daughters.

Isn't that how we're all called to be anyway? Everybody shares everything.