Ask Amy: My Kid Is Always Saying "That's Mine!"
b'It\'s developmentally appropriate for a toddler to shout "That\'s mine!" every five seconds instead of sharing. That\'s because toddlers and preschoolers are still learning what sharing even means. So what should a parent do when they have two little ones who are fighting over every toy? \\nOur listener Katie sent us a message on Instagram asking:\\n"I have two boys, the older almost two and a half, the younger a one-year-old (they\'re 18 months apart). My 2 1/2 year-old just says nonstop, "Nooo, this is mine!"\\xa0and takes everything away from his little brother all day long. I\'m constantly having to keep the younger one away from the older one, otherwise he will try to kick or hit him. It\'s frustrating and exhausting, and I know it\'s a normal stage, but I also feel like there must be something I can do to help."\\nFirst, a parent should focus on the kicking or hitting, which is the immediate danger. Give that behavior a firm no, and then separate the children as necessary. Don\'t feel like you have to enforce playing together among kids who are just too young to share. Sharing is a behavior children can only really learn when they\'re three or four, as they develop what psychologists call "theory of mind." \\nSarah MacLaughlin, a social worker and parent educator, recommends that parents "sportscast" what\'s happening when a child shouts "That\'s mine!" to give more complete voice to what they\'re feeling, since they don\'t have the language to do so yet. For example: "Oh no! Your brother wants to play with the dump truck, but you also want to play with the dump truck. And now you feel so mad!" \\nHere are some other resources for advice and tips on getting through the "that\'s mine!" and the no-sharing stages. Rest assured, your children will eventually learn what sharing is, even if they\'re terrible at it right now. \\n-Sarah S. MacLaughlin for Zero to Three: "Helping Young Children with Sharing"\\n-Nurtured First: "3 Tips for the Toddler \'MINE\' Stage"\\n-Harvey Karp, Happiest Toddler on the Block\\n\\nSpecial thanks to our sponsor, Pampers!\\nFor trusted protection, choose Pampers, the #1 Pediatrician Recommended Brand.\\xa0Download the Pampers Club App today\\xa0to start earning free diapers.\\n\\nmom friends, funny moms, parenting advice, parenting experts, parenting tips,\\xa0mothers, families, parenting skills, parenting strategies, parenting styles, busy moms, self-help for moms, manage kid\\u2019s behavior, teenager, toddler, baby, tween, child development, family activities, family fun, parent child relationship, decluttering, kid-friendly, invisible workload, default parent\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'