08/25/2026
Why do children around the age of two "claim" almost everything as their own? All you hear is "Mine!" or "I won't share!" And if there are two or three of them, they might even fight over things 🤔
This is the stage when a toddler begins to realize they are an individual separate from others. They try to protect what belongs to them, or what they think belongs to them. Anything a child gets their hands on during this time can suddenly become "mine."
So, what should you do? Scold them or force them to share? Or, conversely, let them take whatever toys they like, assuming they’ll "understand eventually"?
Interacting with children this age requires great patience and lots of repetition across various situations. At our daycare, the teacher always explains what we are doing and why. If a child gets upset, we talk about their feelings and suggest a solution. We never force them to share; instead, we simply suggest playing together.
As a result of this approach, children start playing side-by-side by age three, and by age four, they begin organizing group games on their own 🤩
How do you handle it?
