Mommy's Project 52:42 Sharing

This week I tried to take pictures of my kids sharing.

The conversation goes like this.

Son: "Mom, what are you doing?"
Me:  I'm trying to take pictures of you and your sister sharing.
Son:   "Why?"
Me:  "It is the topic for my blog post this week."
Son:  "Why don't you just write sometimes we like to share and sometimes we don't."

In the early months of this year, they seemed to share quite effortlessly. As my daughter has developed speech, things have changed.  She uses her words to tell us all the things that brother has taken from her. Simple car rides have turned into backseat squabbles over who looks at what book and on and on.  It would seem at 5 1/2 and 2 1/2 sharing is not so popular. Sometimes they like to share and sometimes they don't.  Right now, we are more NOT sharing.

I have been thinking about this since my son does construct complicated play area with trains and his toy figures.  He will have spent an hour setting it all up and it can be all undone by sister in 10 seconds or less.  I know that frustrates him.  On the other hand, I have also seen him watch sister pick a toy up and for no other reason than her new interest decides he must have it to add to his play immediately.  Even harder for him is toys that were originally his when he was younger are really now appropriate for her to play with but he still wants to claim them as his own.  It has not really been a problem until the last few months so I am working on the family guidelines for what has to be shared and what is yours alone. What are your guidelines for sharing toys?

One of my favorite pictures of the two of them - November 2011

Sharing limited snacks - January 2012

Coloring on the same picture - February 2012

Brother ran off with the toys.

Waiting to try again at sharing the pool toys - May 2012

Frequent expression in the car these days - April 2012
(yes, I know her top buckle has gotten low, constant struggle)

Yes, I found one! Sharing colors together - May 2012