Sharing is caring, or so the saying goes. For many years parents have pushed their children to share their toys, believing it will help them grow into considerate adults. However, forcing your children to share could have the opposite effect.

This post by Joelle Wisler at Scary Mommy lists nine reasons why it’s better to let kids hang onto their toys rather than forcing them to give the objects up, and she has some great points.

For one, it disrupts your child’s concentration and creativity to be forced to hand over the thing she’s engaging with. It also helps her establish boundaries, and actually create less of an entitled feeling. What lesson is better – learning you can get anything you want if you ask for it, or learning to be patient and wait in order to have the experience you want?

I think sharing should be encouraged and rewarded, but it should be on the child’s own terms and not forced. Focus on the positive feelings you receive when giving, and your kid will learn.

Read the full article here: 9 Reasons Why I Won’t Make My Kids Share