Homeschool Friday - Sharing Time

Homeschool Friday is a feature here at Somewhere Only We Know that showcases books my family reads during homeschool and provides a mini-review/review for each.

Sharing Time

By: Elizabeth Verdick

Illustrated By: Marieka Heinlen

Publication: August 1, 2009 by Free Spirit Publishing

24 pages

Genre: Children's, Picture Books, Manners, Parenting

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

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Description--Sometimes it’s fun to share, and sometimes it’s hard. This book offers toddlers simple choices (take turns, use the toy together, wait for another time) to make sharing easier, and shows them where to turn for help when sharing is difficult. Little ones learn that sharing can mean double the fun—and sharing a while can make someone smile! Includes tips for parents and caregivers.

I'm a little torn on Sharing Time. I like that it starts with sharing things like smiles, hugs, and laughs. And then it touches on some reasons we might find it hard to share. Worrying about others taking our things or worrying about others breaking them are two reasons. I like that the book acknowledges that some things are hard to share. I also like the focus on using sharing words like "may I play with that?" or "can I have a turn?". At the same time, the book does offer that sometimes the child will hear a no answer. Hearing a no answer isn't easy for children, and the younger they are, the harder it is to hear and accept. This is something that has to be taught repeatedly. In my experience, daily. The book tells the children to seek the help of an adult when someone refuses to share. Yet I didn't love the solutions the adult came up with. Well, I liked two out of the three. While some children might respond well to a timer, I don't think that's a feasible option to get the child accustomed to. I feel like that encourages the children to continue to involve the adult in their negotiation. At least until the child understands the concept of time. The book doesn't exactly support forced sharing, but setting a timer kind of is forced sharing. I encourage my children to ask if they may play with the object when the first child is finished. And then the rule in our house is that the answer is always "Yes." There's no reason why a sibling can't play with a toy when the other is finished with it.

The parent notes were almost more effective, in my opinion, than the book itself. The book is written for small children--0 to 3 years of age. So, lengthy books with elaborate situations aren't appropriate, but I also felt like much was left out of the book itself. I specifically liked the idea of parents setting up games or opportunities to either share with the child first. Regularly showing the child that if I hold something of yours and then return it everything is fine. And setting the example of sharing your food or items with the child is helpful as well. Children learn so much from simply watching their parents.

My children are 9, 7, and 4, but they still struggle with sharing. My oldest is worried about the younger two breaking her toys. My middle child tries to repossess toys that he's aged out of and hasn't cared about in many years. And my youngest feels like everything is his. So even though this book is written to younger children, it's a great lesson to constantly be re-exposing your children. Sharing Time gets 3.5 Stars. Have you or your child read Sharing Time? What did you think? Let me know!