How To Teach Your Kids About Friendship and Sharing

Friends are so important! I have always been so blessed with other people in my life that have uplifted me and helped me become a better person. I have friends that I have known since I was just LITTLE and I hope every day that my one-year-old will be able to make friends that will last forever too! BUT, that hasn’t been the easiest thing for me.

I am super outgoing and always thought my baby would be too, but I have been proven SO wrong. In fact, my little one is SO shy she buries her head right into me if someone she doesn’t know even tries to talk to her. It has been a struggle for me as a mom, because I want to make sure she has people skills and is able to make friends – but have learned that I can’t force her to change and that she was just blessed with the gene of being SUPER cute and SUPER shy.

Luckily, I am so grateful for good friends who have shared with me a few secrets on how to help teach your kids about friendship and sharing. Even if they are shy like mine! Laila and I try to do something fun every single day and it is normally with another friend or two. Because of this, she is slowly learning how to play and share. We are learning EVERY day. 🙂

Photo by Brittany Busk Photography

If you are in the same boat and wondering how you can help your kids make friends, I have put together a list of six things you can do! These are simple ways to get your babies and toddlers out of the house and get working on their social skills.

1. PLAY DATES: Talk to your friends, neighbors and acquaintances and set up a play date! Invite them over to your home or see if you can go over to theirs. This is a great way for you to get out of the house and make friends, while your baby or toddler plays with friends too.

2. JOIN A MOMMY GROUP: Check out Facebook or Instagram for Mommy Groups in your area. Many groups meet once a month and some even once a week!

3. TAKE A CLASS: Sign up for a mommy and me class, where your little one will be able to explore and learn with other children their own age. Laila had a hard time learning how to walk, but once we signed her up for a class, she was walking THAT WEEK. Babies like to see other babies and they can learn from each other too.

4. HAVE A TRADE-OFF: This is a GREAT way for you to get things done and have your little one socialize. Ask a friend if they would be willing to watch your baby for a few hours while you run errands or take some time for yourself and then in return you take her baby for a few hours another day, while she is able to run errands or take some time for herself. It is a win-win! AND you don’t have to pay for a babysitter.

5. READ BOOKS ABOUT FRIENDS: By talking to your child about friends and how to be kind to others, they will be able to put it into their minds on how they should behave.

6. ROLL PLAY AND PRACTICE: They always say practice makes perfect – so why not practice making friends? Help your little one learn how to treat others and play well. You may need to get on the ground and guide them through every step of it, but eventually they will catch on and be making friends right before your eyes!

Photo by Brittany Busk Photography

Another thing we struggle with {and is completely normal according to Baby Center between the ages of 1-2) is SHARING.

So you finally get your children to be social and have friends, but then a whole other chapter opens up when they don’t want to share. Would you want to share? It is such a hard concept to learn!

Try one of these five ideas to help teach your child how to share:

1. TALK ABOUT SHARING BEFOREHAND: Before a friend comes over, ask your child if they remember what “sharing” means. Let them know that their friend LOVES their toys too and it is okay to let them borrow it for a minute and take turns playing.

2. PLAY WITH TOYS THAT ARE EASY TO SHARE: If possible, when friends come to play, pull out sharable toys like crayons that have a lot of different colors, play dough that you can easily divide up, a puzzle that has many different pieces, etc.

3. BE A GOOD EXAMPLE: Sometimes a child may need you to sit by them and show them how to share. You may have to give the toy to the child and find another toy for your little one to play with in the meantime. By showing them that sharing can be fun, they will be more apt to do it.

4. PAY ATTENTION: Often times at play dates you may get easily distracted and want to talk to YOUR friends. Pay attention to the babies and watch how they interact with each other, so you know what they need to work on.

5. REWARD FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR: Always applaud them when they are kind and are well behaved. Let your child know how proud you are of them. Clap when they share and make it an exciting thing when they make the right choice.

Photo by Brittany Busk Photography

One fun thing about motherhood is that we are ALWAYS learning. It is an ongoing learning experience. I think I have learned more over the past 18 months than I have… in a LONG time! Take it a day at a time and remember that not every child will pick up a good habit with just one play date or one story they are read. We as adults are always learning and so are our little ones.

How fun that we, as their moms, get to be a part of their lives! That we get to be the ones who teach them about friendship and how to treat it with love and respect. Isn’t being a mom, the best?!

What would you add to the list? I would absolutely LOVE to hear your ideas on how you help your children make friends and how to teach the concept of sharing.

Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day!

July 23, 2014 by Danielle Davis | 12 Comments