At this age, unless they are hurting each other, I allow them to collaborate, negotiate, insist, and even demand.
Young children want all of it, and must experience all of it before they can part with any of it. Learning to share means giving up something they deeply desire. It is a natural part of growth and development to resist. Be patient if you have a young one.
Several times this toy was removed without comment and put atop the fridge. Their protests fell on deaf ears. I did not have to say more than once, "We will not fight over this toy."
When they were calm, I placed a large spoon behind it, which depressed the individual tiny plastic sticks to make the indentation. They were amazed, and both squealed they wanted a turn when they saw the spoon image.
That's right, a TURN. Sometimes it is your turn and sometimes it's the other person's turn. They had a blast making inverted images. And then, Charlie took a chance and imposed his face into the gadget and laughed like crazy when he saw his image. So, of course Alex had to do it, too. This toy has been beneficial in ways unexpected.
We discussed how to be calm, wait, and be patient. I stated the consequences if there was fighting and yelling. They soon learned I meant business, and they also learned to cooperate.
This is the way it is with writing. We are all leaving our legacy, our imprint, taking chances, toying and tinkering with our work. Attempting new and different. Discovering what works and doesn't.
And taking turns. Several of my writer friends and I contribute to the same publications that have limited space available for freelance writers. Sure, we are all in competition, but it is a healthy competition. We support one another, even if we are disappointed that our work was rejected. It is how the game is played. Mostly, we are happy and proud of our friend's contribution and publication success.
The way I see it is it was THEIR turn.
We can't all be in first place, but we can all participate in the game.
Write on, my friends. Enjoy the weekend.
Check out Pen and Prosper on my blog list to the right side. Jennifer Brown Banks has a gift for writers.
10 comments:
I really love your views on writing. In the short time that I have been interacting with other writers I am so impressed and pleased to see such support and graciousness from most of them. It was a pleasant surprise.
Thank you. St. Louis area has many talented and supportive writers.
You are certainly one of them.π
It is called PinArt and your dollar was well spent. A new one in UK costs anything form £10 to £57 (roughly $12 to $68.
They were very popular years ago and they are great fun. Valuable lessons learnt again with you. You are a wise (and inspired) woman.
Whether we're kids with toys or writers submitting stories, taking turns is an excellent way to look at the ups and downs of life. :-)
It looks like a valuable toy that improves imagination and creativity among kids.
" We can't always be in first place, but we can all participate in the game" -great observation of life!
Looks like a fun toy! I'll bet my grandson would get a kick out of that too. :)
What a cool toy this is for the boys to play. It looks like an artistic project. I've never seen or heard of it. It's nice that the boys are learning to share and take turns. It's easy for little ones to want the same thing as the other.
~Sheri
This reminds me of when I'd send my boys to their rooms for squabbling, and they'd lie in their doorways, silently communicating just to spite me. Problem solved!
The toy looks very unique, Linda. Bet the kids really did love it!
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