Learning to Share
My 15-month-old should know how to share.
False The majority of parents (51%) think a child this age should be able to share, showing that most parents expect too much of their toddlers. Research shows that 15-month-olds are way too young to understand the concept of sharing — this milestone usually occurs closer to age 4, says BabyTalk contributing editor Anita Sethi, Ph.D., a research scientist in applied psychology at New York University.
What this means for you If your tot hoards all the shovels at the playground, it's not because she's selfish. It's natural for a 15-month-old to think that everything she comes into contact with belongs to her. Tell her that she can have one shovel to play with, and help her leave the extras behind.
