Breakthrough

"I had them first" Melina states firmly as she pulls the basket of markers across the table and away from me.

Sighing I repeat what I have been repeating for months. "WE are coloring, and WE have to share"which is usually followed by some muttering, a little bit of whining and a forceful action of sharing meaning she will toss the item at you that she is forced to share.




Melina stares at me with a blank expression.

Just another day with a toddler.

I stared back and politely asked for the markers. Then I saw it. The light bulb. Her eyes lit up and she pushed all the markers towards me and said "Mommy I share it"

I became excited to say the least. "Good sharing Melina! That makes Mommy very happy"

And it stuck. No more hitting, pushing, shoving, whining, throwing fits. Okay I should clarify that this is only in regards to sharing not when it comes to being angry, or not getting the thing she is currently demanding.  It is a huge leap. Past few days have been filled with lots of sharing and playing nice and the happier I get over it, the happier she gets.

About the same time that she learned that playing nice is more fun is the same time that "Please" made it back into her vocabulary. We taught her to say "Excuse me" when she wants attention and it involves interrupting, but it ended up replacing Please. We bought a tiny little book with a very simple story that involves a penguin making demands and the mother teaching him to say please. Now when I raise my eyebrows at her endless demands.. she pauses.. gives  a big grin and excitedly shouts "PLEASE!"