IT'S NICE TO SHARE

We've been saying it since day one.  First to the babies, gently, to encourage them to give us whatever it is that they're playing with, only so we can give it right back and say, "Thank you!"  Then to the toddlers, hoping that asking them to share a toy truck won't prompt an all-out kicking and screaming revolt.  And then - and this phase seems like it's going to last a long, long time - to the big kids, begging, "Please, please share with your sister." 

So much teaching.  At lunch the other day, a friend said that when she had her babies, she envisioned an adorable, pink-cheeked, chubby baby-filled life.  She said nobody (Mom???) told her how hard some days would be, and how sometimes she'd feel like it was just getting harder and harder, and how she'd say the same thing over and over and over ("share with your brother") seemingly to the walls.  It was actually quite a funny conversation, which ended in a very yummy slice of chocolate cake and a glass of wine (at lunch!), but that's another story.

So back to the teaching.  And the sharing.  December brings one of the most teachable moments out there for sharing.  Just about every day, we've been getting letters from nonprofits asking for end-of-year donations, and we've saved a pretty good stack of them.  The plan is that when we have a free 30 minutes, we'll hold a family meeting and go through the brochures and letters with the kids.  Who knows how meaningful the conversation will get - maybe it will be inspired, maybe it will just be a little humor mom time. Ultimately, we'll all forego one gift - one gift under the Christmas tree, one giftless night of Hanukkah.  The money that would have been spent on those gifts will somehow benefit the charity of everyone's collective choice, either as a monetary gift or as items purchased and donated - whatever hits home more for the kids.

Will our great plan mean more sharing inside our homes?  Probably not.  But maybe one day all of these small lessons and repeatings will build some great people.  We can only hope.  And in the meantime, let's share another slice of cake.