Sharing

It's a simple concept but try explaining that to a two year old. Or a ten year old. Or a thirteen year old. Or to a 42 year old, while you're at it.

Simone and Baby B were at the toy library, playing in the kitchen area. It's a lovely little kitchen, equipped with fake food, plastic pots and pans and utensils as well as all the appliances a toddler could dream of playing with. The trouble is that the lovely toddlers don't just want to play with the toys. They want to own them.

One boy placed a toolbox filled to the brim with plastic tools on the kitchen table. Baby B, who was happily pretending to cut up a fake banana with an equally fake spoon (fake forks and fake knives are banned on the grounds that they might be used to poke someone's eye out - those toddler parents can get nasty) spied a screwdriver in the toolbox. Baby B reached for the screwdriver while the other boy dutifully hammered at the plastic table.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" screeched the other boy.

"Now, you have to learn to share," said the boy's mother.

Simone asked Baby B whether he might give the boy the screwdriver back. Baby B gave her a look that implied Simone might be out of her mind.

"Gimme, gimme, gimme," screeched the other boy, his hand extended and trembling toward the screwdriver.

Baby B decided to leave the table area for the stove area. Perhaps he wanted to be out of the toolbox boy's reach. Baby B proceeded to "cut" his banana with the screwdriver.

Simone saw a fake, plastic syringe in the plate and cup container. She fished it out and quietly asked Baby B if he might exchange the screwdriver for the syringe. Baby B considered the offering while toolbox boy continued to protest the unfair removal of "his" screwdriver". Apparently, the fact that two more screwdrivers sat in his toolbox did nothing to mollify him. Finally, Baby B decided that the syringe would do quite well and relinquished possession of the screwdriver. Simone gave toolbox boy back the screwdriver. Toolbox boy immediately stopped hollering and placed the screwdriver back in the toolbox. He then resumed hammering.

Meanwhile, Baby B discovered that the syringe did not measure up to the screwdriver in terms of "cutting" ability. He eased his way back to the kitchen table and slowly reached for the toolbox. Toolbox boy, distracted because he was trying to hammer the bottom of the table, did not notice at first.

"Hey!" said toolbox boy when he saw his nemesis holding the mighty screwdriver.

Baby B finished cutting his banana, placed the screwdriver on the table and eyed toolbox boy somewhat malevolently.

"Nan," said Baby B, grabbing Simone's hand.

Simone obliged by giving Baby B her finger. He led her to the door, pausing briefly to glance back and shake his head at toolbox boy.

Sharing ain't always what it's cracked out to be...