Ep 5: Sharing is [not] Caring
I realize this might sound harsh, but I have a dislike of the concept of sharing. I understand the principle it is attempting to teach, but I do not like enforcing it. And although I don’t love it in any setting, I am 100% against it when it comes to food. No negotiating on this one.
Raising kids is hard. Duh. And I realized the other day that I am actively teaching Remy not to share. There was an incident with a friend of his wanting to eat some of Remy’s snacks. I would not let the friend reach into the Ziploc and take what she wanted. I took it out and handed it to her.
Maybe this sounds like a simple thing. Maybe I am being overly sensitive. This situation made me think about sharing in a different way.
- Grownups don’t do it. We have the option and free will to share our possessions with each other if we choose to… but there is not a societal pressure to do so. Example: We are eating a restaurant. You order fries and I do not. I am not going to reach over and eat your fries. I might ask for one or two. You can share or not. And if you do not, I am not going to pout or tattle.
- Sharing food is a no-no. I have to teach my boys, who both have a severe allergy to eggs, that they cannot let other people touch their food. They cannot eat anything they are not 100% sure is safe (I mean actually check the ingredients). They cannot accept food from someone else, if they are not 100% sure it has not been contaminated.
Anyway, that’s my rant for this week.
I love that my boys are kind and caring. But they seriously better never share food with anyone. 🙃
What do you think? What are your thoughts on sharing?
Other episodes: https://thestucrew.com/category/food-for-thought/
