Why does my child not share with others and cry in school?
Q: I have a 3-year-old girl child. She is our only child. She goes to a play school and my wife has noticed that my daughter remains aloof in school. When she enquired with the teacher, she was told that my daughter cries often and is very adamant. She also complains that my daughter is not allowing other child to touch any of her things like her school bag or lunch box. After this issue, I noticed that she is not sharing any of her toys/things with others while playing in the neighbourhood. She plays with other children quite happily but if somebody touches her things, she turns aggressive. Inspite of a lot of explaining, she is not sharing with others. When she started going to school (2 months back) she went to school happily. But, nowadays she cries a lot. How do we handle her adamant behaviour?
A:Beginning to go to school can be a difficult experience for a child. Every child reacts differently. Most children take a few months to adjust to the routine and the separation from parents. The insecurity stemming from the separation may lead to crying and over-possessiveness. Since your daughter is an only child, she is not used to sharing. You should continue with your efforts in encouraging her to share through play, stories and examples. Reward her for any attempt at sharing. Your patience will help her through this change.