Sharing at young age

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Sharing 2

One morning at kindergarten Mary decided to start an insect zoo. Her friends thought it was a great idea, but what she did not want was people looking at it. So Mary went out during lunch to find her first pets. She found ants, spiders and worms. She was very pleased with herself. It all went wrong when Mary’s friend Bernie came over to look at the zoo: Mary did not let Bernie anywhere near it. So Bernie grabbed the box of insects and ran as fast as he could, but Mary was right behind him. She managed to get hold of the corner of the box, they were pulling and tossing and screaming and shouting. Eventually the box tore in half.3

Mary was devastated; she spent the rest of lunch in the bathroom. When she went back to class the teacher was sitting with potato-faced Bernie. She asked why Mary did not show him her zoo of now dead animals. Poor Mary answered “I wanted something of my own, a secret of my own.” “Well,” said her teacher, “you need to learn to share next time. If you want something secret you should’t tell anyone or even try do that at school. Okay, Mary?” “Yes,” Mary sighed. And when she went back to where the box had broken. She found an ant heap taking the dead ones away. Mary sat down and looked at the funeral for a while and decided she had to apologize to Bernie. So the following morning she sat next to Bernie and explained why she was upset, and that she was sorry. She knew deep down that she had learned the lesson of sharing, and that when you don’t share things can go wrong.   4

And it came to the day that Mary’s mum bought her a rabbit named Lerder. She thought it was great having a pet. One thing Mary did not think of, was that she would have to show everyone in her class. In the end Mary decided that Bernie could hold it first. Bernie was very grateful that Mary had asked him. The rabbit was a good friend to Mary. It even had four babies, and she sold them to Bernie and to the teacher.5

So Mary learned a valuable lesson: to always she take care of animals and to respect others’ interests. One thing Bernie did not learn was to ask before taking things, because he took Mary’s rabbit and forgot to bring it back! Mary was furious: Bernie gave the rabbit back, but it wasn’t the same. It was fat, as it had had way to much to eat in that 24 hours. She had also noticed that Lerder had had its nails cut and fur tidied up. So for the second time that month she had to apologize to Bernie and tell him that he was a good friend. 6

So Mary is one of hundreds who learn to take care of things and to share in kindergarten. Mary learned to not hit people, not to use people as horses and many other lessons and of course the golden rule. So if you have a young one at home, try and see life from their perspective as this will help. 7

Now, one more thing before this story ends. Mary is not the only one who has learned this lesson and will never be mean again. So Mary lived happy ever after.8