Asking a toddler to share his toy is like asking him to give it away forever...it's not logical. He doesn't know yet that if he is cooperative and patient he will not only get his toy back, he'll also have a friend to help him play.

As parents and caregivers we have to realize that we can't expect our angry little playmates to understand that we are trying to be fair when we tell them to share their toy.  The best thing we can do is set a good example and manage the interaction for them.  Multiple versions of the same item and many different choices for curious friends to pick from can help prevent tantrums. 

With maturity comes compassion and acceptance and our little friends will soon be bored with their toys unless they have someone to share them with.
-Dana Wilson 

Some of my favorite memories of childhood are of sitting around the dinner table listening to the stories of my parents and being listened to as well. In a child care setting the same care is given to interacting with the children and allowing them the time to interact with each other. Meals provide a great way to sit down and really pay attention to one another. Even children who are pre-speakers can join in on the conversation and learn from the give and take of the speakers as they discuss their day or what ever topic comes up. At our dinner table many things are discussed from what kind of food is preferred to what imaginary animals were seen in "imagination land" today. It is a wonderful time full of learning and laughter.
-Dana Wilson

As adults we sometimes take for granted that we can sit, stand, walk around, and generally get to the things that spark our interest. For babies and toddlers the process of aquiring those gross motor skills is a daily effort. Helping them to perfect balance and hand eye coordination by the time they are school age means that they will be ready to learn. Play is a perfect way to practice all of those skills...a 13 month old baby delights in playing catch by rolling a ball across the floor. Little does he know that he is hard at work preparing for school by exercising his upper torso and arm muscles, as well as his hand eye coordination. All in a day's hard work of play.