6
Learning About
Friendship and Sharing
Friendship and Empathy:
Friends become increasingly important as your child
grows. Whether encounters with other children are on
the playground, at preschool, or in grandma’s living room,
you are likely to observe confl icting behaviors as your child begins to develop
a social identity. Friends can be rivals for toys or allies in the pleasure of playing
with them. Children gradually learn to play together in pairs or groups as they
begin to understand the needs of others.
One important skill that begins to emerge in 2-year-olds is empathy for others.
It may begin by comforting an injured stuffed animal, or taking note of another
child’s tears or laughter. A young child’s ability to interpret the feelings of others
is key to making friends. Before they can recognize feelings in others, however,
young children must be able to identify feelings of their own.
Tips for helping 2-year-olds build empathy:
• Encourage your child to think about feelings and ideas, not just physical actions.
When you see a picture of a pet, for example, extend the discussion from the
statement, “That’s a cat!” to include how it might feel to play with the cat, using
words like happy and sad to express emotional ideas.
• Let your child know that you are listening to, understanding, and respecting
his or her needs. Praise your child for acts of kindness, such as hugging a
crying playmate. Let your child know that empathetic actions are appreciated.
Sharing:
One of the hardest skills for 3-year-olds to learn is sharing with others. Part of the
diffi culty is that young children can’t yet make the distinction between sharing and
giving something away. As a result, parting with a much-loved toy can be very diffi cult!
