You've heard it - as a kid and said to kids - and may have even said it to your own children, or children you are looking after. But have you Thought of the connotations and hypocrisy behind it?
Picture this: A child is happily playing with a toy. Another child Wants the toy and tries to take it. The first child resists. Maybe some squabbling noises are heard. A nearby adult steps in and says, "You've got to learn to share" to the toy's owner.
What has this taught the children involved?
1. That it's alright to take someone else's stuff.
2. If resistance is had it can always be referred to a Higher Authority
3. That mom and dad do not let other people share their things and thus the Rule is inconsistent and they are hypocrites.
It has NOT instilled anything good into the children.
Far better to tell the child who wants the toy that he cannot have it because it does not belong to him. And to NOT take other people's stuff. Then, he will learn to Respect other people's property and will subsequently learn the value of his own stuff even more so.
This Sharing thing is just like the idea of Compromise. The toy owner Gave Up something of value - possession of the toy - to someone (the Toy Wanter) who had nothing of value to exchange for it.
Sad, those who preach to Share do not live that way themselves (or they have something to gain from others who will do the sharing) making them hypocrites, nor do they realize the Consequences of teaching a child it is alright to take other people's stuff and to have no respect for other people's property.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment