One is NOT enough!

After months of trying to encourage sharing, we tend to buy a similar toy or an exact duplicate so each boy can have their own. We think we are being fair to the baby. Being #2 and of the same gender as #1 doesn't mean that he can't have his own favourite toy taxi or train or car etc..

So when the boys fight daily over the battered old blue Comfort taxi toy from Toys R Us, I decided to buy Nicholas his very own when he turned 18 month! When he brought back his shiny new vehicle from Vivo City, Marcus looked at it eagerly and compared with his old toy for a moment and offered to exchange his old taxi with his little brother's new possession. The baby may be younger but he is not to be bullied. He held on tightly to his new taxi, refused Marcus' offer and briskly ran away. Marcus wasn't going to give up so easily so he changed his tactic. He played hard ball.

First a fuss just enough to catch my attention - 'Err.. mama, I want the new taxi. Chipsy can have the old taxi." When I told him baby didn't want to exchange, he tried again, and this time louder as he tugged hard at my arms! 'But I want it! That is my taxi. He took my new taxi. His is the old taxi! I don't want the old taxi!' Didn't work on me.. so again he went, and with more tears and hugging my legs.. "I want 2 taxis. One is NOT enough! Chipsy can play with other toys, not the taxi!" and all failed, he went after Nicholas and snatched the new taxi from the baby and threw him the old taxi!

Hmm.. I watched his sly behaviour cautiously and wondered how best to tackle the new battle that I can see arising. What to do except to brace them the same ways as we always do with every "fight" they have. With some guts, plenty of love and patience and huge doses of understanding and a small prayer to keep our sanity. :)

Recently Marcus would say things like "I don't like all my old toys mama. You can throw them into the garbage truck. I want to buy new toys. I NEED new toys. A lot of new toys. We go Toys R Us later, ok?"

I just can't help but wonder how could a young child place so much value on possessing new vs old toys. He doesn't watch commercials nor did we discuss anything like "new is better than old". I wonder if we are programmed genetically to fancy newer things over older possessions. Perhaps we are programmed to look out for novelty which anything new will present, so a new toy will strike the interest of a child more obviously. Hmm.. there is a lot of educating to do in this area.


We bought another Piglet for baby, though Marcus didn't fight with him over it. Papa came home with the duplicate one day so that we could wash the first one which was turning yellow from weeks of sucking and chewing. Yikes!