Sharing

I read a study that said the best predictor of how well a child will get along with her sibling (born or not) is how she treats her best friend. Sibling relationships are among the most abusive, the article pointed out. You can be as awful as you like and your cohort can't exactly opt out of spending time with you. So, contrary to popular opinion, kids don't take their experiences sharing with brothers and sisters and project it out into the world; they take what they've learned playing with friends and bring it all home. (Thus, debunking the whole "only-children-can't-share-because-they've-never-had-to" myth as well, incidentally.)

Anyway, Lorelei is a phenomenal sharer. We often play a game where we take turns practicing our sharing by passing valuables like puzzle pieces, instruments or, the holy grail, car keys back and forth. Sometimes she's more showing-sharing than just plain old sharing, as in you-may-look-at-this-but-I-think-I'll-hang-on-to-it-just-in-case-you-get-any-ideas sharing, but still impressive for one so small. Her favorite item to share at present is the doll that Sean and I bought her for her birthday. Wherever we go, she's offering someone her baby to hold. It's probably not so much altruism as it is good old fashioned bragging, but still. She's just so darn proud of her baby and, maybe more so, how grown up she feels caring for her. Either way we applaud the sharing/showing whenever it happens. It seems to take some adults by surprise when they're expected to stop at the mall or in our hotel to rock a small plastic baby- in particular men- but they all fold eventually. Our kid is too cute to turn down.

Here are some photos of one of our first play dates where Lorelei begrudgingly started her sharing career:

This is Lorelei's friend, Frank. He comes from a nuk-free home.
We are both impressed and baffled by this.

Initially, Frank was too. Baffled, that is. Impressed, not so much.