If saying please and thank you are the first manners that parents teach their children, then sharing is very close to the top of the list also. When we share it makes things fair for everyone involved and it is a way of developing relationships. As our young children learn about sharing, there will be times when it is easier than other times, times when they want to and times when they would rather not.
One idea of sharing though that may be overlooked from time to time, is the idea of “doing our share”. It is valuable for every child to feel like they are a part of the team / family. Now if we worked on a team at school or at work and one person on the team had no responsibilities that person may not really feel that they were part of the team. They had no role to play or actions to take. They would be left out.
The same is true with our children. It is important for them to be a part of the team and to share in the activities / chores that the team does. Taking part on the team in this manner will teach them to share the responsibility for the work that needs to be done, their part in chores and a sense of belonging to something bigger than just themselves. Doing your fair share is very important for every family member.