Why Do I Have to Share?

In this episode of Tantrum of the Week, Lynn McLean explores a common and exhausting parenting moment: a four-year-old who melts down when a younger sibling picks up a toy they weren’t even using.

When screaming, grabbing, or pushing happens, parents are often left wondering how to stop the behavior and teach important lessons about sharing, generosity, and turn-taking. This episode explains what’s really going on beneath these sibling toy battles and how to respond in ways that actually help children learn.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why sharing is developmentally hard for young children
• What to do immediately when hitting or pushing happens
• Why teaching lessons during a tantrum doesn’t work
• How turn-taking helps kids feel secure and reduces meltdowns
• How true sharing grows when children feel they have enough

If sibling fights over toys are a regular struggle in your home, this episode will help you feel calmer, clearer, and more confident about how to handle them.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not therapy.

Thanks for listening to *Tantrum of the Week* with Lynn McLean, LCSW-S, Registered Play Therapist–Supervisor™.

New episodes each week to help parents understand and respond to their child’s biggest feelings with calm, confidence, and connection.

Learn more about play therapy and parent coaching in Houston, Texas: https://www.houstonfamilytherapyassociates.com/

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