Skip kindergarten?

I keep a basket of candy on my desk at work. I certainly don't eat it but it encourages staff and kids to visit frequently and the result is often a nice conversation.

Yesterday one of the kids (I'll call him Big) came charging in my office, didn't even make eye contact, dove his hand into the basket, and said,"You got any Reeses?" I looked at him, "Oh...my...gosh". He smirked..."Excuse me, Ms. Jen, but may I have some candy?" I'd forgotten that I had a few bags of Reeses in my car so I invited hm to come out with me as I retrieved them.

As we came back into the building, another kid who had asked for Reeses before was playing video games with a bunch of other kids. I handed the bag to him and said, "Here, divide it among everyone". At this, Big huffed and grabbed the bag and said, "I'll divide it". One kid proclaimed, "Don't let him do it! He doesn't know how to share!" I looked at Big. "You don't know how to share!? That's kindergarten!" and everyone giggled. The other kid grabbed the bag back from Big and divided the candy equally.

I followed Big out of the room and kept humorously repeating, "You don't know how to share..." He said, "If I want it, it should be mines. People don't share stuff with me when I want it so I'm not gonna give it to them. I don't like to share." At this I turned with dramatic flair--"You don't LIKE TO SHARE!? What's wrong with you!? That's Sunday school!" (I knew this would hit a nerve because he had a church background). Mind you, I was trying so hard not to laugh during this whole thing, as simple as it was. I said, "Do unto others..." "As they do unto you!" Big snarked. "NOooo...as you would have them do unto you!"

I talked about the joy of sharing...I talked about generosity and giving sacrificially without expecting into return...He finally gave in and said, "You're right, now that you've brought the Bible into it". "Of course I'm right, "I said. "The Bible IS the truth so it HAS to be right". I left him, both of us smiling.

I went back to my office and googled children's songs and found The Sharing Song, printed it out on blue paper, wrote a short message on it, and delivered it to him. He busted out laughing...As I was about to leave, he came back to my office and grabbed a handful of Reeses, saying,"I'm taking 4 so I can share with T___ if I see him". On my way out, I reminded him, "You're going to share with T__?" "If he asks me". "ONLY if he asks?" Big rolled his eyes and said,"When I see him I will share with him".

I remember babysitting one of our pastor's children years ago...this then 4 year old confessed to me,"Jen! I don't like to share!" and I was amused by this. I know this generation of young folks are extremely self-centered, mineminemine, (or in the case of my kids) minesminesmines. But I like turning simple life lessons--especially the basics that should have been covered years ago--into fun experiences.

Will Big keep the Sharing Song? Who knows. But I know he'll think twice about charging into my office for hand fulls candy when he knows I'll remember that he doesn't like to share...and will consistently challenge him with this.