Writing a Meaningful Story of Sharing for Children
Something new in my children’s books: The Three Naughty Guinea Piggies
Meaningful story of sharing for children
Children often want to keep their items and toys for themselves. Watching toddlers play often depicts them holding onto a toy and refusing to share. Having taught at a preschool, I often observed children taking a favorite toy away from another child to grabbing a favorite snack before the other children could select one. These tendencies can also trickle down into a child’s behavior as he or she matures. Many adults still possess a “me first” attitude about sharing with others.
When is sharing to be taught children in a positive meaningful manner?
In my new book, The Three Naughty Guinea Piggies, I cleverly depict three selfish little cute guinea pigs who only think about themselves and who refuse to share.
The illustrations have each guinea dressed up with cute hats and darling facial expressions that any reader will enjoy. As the book progresses, the guinea pigs cause more and more trouble for themselves because they refuse to share. Then they are visited by “Santa Guinea Pig on the Water Bottle” and they quickly learn valuable lessons in sharing.
Discussion about sharing
This clever book immediately will grab the child’s attention. I have had my students read it and once they open it, they cannot put it down until they read its ending. This book provides parents the opportunity to have dialogue with their children about sharing.
“How do you think the guinea pigs felt about not sharing food? How did they feel when they decided to share food? How do you feel when you share something with a friend? Can you share something with a child you do not know very well? How will that child feel?”
These are very specific questions that will allow the child to think about feelings of both himself and herself as well as the other children involved. Moreover, these questions can guide a child to personally discover the importance of sharing in his or her life. They allow the adult to become more personally connected with the child as the adult carefully listens to the child’s answers. Consequently, more bonding can occur between the child and adult through meaningful questions and answers.
A special Christmas or holiday story and gift
This book involves a Christmas theme of sharing, but it can also be utilized to be a gift for any occasion. It will provide a great way for the child and adult to bond together. The book can either be read by the child or the adult, and each page can be successfully discussed because of its universal content.
Sharing is an important value in every culture and religion. It is a quality that needs to be taught our children at an early age.
This book depicts the lives of three selfish guinea pigs who refuse to share. It then illustrates the benefits of sharing to the guinea pigs. These same benefits can be discussed with the child as well as what happens when the guinea pigs refuse to share. Because of the great illustrations from a very talented artist, this book is of interest to children of all ages. I have had my older students read the book to my younger students who then become captivated by the story and wonderful illustrations. Each guinea pig has characteristics that children of all ages can identify with as they read the book. It is humorous with a deeper meaning to be discovered as each page is excitedly flipped!
Teaching kindness
Have you ever observed the bright smile of a child who has just been given praise for performing an act of kindness? Children love praise. What better way to praise a child than to recognize a kind action he or she performs? The schools are attempting to promote a better learning environment by having one word like kindness be practiced by its students for a month. Other words follow all year. Imagine the success in the school’s environment if each student practiced being kind! Young children also experience the ability to be kind. A toddler might share a snack with another. An older student might share a pencil or paper with another. Each of these actions are small but when compounded over time can have a significant effect in changing a child’s mindset.
In The Three Naughty Guinea Piggies’ book, kindness is discovered throughout the book. Children can then visually see the wonderful results of acting in kind ways. Parents can have meaningful discussions in helping children create and perform kind actions. Clearly, this book will provide many exciting opportunities for meaningful dialogue between an adult and their children.
