Children always want what someone else has got

I did an experiment once to prove to myself that what you said is true. I had a box of plain vanilla wafers and a package of big chocolate marshmallow cookies. I used a friend's 3 year old daughter for the experiment. I told her she could have all the chocolate marshmallow cookies she wanted but she couldn't have any of the vanilla wafers. I then put the vanilla wafers in the cabinet. She didn't touch the chocolate marshmallow cookies but she did throw a fit over the fact that she couldn't have the vanilla wafers. My experiment was a success.

Mine do too! They are 5 and 2. I do NOT have TV in their bedroom. They *have to* agree on the one out here. and yup, i just shut it off if they can't agree. Amazing how they really don't fight over the TV anymore. OCCASIONALLY they will try to do the laptop together, big one playing, small one watching. I take it away if there's even a hint of fighting, as I will not have my laptop damaged. Again, amazing how they work it out. Toys, they usually will work out a share after a bit of screaming. It's getting better. I have also taken a toy away and put IT In time out until they could agree on how to share it. Oh CD's in the car are another HUGE one. Usually though it's pretty simple "It is Brother's turn, he will get dropped off at school, you can pick one out after he leaves." Or "I'll change it at the next red light" They seem to have "gotten it" that if they continue to whine, I will shut it off entirely. or make them listen to what **I** want. I have also been known to find a spot to pull off the road and sit till the car fight ends. If I can. Amazing how quick they'll quiet down.

Because children have no satisfaction. It is part of their attitude being juvenile. When they have toys and they see their playmate have new toys they want to have it also. There are children like that and there are children that can understand even at young age. Me and my sister can understand the stage of our life in our childhood. We don't have enough money to buy toys , my parents are focusing on our education and what our family really needs. What we did was to cut and make a doll out of paper. We were satisfied by making a toy of our own.

It is the way with children especially siblings. The toy or whatever that the other person has always looks like more fun. And then there is the personalities that just like to argue. I think it is actually good for kids to have sibling or cousins that they are around alot because I think this helps them learn to interact with other people.

Hello jugsjugs, my kids are the same way with the television, they both have televisions with cable in their rooms and yet they want to continuously watch the living room television or play the video game on the same television. It is the same way with the toys of their friends especially with my daughter an her one friend..they have been friends for 4 years now and it seems every time my daughter goes to her house she comes back wanting something new because her friend has it and I tell her that I would love to give her everything she wants but we just can't afford it and to be honest I don't know how her friend does either. She will want it for awhile and then seems to forget that and move on to wanting something else anyhow...LOL Happy mylotting.

Hello friend, Yup,this always happen with my kids. When no one is playing the ps3...no one get interests...then,when the youngest open it..the big brother also wanted to play(ugh!!!) and sometimes ends up fighting with what game to play. It really gives me headache...but what to do ?

That is child's nature, you cannot help it. They want the same table to study, same TV, same dress that we buy, same doll. That is why I was buying identical things to my children be it doll or small vessels to eat goodies or small glasses so that no fight will occur.

So true. My three fought over everything. My two younger ones are twins and their grand parents would buy them 2 of the exact same toys. They still fought over them.

Yes, that is the way my 4 year old grand daughter is about things. Even with us adults at home she only wants what we are eating or any other thing we might have at the time. Like when picking up toys she was just going to play with that toy and with any othe toy, too. happy mylotting

Of course they do! I would be willing to bet that if your pantry and refrigerator were suddenly moved into the library, that they'd suddenly prefer to watch there. Entertainment located in the same area where food and beverages are is the best of both worlds. Be thankful it's just your children. In my house, if there was a television in the kitchen my husband would be in arguing with the kids and wanting to watch tv there too.

Yes kids usually act this way for some reason. I wish I knew why. My granddaughter had a friend come over one day and everything the friend wanted to play with my granddaughter want too. As for TV I remember my brothers and sisters would always fight over what to watch. Sometimes it got so crazy my mom would just shut the TV and we are lost out on watching.

Yeah, my kids are like that too. they wanted to have a toy which is the same with their playmates, i think it's natural to all children because if things are new to them, then they wanted it to have but if they have seen it always, they just ignores it.

I realize this on almost a daily basis. And today. . .has definitely been one of those days. I have my nieces all day because their mother had to work the day shift today and their father always works first shift. So I have a 3-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old. All day they've been fighting over what to watch on the television, they've been fighting over toys and even worse they've been fighting over which piece of the French toast that I fixed them for lunch is theirs. It has been a day. I normally put them in time out when this happens and it really makes my day a lot better. But today, not even that is working.

HI JJ, This is consistent among kids anywhere in the world. I find it amazing seeing them fight over a toy despite the fact that there are still other toys around and available to pick and play with. Now, once the other kid picks up another toy—the other kid/s will be eager enough to play with it too and ignore now the other toy that they’re dying to get awhile ago. So funny and sometime irritating but that’s how they enjoy the play. So as parents we need to be innovative enough to explain the value of sharing, self-sacrifice, patience and healthy interaction.

of course that is only natural that kids want what other kids have, many adults are the same way they want what others have as well. Well if you have a tv in every room your the parent put the tv in the kitchen where you want to lol

It is not only children!!! I had an ex-husband who was the same way!!!

Does your family have established guidelines for what constitutes a civilized discussion? Interestingly, in expository writing, an "argument" is a discussion and is quite civilized, but now the word is more often used to mean a quarrel than people just exchanging ideas. Unless the TV you have in the kitchen is bigger and better than the others, I would take this as a compliment to you. Maybe they like that one best because you are working in there, and they want to bask in the glow of your attention.

Before TV this was not such a problem, we didn't have much money and my kids knew that they had to be happy with what they got. When they could get something new I always tried to let them pick it out, but made sure it was of good quality and would last.

LOL, that is very true. Unfortunately, I know many adults who are the same way, and they go broke trying to "keep up with the Jonses!" Karen

Children are children. They are still lot of things to learn. Its our human nature to envy others or wanted things that we don't have. The only thing we can teach them to to become contented on what they have and value those things that they already had. Its our duty to teach them and let them know the values of life as they will be important in their day to day lives in the future. Children that are not well taught by parents will never get rid of this nature. We can call them adults who acted like a child.lol