I remember when I was a kid, I had this Max Steel toy at daycare that I absolutely loved, and I really didn’t want anyone else to play with it. I’ve never been a selfish person, but I clearly remember not wanting anyone but me to touch that toy. Looking back, I realize I was being quite hypocritical, while I didn’t want anyone playing with my toy, I had no problem picking up toys that other kids were using and playing with them.
Nowadays, I understand that we shouldn’t be so possessive with our toys. Toys are meant to be shared. In fact, when we let others play with our toys or play with theirs, it becomes an opportunity for new experiences. Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll be playing with another kid, as Batman and Robin, and both of you will have a great time.
Growing together is awesome. Having that childhood friend who role-played with you as a kid and still hangs out with you when you’re all grown up is the best kind of friendship you can have. So don’t be selfish, don’t hold onto something as if it’s only yours when you can share it for the sake of growth.
I still remember those moments at daycare when someone got upset simply because I dared to pick up their toy and try to play with it too. Not because I was breaking it, not because I was being careless, just because it wasn’t “mine”. Suddenly, they’d stop talking to me, give me the cold shoulder, pretend I wasn’t even there. It was like I had done something unforgivable. All because… I tried to help build a bigger castle. Or maybe because I wanted to help fix the wheel of their toy car that was falling off. Or maybe because I thought it would be fun to attach their Lego spaceship to my Lego base.
It’s strange how sometimes, instead of sitting together and building something even cooler, some kids would rather take their toys, turn their back, and sit in the corner. No words. No looks. Just silence.
Funny thing is, toys don’t get better when you hide them. They don’t grow stronger when you keep them to yourself. In fact, they become way more fun when someone else brings a fresh idea. Maybe your spaceship wasn’t meant to have wheels, but someone comes along, sticks wheels under it, and suddenly it’s a rover that can explore new worlds. Or someone adds wings to your car, and boom, it’s now a flying car. You laugh, you create, you learn. Together.
But sometimes, some kids never figure that out. They hold tight. They go quiet. They pretend sharing isn’t part of the game.
And that’s fine. But it’s also kind of sad.
Because the real magic of toys was never the plastic, the colors, or the batteries. It was always about what happened when you played together.
Toys are meant to be shared.