Babies don't necessarily "like" to share in the way adults understand it; rather, their sharing behavior is often motivated by other factors.
Here's a breakdown of the likely reasons behind a baby's apparent acts of sharing:
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Seeking Approval and Positive Reactions: Babies are highly attuned to their parents' reactions. Offering a toy or food can be a way to elicit smiles, praise, and attention. They are learning that these actions result in positive interactions.
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Part of Play and Interaction: "Sharing" might be embedded in their play routine with a caregiver. It becomes a back-and-forth action they enjoy as part of their established play dynamic.
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Not Always Sharing - Sometimes Resource Control: In some instances, a baby might offer something, not out of generosity, but to keep it away from someone else, like a sibling. It's a primitive form of resource management rather than true sharing.
In summary, while babies sometimes appear to share, their motivations are usually tied to seeking positive interactions, participating in established play patterns, or even attempting to control resources, rather than selfless generosity. True altruistic sharing develops later.
