From a very young age, many of us were probably taught that 'sharing is caring' as a method of kindness and good behaviour.
And as parents, if your child is reluctant to share, it may feel natural to want to force your child to share with other children in a bid to make them 'kinder'.
However, it could be doing them more harm than good.
Dr Laura Markham from Ahaparenting.com spoke to VeryWellFamily to share advice about how you should never force your child to share - no matter how 'right' you might think it is.
Children are taught to socialise from an early age, and this includes playing well and fairly with other children.
Many parents think that sharing should be included in this socialising, but experts and psychologists are now disagreeing.
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The concepts of sharing, lending, and borrowing are too complex for young children to understand.
Toddlers have not yet developed empathy and cannot see things from another child's perspective.
Dr Markham has claimed when children are forced to share with others, it can teach children the wrong lessons and can actually cause more frequent tantrums.
If a child sees crying loudly means they have to share, it's more likely to make them cause a scene.
Even though this is not what the parent is intending to teach their child, it can often be what the child takes away from the 'lesson'.
Dr Markham also suggests encouraging self-regulation by letting children play freely as allowing children to decide when they are finished with a toy, it can result in a child who learns patience and one who will be able to handle more emotionally complex situations as they grow older.
She also highlights that children need to learn how to speak up for themselves in a kind and respectful way, rather than having adults always dictate things.
Parenting coach and mum-of-four, Avital, also agrees that forcing your children to share before they are ready can teach them the wrong things.
Avital said that sometimes it's best to do nothing and let kids work it out between themselves.
She wrote: "When adults get too involved, we muddy the waters with our evaluations and judgments, seeing victims and aggressors where there are only children at play."
Avital also suggests exhibiting the behaviour you would like to see in your children yourself.
This means actively sharing around your children, and showing them how it can be done without getting them directly involved.
What are your go-to parenting tips for sharing? Let us know in the comments.
