When sharing isn't okay

A father had just taught his little sons, Matthew and Mark, a valuable lesson on sharing. Earlier that day, he had used a cake to demonstrate how they could share with each other. The two little boys had learned the lesson wonderfully.

He had bought a delicious-looking cake from the bakery and, when he arrived home, he presented it to Matthew and Mark.

"There's only one cake," he said with a smile, "and I want you both to share it."

"Can we each have a piece?" Matthew asked, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Yes you can!" his father replied. "That's what sharing is all about. When we share, everyone gets a piece, and everyone gets to enjoy something special."

Mark nodded eagerly, and their father carefully cut the cake into two equal pieces. "Who gets the first piece?" he asked, and the boys looked at each other, grinning.

"I'll go first!" Matthew exclaimed, and his father handed him a slice. Mark waited patiently, and then it was his turn. They both took big bites, and their faces lit up with joy.

"Sharing is fun!" they said together, and their father smiled, happy to see his sons learning the value of sharing.

That evening, as they finished dinner and headed to the sink to brush their teeth, they decided to apply the sharing lesson to their toothbrushes.

"Can I use your yellow toothbrush?" Mark, the younger brother, asked Matthew.

"Yes, I'll share with you," Matthew replied.

"Can I also use your blue toothbrush?" Matthew asked Mark.

"Yes!" Mark said.

As they brushed their teeth with each other's toothbrushes, their mother came over to supervise. She was surprised to see them using each other's toothbrushes.

"Boys, why are you using each other's toothbrushes?" she asked, clearly confused.

"We're sharing, Mummy," Matthew said with a smile. "Daddy told us it's always good to share!"

Their mother looked at them, impressed by their enthusiasm but concerned about their actions.

"Well," she started, "it's great that you're willing to share, but there are some things we shouldn't share, like toothbrushes."

Matthew and Mark looked at their mother in confusion.

"Why not?" Mark asked quietly.

"Toothbrushes go into your mouth and can remove germs," their mother explained. "If you share your toothbrush, you can transfer germs from one person's mouth to another."

The two little boys listened carefully.

"Would you like to share germs from one mouth to another?" she asked, making a funny face.

Matthew and Mark shook their heads vigorously, their eyes wide with understanding.

"Ewww, no!" they said in unison, giggling at the thought.

Their mother smiled, "So, remember: toothbrushes are special and just for you. You can share yummy treats like the cake Daddy bought, but toothbrushes are not for sharing!"

From that day on, Matthew and Mark made sure to use their own toothbrushes, learning that while sharing is important, some things are just for one person to use.

The End

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