I think my almost two year old has picked up the word mine from nursery because last week she came home saying it and now she won’t stop. She runs around with her toys shouting “mine!” which is fine because they are hers toys. However she also grabs things which aren’t hers and claims them as her own and will not let go.
She’s been doing it in shops too!! 🫣😂🙈 yesterday I had to buy a Bluey and Bingo toy set and a packet of underwear from Matalan because she wouldn’t put them back. I know I could have dragged her out kicking and screaming but I was on my own, I’m full of cold and I didn’t have the energy.
Help! Is this a phase and it will pass or what because I’m nervous to go back to shops with her now.
The views expressed in community are solely the opinions of participants, and do not reflect those of Peanut.
Learn more about our guidelines.
Following, we’re in this phase too!

You have to be firm and consistent. I’d be repeating ‘no these are not yours, they belong to the shop’. And I’d maybe hand her one of her toys from our bag and say ‘this is yours, you can have this, we brought this from home’. If they don’t stop, they go in the pushchair or you leave. Could try finding a shop assistant, handed them the toys, said ‘here these belong to the shop’ and then taken her out kicking and screaming or not.
Having given in once it might be harder but if you don’t give in again, eventually she’ll get it. Such a big feelings age but you don’t want to make it worse for her/yourself! If then explain when she’s calmed down that there are lots of things/toys that are hers at home, but when we go out, things are either for everyone (playgroups/park etc) or belong to the shop and are not ours.

We are going through this phase too. Luckily she seems to somewhat understand sharing. So anything she picks up that's the dogs and she says mine, I say to her that it's the dogs toy but they will share it with you. Or her friend's toys and I say the same again, that's Harvey's toys but he is sharing them with you. In shops, I tell her it's not hers and to please put it back, usually she will but if she doesn't, I don't ask again. It gets taken and put back and we walk away from that section.