Teaching Empathy To Kids – 6 Ways To Have A Kinder Child
Interested in teaching empathy to kids? Here are the 6 BEST ways to teach empathy and raise kinder kids today.
Let’s chat about teaching empathy to kids.
Out of all the qualities a child can possess, empathy is possible one of the most special ones.
Empathy, which is defined as the ability to understand the feelings of others, is a core quality that contributes to healthy, prosperous relationships and social connections.
The founder of the school of individual psychology, Alfred Adler, said, “Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another.”
As Barack Obama once so wisely said, learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.
Granted, it isn’t always easy to teach empathy to a child who isn’t naturally inclined to feel empathic.
But there are parents who have learned to foster empathy in their children by simply learning and applying this knowledge and you can too!
Be warned this skill can be tricky to learn, especially for toddlers.
However, all of the work and effort you put in to teach this important trait pays off greatly.
So you may be wondering: when is the right time to start teaching our kids empathy?
How should we do it? Is the occasional lecture about the importance of the skill enough?
Are there some creative ways to do it? Will your child end up overwhelmed by empathy?
So let’s start first with the basics.
Parents who practice conscious parenting deal with these and many other questions on a daily basis.
Fortunately, even though it is a learned behavior, your child is born with the capacity for empathy.
Let me repeat that one more time for you – YOUR CHILD IS BORN WITH THE CAPACITY FOR EMPATHY.
Your job as a parent is just to recognize this truth and encourage the attitude that cultivates this capacity.
Any parent who is capable of being kind and shows compassion already provides their children with a good foundation of empathy.
Here are 6 ways to teach your child the art of compassion and empathy:
TEACHING EMPATHY TO KIDS
TIPS # 1 – Teach about emotions.
Emotional intelligence, the ability to recognize, differ, and name various emotions correctly is the key to future empathy.
FYI: A child cannot empathize with feelings they can’t explain.
By pointing out and naming emotions you assume your child is feeling, and the ones you’re feeling as well, you will stimulate the development of emotional intelligence.
TEACHING EMPATHY TO KIDS
TIPS # 2 – Model and interpret a variety of feelings.
Use everyday situations of observing distress (in real life, books, or on TV) and talk with your child about how the main character of the story could be feeling.
Teach them to take a pause and think about other people’s emotions before taking any action.
I personally find that reading is such a great way to step into someone else’s shoes as you can see firsthand what they person is thinking or feeling.
TEACHING EMPATHY TO KIDS
TIPS # 3 – Inspire curiosity for similarities.
Kids feel greater empathy for familiar individuals and people who are more similar to them.
The cool thing is humans are all so similar in so many ways, even if it isn’t always immediately obvious. We all have the same desire to be loved, appreciated and understood.
- Make your children aware of characteristics or experiences that they have in common with others.
- Allow them to meet people from different backgrounds so they can hear their stories and identify with them.
TEACHING EMPATHY TO KIDS
TIPS # 4 – Read stories and organize role-plays.
Empathy is more than just “emotion sharing.”
It means taking another person’s perspective as well and trying to walk a mile in their shoes.
- Fictional stories and real-life narratives offer excellent opportunities for teaching empathy. discuss the story you are reading with your child and focus on the hero’s emotions.
- Simulate common difficulties and life challenges with your children. This way they can perceive how they feel playing the role which will help them understand other people better.
TEACHING EMPATHY TO KIDS
TIPS # 5 – Practice recognizing facial expressions.
Being empathic is hard if you can’t read someone’s face.
Toddlers often misinterpret facial expressions.
Show them pictures of people expressing different emotions and help them name each one of them correctly.
TEACHING EMPATHY TO KIDS
TIPS # 6 – After a conflict, share emotions.
Conflicts happen in every family.
Maybe you got angry with your child for something they did, or perhaps they got in a fight with their sibling.
- Once you’ve calmed down after the conflict, talk to your child about everyone’s emotions. Ask them to think about what the other person may have been thinking or feeling. Get them to imagine stepping into that other person’s shoes.
- This will enhance their empathy and also help them express their feelings more adaptively.
In the end, it’s as John Medina once said: empathy works so well because it does not require a solution. It requires only understanding.
The moment you decide to teach your child empathy, you can be sure that you’re on the right path.
Remember, each time you demonstrate empathy on your own, you are one step closer to having an emotionally well-developed child.
Put simply, empathy is the ability to step into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions.
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I’m Frances Vidakovic – a mindset & action coach for quietly ambitious women who want to stop overthinking and finally take aligned action. I help women achieve their goals and follow through on what matters, without sacrificing their sanity or soul.