How to Teach Kids Empathy?

Being empathetic in today’s times is a virtue only a few have. But it’s the most important quality that one should carry to make the world a better place to live in.

It's pertinent that we understand what empathy is since many people mix it with sympathy. ‘Empathy’ is the ability to put oneself in the same situation as another and feel the emotions that the person would perhaps be going through. This capability is the very basis that can help build sustainable relationships. It leads to building happy and content bonds between friends and family. 

Hence, parents must plant the seeds of empathy in their children from early on. 

Kids are very sensitive and tend to feel and capture everything that happens around them. The experiences that they gather during this time leave a very long-lasting impression on their minds. Since the concept of emotions is new to them, parents must guide them through this process. Since they won’t know how to express themselves at this stage, you can help them and label different kinds of emotions as positive and negative. This will also strengthen their understanding of the complexity surrounding it.

We all want to change the world so why not begin at home.

Parents should ensure that the child’s emotional needs are catered too. Help them express. Connect the various happenings on a day to day basis at home and how exactly do they feel about it. This can serve as a learning medium for them to develop a coping mechanism. Also if they start sharing, they will not keep it bottled up. 

Parents at this juncture should also teach them how not to feel negative about things. And if it does happen, how to let it go. The child should understand from the start that keeping grudges of any sort is not good. The same goes for mocking, bullying, and even unintentional hurt caused to anybody else. If you see any such pattern, teach them to accept their mistakes and say sorry.

Family can provide the biggest and warmest emotional support that a child will need. They must know they have this safe place to come back to no matter how difficult the situation.

If the child starts understanding the meaning of emotions, it becomes very easy to understand the people that carry these emotions. That is the very foundation of being empathetic.

At Childventures Early Learning Academy, we understand the importance of the emotional and social development of a child at an early age and partner with families in the development of children to their fullest potential.

Take a look at our blended curricular model for your child's overall development.