Empathy is the ability to understand and feel what other people are feeling, seeing things from their perspective and imagining yourself in their shoes. It is a skill that can help us connect with others, build trust, and foster compassion. Empathy is also important for our own well-being, as it can reduce stress, improve happiness, and enhance social relationships.
But can empathy be taught? Or is it something that we are born with? The answer is both.
Research has shown that empathy is partly influenced by our genes, but it is also shaped by our environment, experiences, and education. This means that we can learn to be more empathetic throughout our lives, and we can also teach our children to develop this skill from an early age.
So how can we as parents teach our children to exemplify empathy?
Tips and Strategies
Model Empathy Yourself
Children learn by observing how we behave and how we react to others. If we show empathy to our family, friends, and strangers, our children will follow our example. We can also explain our emotions and thoughts to our children, and help them label and understand their own feelings.
When our daughter was four years old, all the teachers would comment on how much empathy she would show to the people around her. Many times this was interpreted as she must have siblings. However, she is an only child and her empathy came naturally. We made sure to include empathy in our daily lives to help her see the importance of having empathy towards others.
Encourage Perspective-Thinking
Perspective-taking is the ability to see things from another person’s point of view. We can help our children practice this skill by asking them questions such as, “How do you think he/she feels?” Or “What would you do if you were in his/her situation?” As parents, we can expose the to different cultures, beliefs and lifestyles, and discuss how people are all unique with different perspectives.
Validate and Support Their Emotions
Empathy requires emotional awareness and regulation. We can help our children develop these abilities by acknowledging and accepting their emotions, rather than dismissing or criticizing them. Children also express different emotions at different stages so this is important to stay consistent with them. Our daughter has a lot and big emotions so we need to remind ourselves to always support them.
We can also teach them coping skills and strategies to manage their feelings, such as breathing, exercises, relaxation techniques, or positive self-talk. The one that works a lot with our now nine-year old is self-talk or prayer.
Provide Opportunities for Helping
Helping others is a natural expression of empathy. We can encourage our children to help others in need, such as by volunteering for a cause, donating or fundraising to a charity, or doing a kind act for a friend or neighbor. We can also praise their helping behavior, and explain how their actions make a positive difference in the world.
The biggest reward on helping others is that feeling that we get from doing it. That feeling cannot be purchased but one that goes deep into our hearts.
Teaching empathy to our children is not only beneficial for them, but also for us and for society. Empathy can foster a cutler of kindness, respect, and cooperation, and make the world a better place for everyone.
The best part about incorporating empathy in your learning, can also be a learning opportunity for the adults as well. Remember one day at a time and be kind to yourself during the process.
Until next time…Happy Parenting!
~ Momma Braga
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