In an age of self-obsessed, instant-chatting, and Minecraft-playing youth, you may be wondering how this generation will grow up to become successful adults with healthy relationships. With a long list of virtual friends who rarely meet in person, how do they develop emotional intelligence and learn the right social skills? It is a fact that children who develop the traits of empathy and compassion in their early years are more likely to have satisfying and productive relationships as adults.
Empathy is defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.” It sounds simple enough, but to truly empathize with someone, you need to understand your own emotions and be able to recognize social cues. So how do you foster this important skill?
Here are some ways to raise responsible, empathetic children in the age of selfies:
teach your children to express their emotions. All emotions, including showing anger, fear, and frustration, are normal behaviors. Children need to understand their own feelings and talk about them freely before they can adequately empathize with another person’s emotions. Let them vent and move on as issues arise rather than bottle them up and internalize them, only to blow up at a later date.
Model and practice empathy yourself. Children love to emulate their parents, so do your best to show empathy for others whenever you can. It can even be with the fur baby in your family. I say, “Kitty seems a little cranky today. She Maybe she didn’t get enough sleep.” And my son says, “Yeah, she looks tired. I’ll make sure no one wakes her from her nap.” Imaginative play is great for this too, especially when your child plays with dolls and stuffed animals. Show love and compassion for everyone and everything (animals, bugs, plants) on a regular basis and they will learn to show and feel it too.
Choose some books that teach acceptance and empathy. as the sneezes by Dr. Seuss, it’s okay to be different by Todd Parr and amazing grace by Maria Hoffman. As you know, it is often easier to influence children through stories and books than to lecture them.
Have kids volunteer and help out in their community.. Walking a dog at a local shelter, helping others at the food bank, or simply helping a neighbor in need all give children an appreciation for the lives of others while teaching them to focus on someone other than themselves. themselves. It will allow them to connect with others, while practicing compassion and kindness outside of the home.
Empathy can be taught. It is made up of habits that can be learned, developed and practiced in everyday life. Be a role model for your children as much as possible and teach them that empathy will help them better connect with their peers and live a happy life.