Most of us when young had weird emotions when an unfamiliar event occurred especially when it involves empathy. At such a tender age, we wouldn’t know how to control or even understand such a strong emotion till our parents came along and guide us of course! So, now it would be your turn to educate and develop empathy in your own children instead.
To show empathy to someone is to understand their feelings or to understand how we ourselves would feel in the other person’s shoes. Its complex but is a skill which every one of us should learn. With a strong rapport built between you and your children, they should be telling you events that are happening in their daily life. They might also be consulting you for advice and ways to help them in solving their problems or helping others instead. This is a very good chance for you to help them develop empathy.
You would need to teach your children to understand that they are separate individuals on their own and they all have different thoughts and feelings from others. Help them to recognize common feelings that most people are experiencing like happiness, sadness, disappointment or even surprised for instance as this would help them to look into a particular situation and is able to imagine themselves going through it to understand the person in the situation’s feelings. Then, when they happen to be in the same situation later, they would be able to know how to response appropriately or offer the right comfort whether it’s to themselves or other people.
Talk to your children about their difficult emotions and use pretend play with them while talking. You may also include explaining to them and telling them situations that they should apologize as often than not, as parents you would insist on your kids to apologize as a way for them to take on their responsibilities which they don’t fully understand the meaning sometimes. Make reading a hobby and pick up on books that are about feelings or stories that are related to feelings! Of course, you would need to be patient when developing empathy with your children as they wouldn’t be perfectly empathetic being overnight.
Children who are of empathic would usually do better in school and in social situations as well as their careers in the future. Normally, they are also viewed as leaders by peers and with their greatest amount of skill at empathy; they are easily socialized with others while being able to care about themselves and others. Not to forget, as parents it’s important to be a role model to your kids as who you are will be reflected in your children who eventually would emulate you!
