The human brain is hard-wired for the capacity to empathize with others. However, its development requires practice and modeling.
According to Psychology Today (May 9, 2019, Erin Walsh, M.A. and David Walsh, PhD), empathy means that a child:
- Understands that they are a distinct person from others and that other people have different feelings and perspectives than their own
- Can recognize feelings in herself and others and name them
- Can regulate their own emotional responses
- Can put themselves in another’s shoes and imagine how they might feel
- Can imagine what kind of action or response might make the other person feel better
As parents, teachers, and caregivers, it is our responsibility to model empathy and kindness. Here are five simple, everyday ways to do it:
- Show empathy toward your child when they are struggling. Sit with them and help them name their feelings. Acknowledge, don’t dismiss.
- Model caring for others in your community. Some examples could be taking food to a sick friend or helping a neighbor with a task.
- Build emotional literacy. When reading stories or watching movies, talk about how people are feeling and discuss how your child might feel in the same situation. Look at facial expressions in photos and drawings and help your child name the emotions they see.
- Help your child imagine how another person’s thoughts and experiences might be different from their own and why.
- Encourage and acknowledge small acts of kindness in everyday activities such as choosing to share a toy, helping a friend or sibling, using kind words and gentle touches, or giving others personal space when asked. All of these things help to internalize in your child that they already are doing a great job at being a kind human!
At Play & Learn, teaching empathy is part of our daily guidance. Modeling appropriate language and interactions, helping children name their feelings, and encouraging safe expression is all a part of our learning and caring approach to developing empathy and helping children become socially and emotionally intelligent and responsible individuals.
Together, we can create a kinder world!