The world today can do with more empathy and kindness, and one way to make this possible is to begin at an early stage to instill this virtue in kids. Many parents indeed want their kids to grow up to become empathetic and tolerant to others, regardless of any opposing views.
The main purpose of instilling empathy in a child is to encourage them to develop into the best possible person they can be.
For parents who wish to teach empathy to their kids, here are some of the ways, techniques, and methods that should be applied.
Teach the kids to be self-aware
Self-awareness is one of the most significant things any parent can develop in their child. A self-confident child will most likely grow up to become empathetic, understanding, and tolerant of other views, opinions, and orientations.
Teaching a kid self-awareness isn’t a one-day thing; it requires persistence and consistency on the part of the parents. The process might be a long one, but it is highly helpful.
Good Parenting
Kids imitate most things their parents say and do; they are excellent observers. Parents might not notice, but their kids quietly observe them and will begin to exhibit some of the things they learned from their parents in no time.
This phenomenon is why parents must be the best example they can be to their children, as the kids might likely become another version of themselves. An empathetic parent will most likely raise empathetic kids too, as the kids will follow the good example set by their parents.
Be a good listener
Parents should make sure they listen to and give their take on the opinions and worries of their kids. Parents should not be quick to dismiss the opinions of their children as unimportant or invalid; instead, they should pay attention and listen, no matter how weird some of them might sound.
Listening and paying attention to the kids is a sure way in teaching empathy in their mindset and consciousness, as paying attention and listening to the concerns of others is one of the attributes of empathy.
Talk about empathy with them
Parents should not shy away from talking to their kids about the attributes, importance, and values associated with empathy. Parents should let the kids know through practical conversations with their kids that being empathetic is a good virtue and kindness is not a weakness, as many people today assume.
By doing this, parents can make their kids see being empathetic as cool and not something to be ashamed of. Kids will understand that it is important to show empathy to others and not to try to be overtly tough on others and themselves.
In conclusion
Parents have an enormous role to play in the behavior and character of their kids and how they turn out eventually. Good parenting can have favorable effects on the life of a child. The world is in dire need of empathetic people, so one of the most important virtues a parent can pass or teach their kids is empathy. In this blog post, we’ve outlined some of the most effective ways in teaching empathy to kids.
