We need our children to start learning how to interact with the world around them. One of the most important concepts that young children can learn is empathy. Empathy helps them to navigate their surroundings better, understand what it means to be in someone else’s shoes and succeed in what can be a challenging world.
Empathy is a powerful concept that, at times, can be a struggle for people of all ages. Ugo Uche, Licensed Professional Counselor, writing for Psychology Today, reveals that adolescents who master this concept tend to be more purpose driven and intentionally succeed in academics not because they are looking to make good grades, but mostly because their goal is to understand the subject and use the knowledge. Those who are more empathetic also embrace failure better because setbacks, while disappointing, are seen more as a learning experience than failure.
If we expect our children and adolescents to grasp and practice these concepts, what kind of example are we setting? What is going on in the world around us is anything but empathy. Whether it’s on a global, national, or local level, there is frequently little in the way of empathy on display right now.
If this concept had been taught more in the last 50 years (or even before that), we wouldn’t be in some of the same situations we are now. It seems hypocritical that we expect our children to place themselves in another’s shoes and ask themselves what they think other people are feeling when we don’t do the same. If empathy can aid young adults struggling with learning and also help them become more comfortable with academic setbacks and life lessons, in general, what would the world look like if we, as adults, embraced it more openly?
Start today, teach your children to share their lunch with someone, tell them to regularly go through their closet to pick out cute outfits for other children in the orphanage. Teach them to write letters to strangers. Show them what empathy looks like, don’t just tell them
Culled from www.broomfieldenterprise.com
