Children are hardwired to care about others. However, many children lack the skills to express empathy, mainly because they don’t have the opportunity to do so. Parents are children’s first role models, and fostering a caring culture in their homes is one of the most effective ways to teach empathetic behaviour.
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Teaching young children the importance of kindness is also crucial to preventing bullying and youth mental health problems, as well as developing healthy relationships with family and friends. Children who are able to empathise with others are more apt to resolve conflicts peacefully and take heroic action, such as standing up against bullying behaviours or calling the police when someone they know has been victimized. Resource
Research suggests that a good way to develop a sense of empathy is by talking about emotions with young children. Involving them in activities that promote self-awareness, such as mirror play or expressive dancing, teaches them to name their own feelings and become more aware of how they affect other people. As they get older, it is important to teach them that a wide range of emotions are normal.
Additionally, teaching children to identify and address the needs of their community is a great way to instill a sense of compassion. This could be as simple as empowering students to create encouragement cards for local seniors or organizing a class community service project.
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