How to Teach Empathy to a Child
Give feelings a name., Praise your child when he shows empathy., Develop your child's sense of morality., Ask your child about what others think or feel., Encourage your child to make "I" statements., Help your child to develop a sense of concern.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Give feelings a name.
When you are angry, or you see someone who is angry, point this out to your child and explain how you can tell (loud voices, angry expression, etc).
Do the same thing for happiness, sadness, surprise, jealous, and any other emotions you can think of.
Take every opportunity to draw your child's attention to different emotions.
For example, if you see someone who sitting alone and who looks sad, tell the child, "That man is sitting alone on the park bench.
He must be lonely." -
Step 2: Praise your child when he shows empathy.
Draw special attention to your child's behavior when they show empathy by doing something nice for someone else.
Say something like: “It's nice of you to share toys with your friend.
That made him happy.
I could see him laughing” Rewarding your child for empathetic behavior could help them to develop a natural sense of empathy over time. , Explain to your child how bad behavior affects other people.
For example, explain to your child that when he does not share his toys, his friend feels sad.
Or let him know that when he is naughty or mean to his sister, it makes you feel angry.
Understanding the consequences of their actions and realizing how their behavior can negatively impact on someone else will help your child to put themselves in the other person's shoes and becomes more empathetic. , If your child witnesses something bad happening to someone else, ask them how they think that person feels.
For example, if your child sees another kid dropping their ice cream, ask him "how would you feel if that happened to you?"
Explain to your child that when something bothers him, he should clearly express how he feels, rather than placing the blame on someone else.
For instance, instead of saying “you broke my toy!” encourage him to say “I feel sad and disappointed because you broke my toy”.
This helps the child to identify his own feelings and allows him to communicate better with others. , A large part of empathy is showing concern for other people, so you should try to foster this instinct in your child.
For example, if your child mentions that someone in their class was missing from school, ask your child about it.
Ask them "Why was that child absent? Were they sick?" Then you could get your child to make a "Get Well Soon" card for their sick classmate and help them deliver it or put it in the mail.
Activities like this will teach your child to show care and interest in other people. -
Step 3: Develop your child's sense of morality.
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Step 4: Ask your child about what others think or feel.
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Step 5: Encourage your child to make "I" statements.
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Step 6: Help your child to develop a sense of concern.
Detailed Guide
When you are angry, or you see someone who is angry, point this out to your child and explain how you can tell (loud voices, angry expression, etc).
Do the same thing for happiness, sadness, surprise, jealous, and any other emotions you can think of.
Take every opportunity to draw your child's attention to different emotions.
For example, if you see someone who sitting alone and who looks sad, tell the child, "That man is sitting alone on the park bench.
He must be lonely."
Draw special attention to your child's behavior when they show empathy by doing something nice for someone else.
Say something like: “It's nice of you to share toys with your friend.
That made him happy.
I could see him laughing” Rewarding your child for empathetic behavior could help them to develop a natural sense of empathy over time. , Explain to your child how bad behavior affects other people.
For example, explain to your child that when he does not share his toys, his friend feels sad.
Or let him know that when he is naughty or mean to his sister, it makes you feel angry.
Understanding the consequences of their actions and realizing how their behavior can negatively impact on someone else will help your child to put themselves in the other person's shoes and becomes more empathetic. , If your child witnesses something bad happening to someone else, ask them how they think that person feels.
For example, if your child sees another kid dropping their ice cream, ask him "how would you feel if that happened to you?"
Explain to your child that when something bothers him, he should clearly express how he feels, rather than placing the blame on someone else.
For instance, instead of saying “you broke my toy!” encourage him to say “I feel sad and disappointed because you broke my toy”.
This helps the child to identify his own feelings and allows him to communicate better with others. , A large part of empathy is showing concern for other people, so you should try to foster this instinct in your child.
For example, if your child mentions that someone in their class was missing from school, ask your child about it.
Ask them "Why was that child absent? Were they sick?" Then you could get your child to make a "Get Well Soon" card for their sick classmate and help them deliver it or put it in the mail.
Activities like this will teach your child to show care and interest in other people.
About the Author
Edward Knight
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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