How To Raise Compassionate Children by Nurturing Empathy in Kids

Did you know that empathy is the crucial element of emotional intelligence? Studies point out that empathy in kids positively impacts areas like future health, wealth, resilience, and life satisfaction. 

Also, empathetic kids are less likely to bully and are more kind, caring, and sharing. So, it is crucial to raise compassionate children by nurturing empathy in kids. 

Kids learn to be empathetic from watching how people react to others and them. Next to parents, teachers must take the initiative in raising empathetic kids.

We at Nalapad Academy have some brilliant teachers trained to empathise with their students by developing trust and secure attachments. These attachments help the kids adapt to their teachers’ values and behaviour.

Importance of empathy in kids

The ability to read, understand and support other people feeling is called empathy. Being empathetic doesn’t necessarily mean agreeing with someone but trying to understand their perspective. 

At 4, kids start exploring and learning who they are and how they must behave socially. So, we must start teaching how to be empathetic right from there.

Empathy gives your children the quality to establish and maintain healthy relationships. 

How To Nurture Empathy in Kids?

Raising resilient kids

Resilient kids know to identify and label emotions and process them. They quill also be aware of others’ emotions and show them empathy.  

So, you can help the kids with things like

1. Identify their emotions – Teach them to name their difficult or happy feeling and encourage them to talk to you about why they feel that way. 

2. Resolve conflicts – Help them get resolve conflicts by explaining different perspectives and trying to achieve mutual understanding with the person with whom they conflicted.

Treating the kid with respect

Disrespecting humans of any size is not acceptable. Instead of ordering the kids to do things or being hard on them, you must have patience and try to respect their perspective, be kind and listen to them. If needed, explain to them why something is right or wrong to do. 

Valuing compassion over happiness

Often parents tend to prioritise their kid’s happiness. But you don’t have to accept everything your kid does, so conflict arises between you and your kid. During this time, you can start teaching children kindness and compassion and solve the conflict, making them realise compassion’s value.

Wrapping up

Cultivating empathy in kids is vital and developing empathy in kids takes time. Being a complex skill, both parents and teachers must take responsibility for developing it in the kids.