7 Parenting Behaviors That Create Empathy In Children

Children imitate everything their parents do.

Even as young children, they look at both their mother and father and try to repeat their actions.

So it’s particularly important that you pay more attention to your own behavior when you have a child.

All parents want to raise their children to be the best they can be.

It’s a task no one wants to fail at.

Empathy is a wonderful quality that, unfortunately, very few people have these days.

And yet, sensitive children bring a great deal of good to the world.

Here’s how to raise an empathetic child:

1. Be vulnerable in front of your child

Many parents hide from their children when they feel sad or hurt.

They may do so because they don’t want the child to feel sad too.

Or it may be an incident they don’t want to tell their children about.

We all want to protect our children from negative things.

But later, when they’re older and out in the world on their own, they won’t know how to behave.

Let your child know that it’s okay to be sad from time to time.

Also apologize to your child if you do something wrong.

2. Show empathy towards others

When you take your child out for a walk, show him or her how empathetic you are towards others.

Children learn from what they see and hear…

It’s as simple as that.

Show them that you think of others too, and that you should share things with them and help them if they need help.

Be kind to the people you both meet on your walks.

Greet them warmly and the child will imitate this behavior in the future, as will anyone else who notices it in you.

3. Insist on and practice gratitude

In life, it’s important to be grateful for what we have.

If you say often that you’re satisfied with your life, your child will be too.

You shouldn’t ask your child to be grateful for what he or she has in life.

Show him your example and in time he’ll be aware of what he has and what he should be grateful for.

You’ll find that he won’t ask for much either, and will appreciate more the things that money can’t buy.

4. Ask about feelings

Don’t be afraid to talk openly about how you feel.

For example, if you’re angry because your boss is disorganized, tell your child that when you find yourself in this situation, you need to vent your frustration.

Ask your child to explain how he or she feels.

For example, if he’s lost his favorite toy, talk openly about it.

Is he sad?

Is he frustrated by his lack of attention?

Then explain that all emotions are valid.

And tell him that he has a right to be angry, but that he should express it in a healthy way.

5. Encourage empathy by reading stories

Another way to help children become empathetic is to read them stories.

You should first set an example for them by reading books yourself.

If children see that you enjoy spending your free time reading books, they’ll be curious and want to try it for themselves.

Choose stories with different plots and content.

It’s important that the story doesn’t always have a happy ending.

This way, children will be aware that not everything in the world can end up as they imagine it.

6. Validate your child’s feelings

If your child is small, this doesn’t mean that his feelings are unimportant and that you shouldn’t pay attention to them.

For example, you should never tell a child to stop crying.

Crying is an expression of the child’s feelings.

Instead, ask the child why he’s sad and what happened.

Listen to him when he talks and find a solution together to solve the problem.

7. Give children a second chance

Adults often make mistakes.

So children can’t always be good and do what’s expected of them.

If a child does something wrong, listen to him and explain why.

After that, you should tell him how you would act in the situation.

Then give him a second chance and tell him that you believe in him and that next time he’ll probably react better.

He’ll trust you and won’t hide anything from you.

He’ll also learn that if it’s nothing serious, you have to give the people around him a second chance.

Empathy really is a beautiful thing that needs to be cultivated.

Conclusion

Empathy is a quality you can develop in your child.

It’s important that you show your emotions and explain them.

Tell your child that there’s nothing to be ashamed or afraid of.

Caring for others and reaching out to them whenever possible is important for maintaining good relationships.

But it’s also a way of taking care of your own mental health!