Experts agree that empathy is an important tool for children to have in their emotional toolbox. It’s what enables us to relate to other people and their experiences.
It’s what enables us to understand others. And it’s what makes us compassionate. Empathy is important because it helps us build connection, regulate emotion, and promotes helpful and kind behaviors.
For kids, empathy can prevent bullying, help them make friends, and help them receive help from others. So it’s little wonder why it’s so integral to the social experience of schooling and childhood. But empathy is not innate — it’s learnt. And like most things, it’s best learnt during childhood. And the best teachers are us parents. Empathy is a complex ability that develops over time and can be taught and reinforced in a variety of ways. Listen to learn tips to help build empathy in children!
First, Brene Brown gently reminds us that we can only create a genuine empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our own fragilities.
What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuine empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our own fragilities.
Next, Educator, Jonathan Juravich discusses beyond teaching empathy as a 'soft skill' and make it actionable.
Join us with Jonathan discussing how we can go beyond teaching empathy as a 'soft skill' and make it actionable.
When you tell a kindergartner to "walk in someone else's shoes" it can be kind of confusing. Why should they put on someone else's shoes? What if they wear a different shoe size?
And in a short clip from the Inside Out Movie, the character Sadness beautifully demonstrates the power of empathy.
Effective listening skills are the basics of building successful relationships with people. How we engage others in verbal and non-verbal communication, what do we hear behind words, how we understand and empathize the emotions of others, ask questions and clarify the messages — all these contribute to our emotional intelligence and effective social skills, influencing the daily lives of our children on many levels.
Start our free online Course: Life skills for kids course - Click Here
-----------------------
-----------------------
Dream Cast Kids Journal.
We have included writing prompt to help reinforce the concepts such as empathy and kindness, gratitude and more in both the Dream Cast Journal and Dream Cast Conversation Starter Cards tying the learning experience together perfectly.
