Today's Tip for Building Character in Kids: Empathy

On Juneteenth, this is an especially important character trait to practice and learn!

Cultivating Empathy

Empathy is a powerful virtue with three facets: affective empathy (feeling what others feel), behavioral empathy (acting compassionately due to empathic concern), and cognitive empathy (understanding others' thoughts).

To help kids develop empathy, we can encourage emotional literacy. You can:

Label emotions: Name emotions as they occur to help children understand feelings: "You look happy!" "It seems you're upset."

Ask questions: Provoke thought about emotions: "How did you feel about that?" "You look scared. Am I correct?" Emphasize that all feelings are normal, but how they're expressed can sometimes cause problems.

Share feelings: Provide a safe space for kids to express their emotions by sharing yours: "I'm feeling grumpy because I didn't sleep well." "This book is frustrating me."

Observe others: Use public situations to teach empathy: "How do you think that person feels?" "Have you ever felt the same way?"