Empathy is the ability to acutely perceive or understand the feelings and emotions of others.
Even though we aren’t necessarily aware of doing it, we practice empathy almost every day.
Being able to put yourself into another shoes is an important social skill that can help you become a better friend, a better child, a better sibling, and most of all, a better human being.
Raising your child in an empathetic home leads them to having greater understanding of others’ problems and struggles.
At the very least, they will know to properly react and respond to the correct emotional situations.
Humans generally need empathy to thrive in a social environment, and here are just some ways it can help your child do that.
5 Ways Empathy Can Benefit Your Child
Emotional Intelligence
Learning to recognise, differentiate and monitor the emotions of others also results in being able to do the same for yourself.
Emotional intelligence not only involves mastering the emotional states of others, but also your own.
People who are emotionally intelligent know how to stay calm in stressful situations, are less violent and aggressive, and are also better equipped to handle big changes.
Having an empathetic child may make things like tantrums less unlikely.
Another trait you can help your child develop in order to boost their empathy is being considerate.
Both of these are such important traits to cultivate early on in childhood.
Altruism
Empathy generally leads to other beneficial qualities like kindness and compassion.
We usually help those in need because we can relate to their struggles, even if each person’s problems are unique.
Teaching empathy is a strange conundrum. After all, how do you teach a child how to feel?
Doing acts of kindness, for example, is a good way to actually put empathy into practice. In which case, it would be odd for someone to be deeply empathetic but not altruistic. The two are too closely related.
Amicability
Empathetic individuals are magnets for people.
Those who are naturally attuned to the emotional states of others tend to attract a lot of friends and acquaintances.
This is simply by virtue of empaths being good listeners.
Humans are social creatures and many generally love to confide their problems in each other – it is simply a survival instinct.
A person who is naturally relatable, approachable and deeply understanding will easily attract a lot of friends and acquaintances.
Persuasiveness
Believe it or not, empathy can make you a very persuasive person.
Knowing where to look for vulnerable emotional cues may make empaths powerful sweet-talkers.
They know exactly how to get their way by understanding what triggers the desired emotional response, usually by way of pathos argument.
This may sound manipulative, but there are definitely times when some persuasion is needed, especially if it was for an important matter.
How many times have we tried to sway a stubborn party to do something good for once, only for them to refuse?
Empathy can be a great tool for your child to have growing up especially if it can help them develop their powers of suggestion.
Trustworthiness
People tend to trust you more if you’re empathetic.
After all, if someone trusts you enough to confide in you about their problems, they will likely trust you with other things.
This can help your child a lot in the adult world, where employers and clients are more likely to give deals and projects to people they trust.
Being trustworthy definitely opens up a world of opportunities, and all it takes is seeing things through another’s perspective.
Conclusion
Some children are naturally born empaths, while others may need a little bit of experience.
However, as with any good habit that takes time to cultivate, it is better when you yourself display exceptional empathy for others.
By showing them small acts of kindness and being perceptive of other people’s emotions, your child will slowly pick up your cues.
After all, the teaching experience is to lead by example and as a parent, your impact holds the greatest power.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner.
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