How to Raise Compassionate Kids
We live in a world full of different thoughts and emotions. As adults, we deal with many different emotions each and every day, working through and trying to process as best we can.
Now, think about your children doing the same. Whatever emotions that we feel on a daily basis, they are also feeling as children. We all go through fear, anger, happiness, sadness, confusion...you name it, we probably dabble in a wide variety multiple times throughout the day.
One of the emotions that many people often feel and think about is compassion -- or the lack of. To understand compassion, one must know what it means to feel or have compassion. While compassion can mean a variety of things, it basically means one's ability to show kindness or have caring thoughts or feelings towards another person.
That's a pretty important emotion to have, right?!
It is one that we have learned over time through experience and the beauty of living life. In terms of educating our children, is there a way to teach children how to be compassionate? My opinion, the answer is yes. If you are looking for a few suggestions on different ideas and ways to pass the thoughts and emotions of compassion on to your child, here are some ideas to help get you started.
Be their example.
You can talk until you are blue in the face to your child about compassion and how important it is to be compassionate to those around you, but you also have to show them the examples during times that present themselves. Giving to others in need, or stopping what you are doing to help out a friend or a stranger are all great examples of showing compassion. While having the conversations and explaining to your child the importance, one also must walk the walk as well!
Give to others together.
What better way to teach compassion than to do it side-by-side with your child? Take advantage of the time together, and turn a teachable moment into a bonding moment as well. Talk together and decide how you both want to help others and then make a plan and move forward.
There are so many options to spread compassion throughout your local community. Working at a food pantry together, donating old blankets and coats to a shelter, or handing out baked goods or water bottles to those who may need it are all ways that you can work together to spread kindness and compassion throughout your local area.
Show compassion to your child.
For your child to understand the importance of compassion, show it to them first! What better way for them to pay it forward and pass it on? Give them compliments, listen to them when they speak and be their biggest cheerleader in life! Show them how much you care, so they can then continue to pass that kindness outward as well.
Teach them to fill someone else's bucket.
I love this analogy. The premise of this thought of filling one's bucket is that each and every we all have an imaginary bucket above our heads. Throughout our day, varying things occur that can cause the balance of our bucket to start to wobble. Negative aspects of our day cause our bucket to leak, while positive aspects cause our bucket to become fuller.
The end goal for each and every day is to have a full bucket due to the goodness and kindness that we received and gave throughout the day. Teach your child to fill other people's buckets. Overflow them if necessary!
Simplify the process.
Compassion doesn't have to be made into a mountain to climb. Giving compassion to those around you can be simple and easy. A smile, a wave, a hug or even just taking interest and asking about their day...all ways to show someone that you are thinking of them and care enough to acknowledge them.
It's can be simple to show compassion to those around us each and every day, and it can be just as simple to teach your child ways to do so. Creating a commitment to your child to help them learn about compassion from you while also being able to pass that compassion on to others, is a wonderful thing. Teaching them will also help you learn and grow as well!
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This is such an important message. I hope your get a million readers on this post. Teaching by example is an excellent way to raise compassionate kids, I think.
Thank you for your kind words, Peggy! I agree, it is definitely something we should strive to teach all of the kids we come in contact with.
@keciah, this is a wonderful post and has a lot of meaning to me as a father of 5 kiddos. Some children are naturally more compassionate than others. My #2 and #3 are that way.
But we all need to learn how to harness compassion (and for some of us to learn it for the first time). I loved all of your points, but the phrase "simplify the process" really struck me.
If we are going to teach our kids (which we should) we need to make it so simple/understandable so that they can teach others.
Great post!
Thank you for stopping by, @sumatranate, and for the kind words! Yes, I feel that simplifying the process makes it easier for kids to understand....not only the how, but the why.
I love it! Teaching children empathy and compassion is the path to a more peaceful world. And being compassionate always benefits you as well as the other person. It's a beautiful thing, and I wish more people had learned it as children.
Thanks for the comment, @derekrichardson. Absolutely, we must be teaching our children compassion for the future our world.
I do not yet have children but I do work with them on a daily basis. It's extremely important to make them feel safe in an environment that away from their homes. Showing and being compassionate is a great tool to use to put a child at ease. This experience also teaches them how to interact with other children.
This is a powerful post. We fail to lead by example most of the time but we expect our children to do as their told when they see the opposite from us. Leading by example is a great way to teach.
Lovely post. Thank you for sharing.
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I loved this. I'm always saying that leading by example is the best way to go because your kids not only mimic your thoughts and feelings - they mimic your actions too!
They sure do, @raymondspeaks! Even if it's a bad behavior...so parents/adults have to be on their best behavior! :)
As I read the contents of the subhead, Give to others together, I was reminded of a story that was the genesis of the great book, Wonder, by R.J. Palacio.
The message of compassion is a timeless one. And, I would say that inasmuch as human beings are social beings, it's crucial for our suvival, because if you help others (which can be an extension of compassion), others my help you, and that help can make a big difference.
I agree, @dkfynn. It's important that you SHOW your children how to have compassion rather than telling. And by helping, you may get helped in return when you need it most.
Prefect message. Be an example.
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