Empathy is not something we’re born with. It’s something we learn from the people around us. It’s never too late to teach empathy to children. Here are ten tips to get you started:

1. Lead by Example: Show empathy in your own actions and interactions. For example, if another driver is rude to you in traffic, try saying, “Wow, he must be having a really bad day. I hope the rest of his day goes better!”
2. Use Storytelling: Share stories that highlight empathy and its importance. For example, you could say to your child over dinner, “My friend at work seemed really sad today. I brought her a cup of coffee to help her feel better.”
3. Practice Active Listening: Encourage children to listen attentively to others’ feelings. For example, if your children are fighting, you could say, “Your sister seems really upset with you. I’d like you to ask her why she’s so angry and really listen to the answer.”
4. Identify Feelings: Help children recognize and name emotions in themselves and others. For example, “You seem disappointed that you didn’t get to go to the movies today,” or “Your friend might be feeling jealous of your new toy.”
5. Validate Emotions: Let children know it’s okay to feel a wide range of emotions. For example, “You’re feeling sad because your friend can’t come over to play. It’s okay to feel sad. I feel sad sometimes, too.”
6. Encourage Perspective-Taking: Prompt children to consider situations from others’ viewpoints. For example, “I know you like playing that game because you always win. But think about how your friend feels when he always loses. He’s probably not having very much fun.”
7. Teach Kindness: Emphasize the importance of kind words and actions towards others. For example, “I saw you share your snack with your friend. That was a very kind thing to do. I’m very proud of you!”
8. Volunteer Together: Engage in community service activities to promote empathy toward those in need. For example, you could participate in your church’s outreach and charity activities as a family.
9. Practice Gratitude: Encourage children to appreciate what others do for them and express gratitude. For example, “Your mother just spent an hour making you a nice dinner. She worked very hard on that. What would you like to say to her?”
10. Model Forgiveness: Show children how to forgive others for mistakes or misunderstandings. For example, “Someone at work said some mean words to me, and it really hurt my feelings. But I think they might be going through a hard time right now, so I decided to forgive them.”

Over time, your children will learn to empathize with others and grow in their discipleship journey!