We can certainly feel that we’re too busy in life from time to time to truly give our children the attention that they need. As such, we can feel guilty that we aren't giving them what they need; but also, we could find that we are solely to blame for a certain lack of emotional development. As such, we could experience issues with our children, or we could be pleasantly surprised when the school calls us up to discuss our child because of an incident that happened. Empathy is one of those human conditions that appears to be fleeting now. We are continually being conditioned to be self-absorbed and it's only natural that our children learn by example, but if we are to make changes, so our children can benefit, we got to start teaching more compassionate behaviors. How can we do this?
Lead By Example
If we don't lead by example or feel that we aren't responsible in this sense, it's hardly a surprise that our children don't express any traits of empathy. If you have concerns that your child is displaying certain behaviors that are uncaring, you've got to identify whether you are to blame, or if it's the fact that you're not providing a good enough example. It's very difficult for us to look in the mirror and address these things, but it makes us a better parent in the long run. This means that we've got to start learning the best methods of being empathetic in our own way, so our children can see what we're doing, and learn from us.Are You Meeting Their Needs?
Parenting is difficult, but if their emotional needs aren't being met at home or they don't think they're being heard, it's not a far stretch to see why they're not being secure in their own feelings. People can be self-absorbed partially due to a sense of self-preservation. So if your children aren't feeling secure at home, especially if you lead a busy life, and they don't feel they're being heard, what can you do to make them feel more secure? Spending more time with them and focusing on their wants and needs (but not in a material sense) can mean that they will feel more secure and be better-rounded.Teaching Them The Skills
Empathy or any emotion is best displayed through practice. If you don't have the emotion in the first place, you can learn how to develop it. And the best way is to practice. The HCC has meetups which involve telling stories as another person and this is one little resource of hundreds out there. You could take your child to more social events, or give them stories that fire their imagination and encourage empathy. Teaching them the skills is only feasible if we have them ourselves. In which case, we could learn alongside our child. And this is something that a lot of parents may not have even thought of in the first place. In order to teach your children the skills, if you don't have them yourself, you should learn them as well! After all, if we are to lead by example, and we want our children to be well behaved, but we aren't displaying good behavior ourselves, we can't be surprised when issues crop up!When it comes to any human skill, whether it's empathy or sheer kindness, it all stems from us, the parents. And if you feel that your children need to display certain human characteristics, it's essential for you to practice what you preach!
