Mind Body Soul Summer: Check on Your Neighbor

Empathy and compassion are at the foundation of a positive contributing member of society and prosocial behavior. Providing children with the opportunities to develop empathy, is so valuable, especially in the formative years.  

The concept of empathy is easier for children to comprehend when it’s tangible. An example is helping those in need around us. While self-isolation can be difficult for most of us, it can be especially wearing on our most vulnerable- the elderly. Many of our elders live alone and may not have loved ones to check on them.

Seek out an elder in your family or in your neighborhood to see if they need anything or could use your help. Making a card, helping with a chore or cooking a meal for someone in need will be greatly appreciated and a wonderful way to teach your young one about compassion!  

Signe Whitson, a contributor for the HuffPost, shares eight ways to teach compassion to children. Below are a few highlights. 

Walk the Talk– Children may listen to your words, but more importantly, they learn from observing your actions. When you have a chance to practice a random act of compassion, do so!

Put the Child on the Receiving End of Compassion- While showing compassion to others is a top way to teach this value to a child, allowing a young person to experience compassion first-hand is even more impactful.

Talk the Talk- Most children can learn about true compassion by seeing and feeling this trait acted out, but when parents talk explicitly about acts of compassion, they communicate its importance as a prized family value.

To reach the entire article, visit  https://www.huffpost.com/entry/8-ways-to-teach-compassio_b_5568451