Similar to many things in life, compassion is something that is learnt and improved on overtime. The good news is that there are many things that you can do to help your child become kinder and gentler. The key to understanding how to be compassionate is to have empathy. This is the ability to understand another person’s feelings and act in a positive way towards it. This is something that will be a necessity in the classroom, work and just life in general. Here is some advice on how to raise a compassionate child.
Model the behaviour yourself. Children learn from what they see which majority of the time is from the parents or guardian. Let them catch you in an act of kindness such as driving an elderly neighbour to the shops or comforting a friend in need. This active role-playing can start from day one. When playing with your child you can show them how to be kind to their babies such as ‘some for baby, some for me’. This helps to lay a foundation to prepare them for a lifetime of compassion.
Make sure your child knows that you believe in them. If you treat your child as though they are never up to any good, they will begin to live up to the expectations given to them. instead, show your child that you know that they are capable of being a compassionate person to both family and friends as this will motivate them to work harder.
Show your child how to help others. This could be by doing a regular clear out and giving old clothes and toys to your local charity. You can even take some baked goods down to your local shelter or visit someone in a nursing home. introducing a child to these acts of kindness from a young age will be what guarantees compassion in them as they grow up.
