Why is teaching empathy important?
If we want our children to feel empathy and to help others, we need to help them. While some development happens as a part of growing up, parents can increase their child’s potential. The Family: A Proclamation to the World states, “Parents have a sacred duty to…teach their children to love and serve one another.” (ΒΆ 6) There are dramatic differences in children with empathy and without. Children who don’t show much empathy are more prone to violence, as well as other negative actions such as aggression or other ways of acting out (Swick, 2005). Children who do have empathy, on the other hand, are much more compassionate and helpful to other children (Zhou et.al, 2002). They are also more likely to share their toys or games with others. They have better social skills, get along better with other children, and even adjust better when starting school than children who show less empathy (Ahn, 2005). All of these are good reasons for children to develop empathy. What can parents do to he
