Cultivating emotional intelligence and empathy in our children has been shown to contribute to more robust relationships, added depth of love, stronger friendships, better communication and collaboration, and the ability to connect to our common humanity.
A powerful practice as a parent is to point out the connections between events and emotions.
For example:
When Roro (our cat) died, I was shocked at first and then felt very sad. It was like losing an old friend. When I told daddy, he was also very sad, and you saw him cry too.
For example:
When you tripped just now, you got a big fright. You called for me and I came. When I arrived, we gave each other a big hug and you had a big cry. You weren’t hurt, but you were shocked by the fall, and I understand that. It is okay to cry when you get a big fright, sometimes I do that too. I am here for you.
This is modeling empathy for the child. You are entering their world and having compassion for their experience.
If this is useful for you, please share.
Much love, Jen
