How to Teach Compassion to Your Child
Is there a right way to instill love, kindness and compassion for humans and other living creatures in a child?
Be an example. Children do what their parents do because you’re their role model. If they see you treat all the people around you kindly, they will also nurture a loving relationship with their peers as they grow up. If they see how you care for your pets, they will also be kind to animals. Show your child how good it feels to help out neighbors, for example, and how you can gain more friends by genuinely caring for everyone.
Say the right words. Show your child that there’s nothing to be ashamed of when expressing how much you love and care for another person. Don’t be afraid to say “I love you” before bedtime, or say “thank you” to people who make our lives easier. Practice saying “thank you” to the waiter or waitress when he/she serves the food, for example. Show your kid that it’s good to express your gratitude even when the person is being paid to do their jobs.
Use kind words. Whenever you talk to other people, always use polite and kind words even if you disagree. Hurtful words can ruin good relationships, and you wouldn’t want your child to grow up being shunned by his/her peers because they think he/she is an unpleasant company. Even when you’re talking to your child, he/she should be the receiving end of your compassion and understanding because it will make a bigger impact than anything else.
Help them raise a pet. If your family has the means to care for a pet, it’s also a good method to teach your child how to care for another living creature. The experience will teach the child a lot of things he/she won’t learn at school or when dealing with other people. Raising pets will teach the child unconditional love, responsibility, compassion and empathy for all things.
Point out rudeness. Being compassionate and understanding towards your child also has boundaries. Some children need to be told that they need to correct rude behavior. Teach your child that he/she has to respect everyone including family members and parents, and that there is no excuse to be rude just because the person loves him/her. Unacceptable behavior such as hitting another person, shouting, and name-calling should never be tolerated, no matter the circumstances.
Make it a habit. Good manners, willingness to help, and the use of kind and helpful words should be practiced by everyone in the family, not just you and the child. When it becomes a normal part of the child’s life, he/she will take the experience into adulthood. When a child exhibits kindness even when no one told him/her to, praise the actions to let him/her know that you value the thought.