Top 10 tips to Raise compassionate kids
We all want our kids to be kind and compassionate. But it is not something that can be achieved in a day or can be outsourced to a class where they can be taught to become kind all of a sudden. Mindful parenting along with positive reinforcement is what it takes. A child who is happy and secure will automatically be compassionate to others. Today, we discuss 10 different ways in which we can inculcate compassion in our growing children.
- Practice and teach empathy
Compassion arises from empathy. When a child can learn to put herself in the shoes of other people and empathise, only then can she show compassion to others. The best way for children to learn anything is by watching their parents practice it. You cannot teach your children to be compassionate unless they see it around them all the time. When they see kindness as a norm, it becomes second nature to them.
- Treat your child with respect
A child who is not treated with respect will never learn to treat others with respect. It does not mean that you should not reprimand when they go ashtray, but making them realise their mistake respectfully is paramount.
- Explore new cultures and food – celebrate diversity
This is an oft-neglected area. since we live in a diverse country and an even more diverse world, we must make it a point to explore and expose our children to a variety of food and cultures. This enables the children to respect difference and be compassionate to people they meet who look different or have different food and other habits from their own.
- Sharing and Generosity
Sharing should be taught right from babyhood. It is normal for young children to feel possessive about their stuff and being unwilling to share but with consistent messaging in the right direction, they start feeling more secure and enjoying the joy of sharing.
- Praise/ acknowledge good behaviour
We are often quick to reprimand children on bad behaviour, but forget to praise good behaviour. Positive reinforcement plays a big role in building confidence and making children secure and compassionate.
- Delayed gratification
In current times with high income families and one or two kids families, children often get anything they want as soon as they demand for it. This creates a sense of entitlement which can be counter-productive once they step into the real world and realise that the world does not revolve around them.
Delayed gratification is a way to help them adjust to disappointment and waiting and even working for their wants. If a child wants a new toy or book or clothing, we can tell them to wait till their birthday and see if they really want it even then. They can also contribute to it by helping out in chores around the house.
- Involve them in chores
Chores are often seen as just helping out around the house because you live there and kids mostly begrudge doing them, but chores are one of the best ways to inculcate respect and dignity of labour. Kids who help out regularly at home and school are less likely to see others as beneath them and respect everyone’s work.
- Teach them to accept mistakes & be kind to themselves
It is important for all individuals to understand that making mistakes is normal and failure do not mean the end of the road. If anything, failures teach us more than successes. So, children should not mind trying new stuff and failing at them. In fact. it is better to have tried and failed than never having tried at all.
- Practice self-loves
Self love is appreciation of your own self which comes from understanding and acknowledging one’s own needs. A child should be compassionate to herself as well as others.
- Sorry and Thank you
These two simple words pack a lot of punch. Even though they appear just words spoken almost without much thought, but we must instil their importance in our kids. accepting out mistakes and saying sorry helps one to move on. A thank you is a easiest way to show your gratefulness to anyone around you.
