Our focus this month is on EMPATHY.
Your child is involved in learning activities designed to develop good character and help children make good choices. Over the month, families are encouraged to spend some time discussing ways in which they can develop and understand empathy.
Your child can show empathy by:
• helping, and understanding how others in the family feel
• using words to describe how others may be feeling
• understanding, sensing, and sharing in the feelings and emotions of others
• showing love, sympathy, compassion, and encouragement
• speaking from “I” and owning his or her emotions
Questions to discuss with your child:
• What is empathy? How can we show empathy?
• What does it mean to be empathetic?
Projects to do together:
• Engage your child in volunteer opportunities, such as helping at the food bank or other community organizations.
• Develop a family project that is meant to help others.
• When reading or watching the news, encourage a discussion about how those involved might feel.
Encouraging empathy in your child:
• Encourage discussion, and expose your child to the language of emotions.
• Talk with your child about the importance of showing empathy through helping others.
• Share your own feelings with your child, providing him or her with the opportunity to be empathetic.
• Allow your child to express his or her feelings, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
Thank you for supporting our Character Development Program.