Taking care of the child's development, we know empathy's role in emotional and social development. We try to provide the best conditions for developing appropriate life attitudes for our children. The good news is that you can learn empathy - it's not an innate personality trait but a skill we can develop. We can empathize with other people's situations from early childhood. Therefore, we need to be aware of the role we play in the emotional development of the youngest.
By the word "empathy", we mean the ability to feel another person's internal state. It concerns mental reading states and understanding the way of thinking of other people. We need empathy to understand better the people around us: to build relationships, cooperate in a group or resolve conflicts. In a word, this skill makes it easier for us to relate to other people.
Most important - empathy most quickly develops in a relationship with a caregiver - in most cases, with parents. We are the crucial role model for our children to behave and maintain contact with the surrounding world. Our attitude determines how children's emotions will develop. There are several areas where we can work.
Family bond
The environment in which a young child is brought up is crucial for his emotional and social development. After ensuring the basic psychological needs, such as a sense of security, care, and the presence of another person, additional aspects are decisive, such as the awareness of being supported and understood. Attention and interest in children will build trust and bonding between children and parents.
What can we do to take care of the relationship with the child from the very beginning?
- spend time together playing games and having fun
- read books to children
- strengthen children's interests
Supporting the development of empathy
Although parents and caregivers are essential in building a child's social competence, contact with animals can also support development. The dog is the perfect example of such a helper. His unconditional acceptance, devotion and fidelity initially inspire self-confidence and self-esteem in children. However, the relationship with the dog teaches something more - it requires taking responsibility for the other person and making attempts to communicate - which, as we know with a dog, is not so obvious. By the way, we teach children that taking care of a dog involves taking on specific responsibilities, such as daily walks. A live animal requires everyday attention, so let's take advantage of the situation that we have a dog in our house and take the children together for a walk. Our joint outings with a child and a dog on a leash or harness, e.g. from the BB Republic line, can become an excellent opportunity to catch up on the events of the day.
Article created in substantive cooperation with BB REPUBLIC
