What Empathy Teaches Us About Families
I recently met with a group of parents to discuss how we can increase our children’s awareness and empathy for others. Through our sharing, we learned that:
- Having experienced a disability or learning challenge has helped others better understand what it is like to be in someone else’s shoes with a disability and experience empathy.
- Empathy can be learned when we overcame adversity or a negative experience. When we are rescued by others, we may not learn to overcome a challenge.
- When family members provide healthy support and not rescue their children, the children must learn how to resolve a challenge. This reflective process can help children learn compassion, empathy, and how to successfully solve daily challenges with others.