5 Ways to Foster Empathy and Diversity at Home
Practical tips for parents to implement empathy-building activities and conversations in their daily routines.
I was inspired by this week’s episode with Uju Asika, and thought about how much parenting has changed over the years, and continues to change. The lessons and values we want to impart to our children are changing. Writers such as Uju help us find new ways to raise healthier, more connected and compassionate children. Raising children with these values is no easy task, as we might not have had these values modeled to us in our younger years.
I hope this newsletter can help by offering five practical tips for parents to implement empathy-building activities and conversations in their daily routines:
1. Model Empathy and Respect
Demonstrate Active Listening: Show your children how to listen actively by giving them your full attention when they speak, making eye contact, and responding thoughtfully. Listen to your children as if you are curious about what is alive in them, and how they experience the world, rather than listening to them with the goal of fixing them, or imparting wisdom on them.
Express Your Feelings: Share your emotions openly and encourage your children to do the same. This helps them understand and articulate their own feelings and recognize others' emotions. Talk about how it feels what you’re feeling, as in, where do you feel it in your body. When you are feeling frustrated, for example, what does your body feel, rather than what does your mind think.
2. Engage in Perspective-Taking Activities
Role-Playing Scenarios: Create role-playing games where children can act out different roles. For example, have them play the part of a friend who feels left out or a character from a story facing a dilemma.
Discuss Diverse Characters in Media: If the first activity feels challenging, it might be easier if you’re watching a TV show or Movie together. When you see a character who is being left out, this might be a good time to pause, and ask your child how they think the character feels. Read books and watch movies that feature diverse characters and discuss their experiences and emotions. Ask your children how they would feel in similar situations.
3. Encourage Kindness and Compassion
Acts of Kindness: Involve your children in acts of kindness, such as helping neighbors, volunteering at charities, or even taking some time in the week writing thank-you notes to the various people in their lives. Discuss how these actions make others feel, so that your child can really embody the feeling of kindness.
Empathy Journal: Encourage your children to keep an empathy journal where they write about acts of kindness they performed or witnessed. Reflect on these entries together and discuss the impact of their actions.
4. Create an Inclusive Home Environment
Diverse Play and Learning Materials: Provide toys, books, and educational materials that reflect different cultures, races, and abilities. This exposes children to a broader range of experiences and perspectives.
Cultural Celebrations: Celebrate various cultural holidays and traditions at home. Involve your children in learning about the customs, foods, and stories associated with these celebrations.
5. Foster Open Conversations About Diversity
Address Bias and Stereotypes: When your children encounter stereotypes or biased remarks, either in the media they’re consuming, or in real-life encounters, discuss why these are harmful and how to challenge them respectfully. Use these moments as teaching opportunities.
Encourage Questions: Create a safe space for your children to ask questions about differences they observe. Answer honestly and age-appropriately, promoting an understanding and appreciation of diversity.
It might be intimidating to incorporate activities like this at home, but these lessons are important to learn. It’ll be easier for your children if they learn them in the safety of their home, with parents who are attentive and fostering these values. By integrating these activities and conversations regularly, parents can help their children develop a deep sense of empathy and respect for diversity, laying the foundation for a more compassionate and inclusive future.
If you have any other activities you think are useful for building empathy with your children, I’d love to hear them. Please do share your thougths in the comments below
Love,
Julia x