I remember, in vivid detail, lying on the couch, silently crying after having suffered my second miscarriage. My despair was momentarily halted when my then 18-month-old son came over, rubbed my arm and asked, "Mommy, you OK?" with an imploring look in his eyes. I was surprised by my toddler's reaction to my outpouring of emotion, and experienced an unbelievable sense of guilt because my son had seen me in such a state.
In retrospect, I'm proud that my son had mastered the concepts of empathy and healing touch at such a young age. The simple act of him reaching his hand out to rub my arm illustrated his grasp of compassion and comforting others. That would not be the last time he would see me cry, and it was the first of many times he would tell me, "It's OK, Mommy."
In an age where so much "connection" happens virtually and society's pace moves at warp speed, raising our children to meaningfully connect is more important than ever. Each day we, as parents, are presented with opportunities to teach our children to become empathetic and compassionate individuals.
1. Be Present
It goes without saying that physically being present in our children's lives provides them with a sense of security and structure. In an age where technology makes it possible for people to constantly be "plugged in" and distracted, it is incredibly important to be mentally and emotionally present for our children. When we take time away from our gadgets to focus on our children, we're not only teaching them electronics etiquette, but we're also showing them that they're worthy of our full attention.
As a parent who works from home and who actively uses the Internet and social media for my career, I struggle with disconnecting. I find that planning my days allows me to be present for my son. By allotting time in the early hours of the morning, during naptime and after his bedtime to work, I'm able to focus on my son throughout the day. There are times when my workload or deadlines necessitate me breaking those set hours, but I do my best to adhere to them. I've also established "sacred" (read: no phone) times; I don't answer or check my phone during dinner or family outings, and carve out one hour a day where all electronics are put away. I will often take my son to the playground or for a short hike during those gadget-free hours; it's surprising how great it feels to unplug from media and connect, with no distractions, with my son.
2. Treat Others With Respect
Young children mimic the behavior they see, so it stands to reason that they will pick up your good [and bad] habits. If you want to raise a compassionate child, you must model compassion for them.
Our children are observing our every action and interaction. Treating others with respect demonstrates to our children that all people are important and deserve to be treated in a kindly manner. Treat your children with respect as well. It can be as simple as giving them a five-minute warning before concluding a fun activity, or including them in a conversation about the schedule for the day.
3. Model Behaviors in Everyday Life
If we treat each situation and interaction as a teaching tool, we are able to easily teach our children to be[come] compassionate individuals.
- Manners: A simple trip to the store, or dining out, provides multiple opportunities for our children to positively interact with others. Outings are great ways to practice manners with people other than family members, thanking the store clerk, or using please to ask for a drink; these are simple practices that pave the way for lifelong behaviors.
Be sure to acknowledge behaviors and emotions your child exhibits, models or expresses. At 2 years old, my son overuses the term, "I'm sorry." Each time he says, "Sorry, mommy," I explore why he's apologizing to me."I'm sad," or "I'm happy," are terms he's beginning to express as well. I take each opportunity to probe and discuss why he's making an outward expression of those feelings.
When my son found me crying last winter, I explained that I was sad, but that I was also OK. He surprised me with his empathy, and I was quick to reassure him that Mommy would be all right. Remember, our children are constantly exploring and learning about the world around them; teaching them to relate to others in positive ways is shaping them into caring, compassionate individuals.
Lauren Stevens is a former publishing rep-turned-WAHM and toddler wrangler. When she's not chasing her son, you can find Lauren blogging about, well, a little of everything on lo-wren.com. Lauren's musings about parenthood can also be found on Scary Mommy, BlogHer, and Mamapedia. Follow Lauren on Twitter, where she can often be found tweeting nonsense and stalking her favorite celebrity moms.