By Spencer Kornhaber — 2015
Be kind, show understanding, do good—but, some scientists say, don’t try to feel others’ pain.
Read on www.theatlantic.com
CLEAR ALL
As a marriage dissolves, some parents find themselves asking questions like, “Should we stay together for the kids?” Other parents find divorce is their only option.
It’s hard to see a child unhappy. Whether a child is crying over the death of a pet or the popping of a balloon, our instinct is to make it better, fast. That’s where too many parents get it wrong, says the psychologist Susan David, author of the book “Emotional Agility.
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Empathy is divided into cognitive, emotional and applied empathy, all of which are valuable. For empathy to truly be useful to the human condition, our kids must have applied empathy, or compassion.
Considering how to make the children in our lives better people helps us reflect on how we ourselves can be more compassionate.
Raising an empathetic and kind kid is a beautiful thing, but it’s also important to prepare kids for the real world.
Children are hard-wired for empathy, but it needs to be gently brought to life. Adults are in a prime position to nurture and develop empathy and emotional wisdom in their children.