Instilling empathy in children
Empathy, warmth, care.
Do these words make an image pop in your mind? Isn't it of someone who has ever been dear to you? For most of us, it is!
Kindness is an attribute necessary for a happy world with contented people.
World Kindness Day, observed on November 13, promotes the significance of being kind towards each other, the world, and oneself. The purpose of this day is to teach everyone the importance of compassion in keeping the world and its communities united. There is a lot of negativity present on earth, and kindness possesses the power to eliminate most of it. A little bit of empathy is often all it takes to boost someone's day.
At the same time, while being nice to others, it is important to be nice to yourself. Without self-love, it often becomes tedious to think of others, resulting in agitated behaviour. It is quite simple – keep yourself happy, to keep others happy!
To inculcate kindness into the world, children need to learn its notion from the very basics. They tend to learn by following actions, and one of the defining acts of solicitude is charity. Involving students in charitable activities exposes them to people going through various circumstances in life. This makes them think deeply about people who need help and about what they can offer. The exposure allows them to put themselves in others' shoes, figure out their necessities and find ways to fulfill them. On another note, cooperation and generosity become normalized for them. This deepens the concept of fellow feeling within these children, creating a foundation towards crafting empathetic adults.
Despite charity being an actual act of sanctioning kindness, there's more to it. Good manners and polite behavior are vital elements to be instilled within children. Also, to them, it must be implied that kindness is not only about material giving but also providing emotional and spiritual support. Parents and teachers need to set examples of humble and considerate attitudes. When a child sees that their teacher or parents treat their wishes with importance and love, they will eventually reciprocate them to the world.
Recognizing the impact of compassion on shaping children as responsible beings, the Community Club of DPS STS School has been arranging various activities. The exemplary youth community has been very dynamic in promoting activities that help orphanages and underprivileged children in multiple instances. One such notable initiative was "Project Rong," which assisted unprivileged children amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Such projects teach the value of giving and showcase the importance of spreading smiles among aspiring youth.
Kindness and humanity are powerful tools to enlighten the darkness among human beings. Many small deeds of compassion add up to create weighted steps towards a happier world, which is duly what the day signifies. After all, when people feel fulfilled within own selves, they remain united.
The author is the principal of DPS STS School.
Comments