How to Teach Children Empathy as a Parent

Empathy is one of the most important traits a human being can have. It gives us the power to be able to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes and understand what they are feeling or experiencing. It’s what makes us kind to others and treat everyone with respect, creating a strong community that supports one another. Without empathy, people won’t have support systems to rely on and struggle through hardships. They will also face judgement and isolation, and communities won’t exist. We are social beings that need to support others and uplift each other through hard times.

This is why it is crucial to teach children empathy as early as possible to create a kinder world and stronger communities. Parents need to show their children the importance of empathy every day to create a solid foundation of emotional intelligence. Kids can build stronger relationships if they are shown and understand empathy. This is because they gain the ability to understand others and be a kind, thoughtful person who uplifts others. When children are exposed to empathetic behaviour, they are more likely to grow into a compassionate adult who is very emotionally intelligent, contributing positively to the community.

Empathy can come naturally to many children, but teaching and modelling it consistently at home is important so that your kids can fully understand and practise it.

Encourage Emotional Literacy

Before your children can show empathy toward others, they need to first understand their own emotions by building emotional literacy. Emotional literacy is the ability to identify feelings when you’re feeling them and name them. Your kids need to be encouraged to understand their emotions and learn how to navigate them properly. This is key in preventing emotions from overtaking situations that can land them in trouble or cause future health issues. When they learn to recognise their emotions and understand how to deal with them, they’re better equipped to understand that other people have feelings too.

Having simple conversations about everyday experiences they have encountered is a great way to build this skill. You can ask about their day and ask how certain things that happened made them feel. Even if they’re happy, just asking the simple question of why they’re feeling this way can help them to look within and understand their feelings. When they’re upset or angry about something, such as someone breaking their toy or a scenario where it didn’t go their way, get your kids to reflect on this and pinpoint how they’re feeling and why. Once they find this answer, it can be a great idea to talk them through that and help them reframe their mind to let go of the emotion and move on, rather than building negative feelings up by letting them fester.

As your child begins to grasp these concepts, you can use everyday opportunities to reflect on how others might feel in similar situations. Ask questions like, “How do you think your friend felt when that happened?” or “What would you do if you saw someone feeling sad?” These moments encourage children to step into someone else’s shoes, which is the heart of empathy.

Modelling Empathetic Behaviour

Children often learn by watching the adults around them. You, as a parent, are their biggest role model and your children constantly look up to you and mimic your behaviour. This is why one of the most powerful ways to teach empathy is to model it yourself. If a friend is going through a difficult time or a neighbour needs help, let your children see that you care about others by showing support and care for them in front of your kids. You can also talk about your thought process and why you’re helping someone in age-appropriate ways, so they understand not just what you’re doing, but why. This helps them to grasp the concept of empathy and see how being kind to others helps those in need. They will be able to see good, compassionate responses to mimic from you and understand that small acts of kindness make a huge difference in somebody’s life.

Make sure you apologise sincerely, show gratitude and be patient with others every day to reinforce the importance of empathy to your children and also bring kindness into your life more. Over time, children will begin to mimic these behaviours in their own relationships. They can start to offer a comforting word, check in with a classmate, or include someone who’s been left out.

Creating Opportunities to Practise Empathy

Children need real-world opportunities to put empathy into practice. This doesn’t have to mean grand gestures that are life-changing for someone. You just have to encourage them to carry out the simple acts, like making a card for someone who’s unwell or donating toys they’ve outgrown. Doing this can be a powerful learning experience that makes your children feel good about themselves and encourages them to do it again. These small acts can allow them to feel the thrill of being kind because they can see how much their small act has helped someone else.

Encourage your children to notice when someone around them might need help, and brainstorm ways to support them together. Your children can then begin to think about how someone else is feeling and what they can do to turn that around and give them the support they need. A well-thought-out plan can make sure they know various ways to help those in need and give them the emotional intelligence to choose the right one for the person they want to help.

Praise Empathetic Behaviour

As you’re teaching your children to be more empathetic every day, it is important to be switched on and notice their behaviour. You need to praise your kids when they display empathetic behaviour because rewarding good behaviour and actions encourages them to do it again. This could be when you’ve talked through their feelings or someone else’s emotions, or when they’ve displayed empathy by themselves. Whatever your kids have done to show empathy, you should focus on encouraging more of it in the future. Giving verbal praise reinforces that empathy is a positive thing and makes your children feel proud of themselves.

Use Stories to Discuss Feelings and Empathy

Storytelling is another valuable tool to teach your children empathy. Reading books that include diverse characters and challenges opens the door to deeper conversations. Ask your child how they think a character might feel in a certain situation and what they might do to help at various points in the story. Get them to step into the shoes of the characters and allow them to feel the same emotions that the characters may be feeling. This allows them to sit in the feelings of others and understand that everyone has emotions and that other people can impact them. These imaginative exercises also help children strengthen their ability to connect with others, even when their experiences are different.

Teach Compassion Through Cultural Moments

Empathy can also be nurtured by helping children understand the lives and traditions of others. Celebrating different cultures and acknowledging meaningful times of reflection encourages awareness and compassion. For example, some families take time during special periods of the year to help those in need or reflect on historical events that encourage kindness and generosity. This is the case for Muslims with the month of Muharram in 2025, known as the Islamic New Year. It is a time that is observed by many as a moment of remembrance and charity. Learning about these observances gives children a chance to see how empathy and compassion are valued across the world.

Supporting Empathy as Children Grow

Empathy is not a one-time lesson. It is something you need to consistently address with your children and support them because it is a trait that needs to grow with them. As your children grow, their understanding of others becomes much more nuanced, and they gain a deeper capacity for compassion. Teenagers particularly benefit from open conversations about social responsibility and emotional awareness. Encourage them to engage in community service or listen to perspectives different from their own. Remind them that empathy doesn’t always mean agreeing with someone, but rather understanding their point of view.