9 Essential Habits of Empathetic Kids

DEVELOPING EMPATHY

Habit 1: Emotional literacy. 
Teaching emotion literacy as the gateway to empathy so children can recognize and understand the feelings and needs of others in their body language, voice tone or facial expressions. Chapter 1. 

Habit 2: Moral Identity. 
Helping children develop ethical codes and caring mindsets so they are more likely to adopt caring values that guide their integrity and activate their empathy to feel with and help others. Chapter 2. 

Habit 3. Perspective taking. 
Stretching perspective taking abilities and Theory of Mind so children can step into others’ shoes to understand another person’s feelings, thoughts, and views. Chapter 3.

Habit 4. Moral Imagination. 
Using elevating, emotionally-charged images in literature, film, news and images as a source of inspiration to help children empathetic. Chapter 4. 

PRACTICING EMPATHY

Habit 5. Self-Regulation. 
Helping children learn ways to manage strong emotions and reduce personal distress to keep their empathy open, avoid the Empathy Gap and be more likely empathize and to help others. Chapter 5

Habit 6. Practicing Kindness.
Developing and exercising kindness and pro-social behaviors to increase children’s concern about the welfare and feelings of others and enhance the likelihood that they will step in to help, support or comfort others. Chapter 6. 

Habit 7. Collaboration.
 Cultivating teamwork and collaborative abilities to help kids work with others to achieve shared goals for the benefit of all and develop a WE, not ME mindset. Chapter 7.

LIVING EMPATHY

Habit 8. Moral Courage. 
Promoting moral courage and teaching children Upstander skills and situational awareness to embolden them to speak out, step in, and help others. Chapter 8. 

Habit 9. Compassionate Leadership Abilities.
 Cultivating altruistic leadership abilities to motivate children to make a difference for others, no matter how small it may be and boost their chances of becoming Social Changemakers. Chapter 9.