What is the antidote to the Me-Me-Me Era? Turns out teaching empathy — the ability to put oneself in another’s shoes and imagine how that person feels — to children as young as age 1 or 2, and continuing to both model and reinforce empathy until they’re old enough to leave home, is key.
So how do you combat narcissism and instill empathy in your children? Borba offers these nine ideas:
1. Develop emotional literacy. In an age of texting, kids fail to recognize facial cues and voice intonation. To understand their own feelings and the feelings of others, Borba advises “regular, scheduled unplugged time. Take back the family meal. Put down the cellphone and talk. Eye to eye. So you can see and hear each other’s expressions and meaning.”
2. Make a family mission statement….
Lauren Paige Kennedy
WebMD Magazine
