We Will Never Reach Peace Without Intimate Empathy

When my kids fight with each other, and especially when my eldest intentionally hurts one of his little brothers, my default is sadly to lash out in anger: to yell at him, banish him to his room, force him to stop. It never helps.

He is still little enough that I can physically restrain him, though that won’t last long. But my anger has never stopped his anger.

What does help is empathy.

When I manage to control my anger long enough to listen to him, understand why he felt wronged, and empathize with him, he softens, as do I.

by LeahSolomon