It is more than ever necessary to instill empathy in children. Although it is something that every child is born with but it also requires a bit of practice. It can be taught to children as young as three or four years old. Each child is born with the capacity for empathy. You might have already noticed that when you smile at younger children they are going to smile back and respond to you. However if you see them with a frown they will probably frown back at you as well. What can be assumed is that young children take us as role models. They usually imitate adult behavior and it is common for them to learn to respond from their surroundings.

Young children can easily catch emotion and they are going to reflect it back. This is because of the presence of mirror neurons present in the brain. However adults possess these as well. You may have observed that once you start yawning the person next to you might yawn as well. Young children have the ability to understand what is going on around them and it is these neurons which helped them connect and respond to whatever happens.

Importance of empathy

When it comes to empathy, there are about three kinds of it. The first one is cognitive empathy which has to do with thoughts and understanding. The second is emotional empathy which allows people to feel things. The third is compassion which is based upon thoughts and feelings as well as taking action.

In early education it is important that children are aware of the thoughts and understanding as well as those of their peers. Since children are emotional beings, they often possess the ability to become emotionally invested in a situation. At home it is the responsibility of the parent to teach the child to respond to certain situations in the right way. However at an early learning center it is the caregiver would ensure that the child response favorably to a particular situation. They are taught to understand the feelings of another person and feel connected with them. Children should respond to the problems of others in a favorable manner.

The caregivers at Launceston early learning make sure that the children feel comfortable with them. They allow their wards to feel secure and come to them to receive comfort when they face something challenging. Children are also taught the importance of being independent around the classroom. However in order to ensure that the child is learning all the right things it is important that the caregivers have complete idea about the child themselves.

The consistent routine in the classroom is important for children. It creates a sense of security and structure allows them to know that they belong. This is done by creating a culture of belonging. There are certain small ways in which a teacher might develop the culture of belonging. This could be done with the help of a pat on the back for thumbs up. However this is done consistently so that children know that they are acknowledged and being seen by their teachers.

Make sure that you send your child to an early learning center like South Launceston Early Learning Centre, where he can learn to socialise and empathise with other children.