PW invited parents from Bal Bharati Public School, GRH Marg, New Delhi to share their thoughts on how they teach their children the value of empathy

“We actively engage our daughter Anjali (class XII) in activities that foster compassion and understanding. She is a member of an NGO that raises funds for underprivileged children, teaching her the value of contributing to a social cause. We often distribute food and clothes to the needy, allowing her to experience kindness first hand. Her grandmother shares stories that highlight the empathy and compassion. Anjali also treats animals with kindness and respect. Through these experiences, she has learnt to appreciate and respect the struggles and emotions of others” — Dr. Sanjivini Gupta, Anaesthesiologist.

“I believe it’s essential for parents to lead by example and encourage children to accept others with empathy. Often as parents, we expect and enforce adult behaviour from our children without realising they are behaving the way they are meant to behave as per their age. With our son Ryan (class IX), we maintain open communication, respecting his feelings and making him aware of how important it is to respect and appreciate others’ feelings without being judgemental. We take travel breaks, read books and share stories from our life highlighting emotional situations and people’s reaction towards them” — Rebecca Sindhi. IT professional

“We help our daughter, Arjyot (Pre School) to learn empathy by often talking with her about how others feel and why it is important to care. We practice kindness in everyday life, like helping friends in need or being there for someone who needs to be consoled and comforted. We also read stories that teach compassion and understanding aloud to her. Most important, we try to show empathy in our own actions so that our child can follow our example. We try to create an environment in which our child feels supported for her emotional growth” — Jaspreet Kaur Madan, homemaker

“As a parent, I believe teaching empathy starts at home. I make sure to model empathetic behaviour by patiently listening to my young son Shivaay’s (Class I)feelings and validating them. We often discuss how our actions affect others and practice kindness through small acts, like sharing toys or helping friends in need. Reading aloud stories that highlight compassion and understanding and discussing characters’ feelings also helps. Additionally, I encourage my child to express his emotions and understand others’ perspectives, to develop a compassionate mindset”
– Dr. Vani Aggarwal, Pediatrician.