Understanding Others

What You Need:

• Understanding Others worksheet
• Pencils
• Crayons

What You Do:

1. Ask your child if they have ever heard of the word "empathy." If they have, ask them to describe what they think the word means.
2. Explain to your child that empathy means understanding the feelings and thoughts of others with kindness.
3. Share about a time you had empathy for someone else.
4. Ask your child to describe a time they showed empathy towards someone else.
5. Begin working on the Understanding Others worksheet, and use it as a guide in your conversation about empathy. Review each of the scenarios, and discuss how each person in the picture felt.
6. Ask, "How do empathy and understanding help us?"
7. Ask, "How does it feel if someone has empathy and understanding towards you?"
8. Ask your child to create something to place in the home to serve as a reminder to practice empathy. This could be a work of art, a craft, a poem, or something else. Brainstorm with your child, and create it together!