Teaching children empathy has become one of the main concerns of parents... because in today's age of narcissism, when real communication has lost its color and people spend most of their time on social networks, the amount of attention to empathy has also lost its color... Endless selfies of life moments seem illogical.

Especially with the use of filters, flaws are fixed so that the enlarged image does not show the truth.... These modified photos are then posted on a series of social networks to attract new followers and receive "likes" for positive approval.

Probably you have also noticed that your children are texting each other instead of talking on the phone, the equipment they use is both a means of real communication and an obstacle to such communication.

Do you also think that this level of narcissism and indirect exchange leads to increased narcissism and the loss of empathy in our culture, especially among the younger generations? Do children lose their sense of compassion and coexistence? What do you think can be done to teach empathy to children?

Perhaps the wisest possible thing is to use the guidance of a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Answered by Michelle Borba, author of No Selfies: Why Empathic Kids Succeed in Everything in the World Around Us? It's positive in this respect... The research he cites in his book shows a 40 percent decline in empathic behavior, reflecting a dramatic increase in self-centered thoughts, desires, and actions in children and adolescents over the past three decades.

According to Borba, the "selfie syndrome" is not only limited to taking pictures and social networks.. but it reflects the shift of our entire culture towards extreme individualism... This approach is based on a change that was first observed around 2000.

In this way, with the advent of reality TV, we have become more competitive and self-centered.. Even songs that used to say "two hearts beat at the same time" now say "I am this", "I am that".... Even in books, "I" is mentioned much more than "we".... "It used to be that kids wanted to do something when they grew up, but now they just say they want to be 'rich and famous.'"

What is the antidote to the age of me-me-me?.. Teaching empathy to children means the ability to put yourself in another place and imagine how that person feels at the age of 1 or 2 and continue to model and strengthen empathy until they are old enough to stand on their own feet.

So, considering these characteristics, how can you fight narcissism and create empathy in your children? In the following, we will examine 9 recommendations and suggestions of Burba in this field.

Borba's 9 recommendations on teaching empathy to children

1) Improve emotional literacy

In the age of texting, children don't recognize facial expressions and tone of voice... Burba's advice is to set aside a separate, regular, scheduled time for everything to understand your own and other people's feelings.

For example, it is better to eat together as a family....put away the cell phone and talk together..face to face....this way you can see and hear each other's expressions and facial expressions....this way you can do the right thing in teaching your children empathy.

2) Create a family mission statement

Tell your children this is what our family is all about...so you are expected to be kind and considerate to others and be socially responsible towards them.

Make a poster of this sentence and hang it on the fridge so that they can see it and internalize it every day... Of course, it goes without saying that parents should also do what they recommend.

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3) Pay attention to others

Teach your children to ask their own questions in different contexts... For example, how do I feel about others? Or give a reason when you punish him... Ask them about the program when you watch TV.

Sometimes he points to a character going through a tough time and asks, "What does he need to feel better?" Ask him enough about different issues and sympathize with him.

4) Read good books

Borba suggests using literary stories like Charlotte's Web, which are full of moral dilemmas, to teach empathy.

5) Just breathe

Children need to learn how to control their emotions through self-management.... Borba says: When stress arises, sometimes we go into survival mode and turn off empathy.

Deep breathing is the way to wake up.. I tell kids to take deep and slow breaths.. You can teach this technique to younger kids too.. It works wonders for teenagers and helps them calm down.

6) Practice kindness

If you are kind, kindness becomes a habit....I know a family whose children do two acts of kindness a day and report back at the dinner table.

Simple things, like smiling at another child or opening the door for a teacher... I promise, they will love the positive feedback they get from you and their friends.

This will get them into a compassionate mindset....Have fun with this: Make a box of kindness cards and let the kids come up with ideas....Tell them to pick two each day and act on them.

7) Conflict resolution training

Borba says: Team players work together when conflicts arise and solve problems with each other's help... But society can be very competitive.

I encourage younger children to resolve conflicts with rock-paper-scissors, which teaches empathy through play.. An old but good man!

She tells the older kids: Wait, listen to each other's feelings, and take turns articulating and analyzing problems, narrowing down solution options, deciding on them, giving up — and being done with it.

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8) Take risks

According to Burba, who has studied the works and biographies of 30 Nobel laureates, children who learn moral courage become future leaders. They are the children who can't stand being bullied or seeing other children suffer. However, it can be difficult to stand in that position.

He adds: Marines learn four techniques to pass difficult training tests for challenging situations....They teach their children to:

• They talk positively to themselves....it is better to always repeat that I am calm and in control.
• The next thing is the classroom....for this they need to practice that I can get through the next 5 minutes....when the 5 minutes are up, say this sentence again to take small steps to overcome the problem..visualize success..

9) Grow a modifier!

Borba says: Parents should give their children the opportunity to serve and make amends... It is just as important to follow their feelings and encourage children to be themselves.

Also, use newspapers, but not for sad and sad events.... All negative events can make you feel bad.... Find uplifting stories and read to children before bed to surprise them.

In this article, we examined ways to teach empathy to children.... To get information in this field, it is better to use the guidance of apsychiatrist or psychologist.... You can book an appointment online through GCORP LLC.... Getting information including phone numbers and addresses of leading psychologists is also available on the GCORP LLC website