How to Teach Your Kids to Empathize With Others

By: Steve Kroening

When my son and daughter were six and four, respectively, they got into an argument that escalated to my daughter socking my son. Marshall, being the boy that he is, gladly retaliated and hit her back. Kristen was shocked.

She came crying to my wife, but her cry wasn't one of hurt. It was a cry of disbelief. She just couldn't believe Marshall hit her. After explaining what he had done, Marshall quickly jumped in to offer his version of the story: "Well, she hit me first."

"Is this true?" asked my wife, looking at Kristen. It was then that we found out why she was so shocked that Marshall retaliated. Kristen replied, "Yes, but the Bible says that when someone hits you, you're not supposed to hit them back."

I have to admit, I was proud of her for having Scripture in mind. But she sure butchered the application. Naturally, I had never considered this passage in Matthew 5 as permission to strike someone without fear of retaliation. And, when we tried to explain the correct use of the Scripture, she just couldn't understand. Why? Because she was sure her perspective was the right one.

While some kids are better at it than others, it's not natural to see things from another person's perspective -- to empathize with them. We all have to be taught.

So how can you teach your children to avoid arguments and empathize with others? We teach our children that their anger is like a railroad crossing. When a train is coming, the crossing gate comes down, the lights flash, and the sirens blare. All of them are signals that danger is coming down the tracks.

Similarly, when a sibling or friend crosses them, their eyes burn and their voice blares, they need to know they're in dangerous territory. Big trouble is coming down the tracks. And if they keep going, they're going to get smacked. Instead, they need to use those signs as clear signals that they need to stop. Their anger is telling them, "Danger! You're thinking only of yourself!"

Satan loves to use anger to get us to sin. We need to teach our children how to use it to move us toward righteousness and healthy relationships. Using it as a signal for selfishness does exactly that. And it also reminds them to look at the situation from the other person's perspective. Of course, children aren't going to be that sensitive to this signal. So you'll likely need to remind them many times before they recognize it themselves.

Article Source: http://www.homesteadarticles.com

Steve Kroening writes for Success magazine and also publishes Wisdom's Edge. You can get Biblical tips on health, finance, relationships, parenting, and success, delivered to your email inbox every week. Simply visit www.wisdomsedge.com and sign up for this free e-zine.

Publishing guidelines:
You may use any articles from Homesteadarticles.com for free. You must use author's byline with link intact. For complete guidelines please read our Article Publishing Guidelines. Please allow up to 24 hours for your article to be indexed.

Thank you

Please Rate this Article

# of Ratings = 1 | Rating = 5/5

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Children Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Children

Baby Strollers - For Stylish Tots - By : Jet Lee
Sleep Walking In Children –Simple Steps To Keep Your Child Out Of Harm! - By : Neelima Reddy
Study Skills: How To Help Your Kids - By : Frank McGinty
Kids And Crafts - By : Stephen Campbell
Great Books To Read With Your Children - By : Adrian Adams
Encourage Your Kids to Buy and Read Books... Here's a Fun and Easy Way to Do It - By : Steve Kroening
Raising Children Who Exceed the Highest Expectations - By : Randy Gilbert
Math Games to Enhance Your Children's Learning - By : Amar Mahallati
Education Board Games - Fun and Learning for Your Kids - By : Amar Mahallati
Help! My Child Watches Too Much TV. - By : Dr. Noel Swanson....

	Print This Article
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Top Authors
Most Popular Articles
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Site Blog

Links
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

Book & Product Reviews