March 17, 2012.
Children have a natural tendency to be kind - it's how we adults develop(or not) this innate kindness in them that will guide their empathetic behaviour as they grow older. If you have a small child, you may have occasionally seen spontaneous kind behaviour in your child - maybe he or she tries to comfort a tearful friend or gives the pet dog a friendly hug. However, your child also has basic needs such as hunger that will override any "kind" behaviour if there is a need to choose. So, don't be surprised if he or she pushes another child to reach for the last apple in the bowl!
There's a lot you can do to gently veer your child towards being a caring individual. Cooperation is one aspect of kindness and you could create situations where your child would have to be a team player. For instance, you could play board games. A good game depends on cooperation between players - but watch out for the sulk when your child begins to lose!
Getting a pet is a great way for your child to shower his love and display considerate behaviour. Pets are totally dependent on us and require a lot of attention and care. A pet in the house could teach your child responsibility.
Finally, explain consequences - tell you child that an act of kindness makes people happy, and that selfish behaviour causes unhappiness. Praise your child when you observe him or her making a spontaneous caring gesture - this will go a long way in reinforcing the behaviour.
More in next!
Playpen Team
