During the first three years of life, children begin to develop the ability to experience the emotional or psychological state of another person. The following definitions of empathy are found in the research literature: "Know what another person feels", "feel what another person feels" and "respond compassionately to the distress of another person".
The concept of empathy reflects the social nature of emotion, since it links the feelings of two or more people. Since human life is built on relationships, a vitally important function of empathy throughout life is to strengthen social ties.
There is research showing that there is a correlation between empathy and prosocial behavior. In particular, prosocial behaviors, such as helping, sharing, and comforting or showing concern for others, illustrate the development of empathy and how the experience of empathy is believed to be related to the development of moral behavior.
Adults model prosocial / empathic behaviors for babies in various ways. For example, those behaviors are modeled through loving interactions with others or through raising the baby.
One way to support the development of empathy in young children is to create a culture of caring in the early childhood setting. Helping children understand the feelings of others is an integral aspect of any family. The relationships between teachers, between children and parents, and between children and any adult who live with them on a daily basis, it must enhance empathy.
Empathy is the basis for a society to function, so it is a fundamental duty of adults so that children can grow up understanding and respecting themselves, and therefore, others as well. Does your home work on empathy enough in everyday life?