5 Tips to teach your child compassion!

As a parent you are worried about your child lacking soft skills like kindness, sensitivity, consideration for others? And you feel that the issue is more apparent because you live in a nuclear family and with both of you busy with your work, there is no one to teach your child these soft skills. But worry not; as I bring to you some easy, tried and tested tips to ensure that your child grows up to a wonderful human being who not only feels for herself but for the entire society and especially the less fortunate.

1. Life is not a fairytale: By all means narrate all the fairytales to your child, but try not to keep her in a wonderland. Ensure that she is also exposed to misery of life through news and any other medium. This way she will learn that life is not always a bed of roses and there are thorns in it too that need to be dealt with a smile on a face.

2. Demands can go unfulfilled too: She is your only child and you want to fulfil her each and every demand. But do understand that not all the demands have to be fulfilled or each whim catered to, especially if she creates a fuss and leaves her meal half-eaten. This is where you as a parent should try and explain her that many children of her age go to sleep on an empty stomach night after night.

3. Praying keeps us grounded: Prayers offer to our respective Gurus or lords help us stay grounded and thankful for the bounty of food, and shelter bestowed on us. So teach her the importance of prayers. Remind her to thank God for every morsel that she eats and every cloth that she wears, for then only she will appreciate the value of things. Also, do keep in mind that child learns by an example so if you as a parent follow your preaching then only your child will follow it too.

4. Shared celebrations are fun: Next time when your child insists on celebrating her birthday at a posh restaurant, ensure that she does so but in the evening. In the morning plan a visit to a nearby old age home or orphanage to distribute not only sweets but something more meaningful like books, clothes, specs, walking sticks(for old people). This will inculcate feeling of meaningful sharing with others and your child will be pleased with herself.

5. Bedtime stories: Revive the tradition of bedtime stories and share the moment with your child as you narrate some interesting stories or real life incidents and anecdotes with your child. Remember to switch off your laptop, mobile phones and other distracting gadgets and concentrate only on your child. This is also the time when your child may tell you all about her day. While you are listening to her remember that you are gifting her one of the most valuable gift anyone can bestow on a fellow human being – listening patiently.

These are few of the ways I practice in my life to ensure that my child grows up to be a kind and sensitive human being. I would love to hear your ways and ideas. Please do share them in the comments section below to make the piece more meaningful for all the proparents!

Happy parenting!