Tag Archives: empathy

They May Not Be Emotionally Ready

Emotionally development and evolution can be quite different from other developmental stages. As single parents, we may be looking at those developmental stages and charts and measuring our children against them without taking into account that crisis and some of the things they have been through might have created some emotional challenges that require attention. They may be chronologically old enough, but emotionally, they just are not ready… This emotional development can go both ways, too. I have found that my children can often seem emotionally mature beyond their chronological age and I am sure it is because of some … Continue reading →

Sometimes Personal Stories Help…And Sometimes They Don’t

I was raised on the Brady Bunch television show; one could even go so far as to brand me part of the “Brady Bunch” generation. One of the main things I remember about that program is how Mr. Brady was always using personal stories and platitudes as part of his parenting repertoire. In my own experience as a parent I have learned that sometimes personal stories DO help get a point across or make a connection, other times they either don’t work, or they actually make things worse. Personal stories can convey empathy and let our children know that we … Continue reading →

Dealing With a Child’s Resentment

Resentment can be a rather toxic emotion—both for the person stuck in a swirl of resentment and for the person on the other side of it. When our child is harboring resentment about something that might have happened or is feeling resentful toward us—it can be hard to take, but there are ways of coping and helping our child through a tough emotional time. What might make a child feel resentful? Well, if a child feels slighted or as if he or she hasn’t gotten a fair share of something, or he might be upset over something that has happened … Continue reading →

Theory of Mind – Does Your Child Grasp it?

In order for a child to have meaningful interactions with other human beings, to empathize, to relate, and to share, he or she must have a working “theory of mind.” When a child has “theory of mind” difficulties, he or she is likely to have severe deficits in communication both verbally and non-verbally. I believe it is important for parents to understand this concept as they help their children improve communication and socialization skills. What is “Theory of Mind?” The basic principles of theory of mind are these: I have a mind that thinks, forms opinions, and has feelings. Unlike … Continue reading →

Making the World Better

The way I looked at the world changed dramatically six years ago. In many ways I suddenly became more worried about the future than I ever had before. I was expecting my first child on 9-11 and I realized suddenly just how scary the world could be. And I honestly wondered what type of world I was bringing my child into. Was she going to live in fear? Was she going to have a childhood that was as carefree as mine? Fortunately, so far she has. While 9-11 has changed so many things in our country, I think it is … Continue reading →

I’m Involved…But I Can’t Do It For You

As a mom, I would definitely love to be able to kiss away all the pain, eliminate all my kids’ troubles, and run interference for them with the world for the rest of my time here on earth. But, I can’t. I can stand by, I can lend support, but there are so many things that I just can’t do for them—even if both of us would much rather have it that way! My kids are not me, and no matter how much experience and wisdom I think I’ve earned, I cannot live through their bumps and bruised and hard … Continue reading →

Relief Society: Nurturing Others

It is important to recognize and value the nurturing qualities of women. Lately, it seems to me, that the gentler qualities of helping, supporting and serving others are looked down on. Many people would see these as a sign of weakness or a failure to reach one’s full potential. It is important to realize that these qualities have been given to us for a reason. As sisters in Relief Society, it is important to realize the blessings of these qualities. It is through service to others that we can learn to love them. It is through supporting and helping those … Continue reading →

As a Parent, Are You Overly-Sensitive? (Or Not Sensitive Enough?)

I have a tendency to take things personally–or at least I used to. I imagine that twenty years of being in the parenting trenches has toughened my skin a bit. Now, I occasionally feel as though I am lacking sensitivity and being a big too jaded when interacting with my kids. I suppose the goal is to achieve some balance between being sensitive to our children’s feelings and needs (and our own) and not being so sensitive we are unable to make objective choices and decisions. We can become overly enmeshed with our children and so sensitive that we take … Continue reading →

Enjoyment and Empathy—Good Social Adjustment

Many parents worry about whether or not their child is developing appropriately when it comes to social skills. This can be a hard one since all children are different and our kids may be very different from us, and/or very different from their siblings socially. Some like to play in big groups, others are happier playing alone or with one other friend. Overall, I think that if a child is showing signs of enjoyment—enjoying playing with other children at least some of the time, and empathy—caring how other people feel or if they get hurt or upset, then social skills … Continue reading →

Can You Help Your Child Get a Conscience?

There have been times over the years when I’ve been downright worried about whether one of my children would ever develop a conscience about his or her behavior. It’s happened with all of my three children at one time or another and I can assure you that while we still have a few bumps, overall, they do have a conscience about their behavior and how they interact with others. BUT, it hasn’t been a linear path and there have been days when I was mighty worried… Maybe there are some children who are born with a well-developed conscience, but it … Continue reading →