by R.L Hanlon

Created on: March 19, 2009   Last Updated: June 06, 2009

Compassion is a quality within an individual that is admirable; it gives us something to strive towards and allows us to live in the world and with our peers cohesively. How do you teach this amazing quality to your children? Are you compassionate, or are you living a compassionate life?

Compassion is a quality that not only involves "being nice." Living a life with compassion is an understanding that involves a whole body experience, the act of being compassionate, the thought and the feelings it evokes.

Following are some ways you can begin developing your compassionate qualities and how you can teach your children how to be compassionate individuals, and live a compassionate life.

It is when we begin our own family and have the experience of becoming a parent do we realize how our actions and social behavior is learned. We have the ability to mould our children into an eventually caring and fulfilled adult. By introducing and living compassionately, hopefully these qualities will produce adults who have these amazing qualities.

SHOW YOUR CHILD YOU CARE

From the moment your children are born they are watching your reaction and your actions. When they fall or injure themselves, make your child comfortable and show them compassion when they need it. Whisper or sing lullabies to them from the moment they're born. Teach them that you care, teach them that their injuries or hurts also hurt you too.

The bond between children and parents is an important start to developing compassionate qualities.

TEACHING ALL THE TIME

By showing your children compassion you are teaching them the same quality. Use every opportunity that comes your way to teach a caring and giving attitude

When at playgroup and another child may be injured, show compassion to that child too. Teach your children about feelings and about understanding how another may be feeling, when they cry or when they leap for joy.

Read books to your children about feelings, or play songs or movies that teach compassionate qualities such as caring and love. Give your children dolls to care for no matter whether your child is male or female.

Socialize your children often so they can learn how other children and adults behave, act and react to different situations.

Your children are watching and listening to you all the time. Think before you act or speak in the presence of your children.

SPEAK COMPASSIONATE LANGUAGE

Even from a young age your children are listening

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