Fostering Friendship and Empathy Among Early Learners
It has been such a delight to see the new friendships developing at school during the past few months. Each school year brings opportunities to learn about ourselves and others as we foster positive relationships. As adults, we work hard to develop new relationships with co-workers, families we serve, and of course, every little one we are blessed to have at school. Sometimes those relationships develop easily, and other times we need to put intention into learning about each other and forming an appreciation of each other.
F is for Friendship
Friendships are very important for our kids also. With friendships, we learn skills that will impact every future relationship we have at school, at home, in the community, and in future jobs. At a very young age, children learn to see and appreciate differences. This skill is key to understanding that God makes each of us different, and that is good! When we know this, we can accept and honor each other’s ideas, thoughts, and lives more successfully.
Friendships also give us the opportunity to show gratitude for one another. When we learn to share and play together, we open up a world of thinking with thankfulness. Even our toddlers are learning these skills by greeting each other at the beginning of the day, handing each other toys, and helping a friend when they are sad. Throughout the preschool years, our students learn how to recognize emotions in themselves and others, and they learn how to help each other in good times and in hard times. Helping your child to recognize and label emotions will give them the opportunity to both receive and give help to others. Mastering those skills brings about a sense of accomplishment and gratitude!
We can help foster RESILIENT friendships in our children when we:
Model friendships. Sometimes that means talking out loud about your thoughts when you are with a good friend. Such as, “I’m going to call my friend Dana. I know that we both are happy when we can talk together.” When you go to help a friend, explain to your child what you are doing and why you are helping another person.
Help them say hello. We all have to move out of our comfort zones sometimes to introduce ourselves to others, but with a little practice, we can learn phrases and conversation starters to become more confident.
Keep in touch with old friends. We teach our children how to have those wonderful, life-long friendships by encouraging them to stay connected to people they love. This can be done by drawing pictures, making homemade gifts, and spending time together.
E is for Empathy
Everyone can develop empathy, but it needs to be taught. Parents and teachers can model kindness with their own little everyday acts. Help plant the seeds of empathy by:
Asking the other children to notice when one of their peers is sad or hurt, and imagine why they’re feeling that way. What might they do to make that person feel better? Praise all efforts at empathy.
Inviting children to stand in someone else’s shoes. Literally! Switch shoes and imagine what the person whose shoes they’re wearing would say and do. (No meanness allowed!)
Hosting an Oscar (the Grouch) party: The nicer Oscar’s friends treat him, the grouchier he sometimes gets. Choose one person to play Oscar and act as grumpily as possible. Then, pile on the niceness and watch that grumpy feeling change! In the real world, there are lots of grouches—but even grouches appreciate kindness!
Helping the larger community. Brainstorm a project that you can do together to make your community a better place for everyone: saving coins for a local animal shelter, recycling newspapers, or collecting books or cans of food to give to a family shelter. Take a picture of everyone helping to put in a memory book or to post. Reflecting on these memories builds a sense of community and empathy!
Learn more about empathy and how it looks for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers by reading this article and watching this video: Caring & Sharing | Sesame Street in Communities - Sesame Street in Communities.
The Empathy Challenge:
Each day this week, try to notice how someone else is feeling. Have a conversation about it with your child. Can they remember a time when they felt this way? By connecting the feeling you are watching to a memory your child has, you are helping to develop their long-term memory capabilities!
Sources: This section adapted and brought to you by Sesame Street in Communities and the Letters E and F. ☺
The Power of Prayer:
In all circumstances, the power of prayer is our ultimate source of strength. When excited, we can pray with gratitude for our amazing gifts. When facing a challenge, we can pray for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom. Sometimes prayer is that inner dialogue we have with Christ throughout our day, praising, thanking, and requesting. Praying with our little ones is a simply amazing habit to start, but don’t forget to set aside time to have focused prayer yourself so that you can be refueled with the strength and love given freely to you by God.
Mrs. Brenda Bernard
Early Childhood Director & Elementary Principal, SFLS
About Sioux Falls Lutheran School
At Sioux Falls Lutheran School, our mission is to develop capable, Christian servant-leaders in a complex world who are World Ready and Faith Secure. We are passionate about giving our students the tools they need to be successful academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We strive to accomplish this goal by maintaining high academic standards, employing excellent teachers, and upholding a Christian worldview drawn from Scripture. Ultimately, we are committed to partnering with parents and the church to raise lifelong learners who use their gifts and the fruits of the Spirit, in faith, to touch a troubled world with God’s grace.