Page 2 - June 2021

THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPATHY IN

CHILDREN

Empathy is the ability to feel what other’s feel. It

is being in someone else’s shoes and understand-

ing their situation well. It is to perceive how oth-
ers are feeling and having a real sense of what

someone is experiencing. The ability to empathise

is inborn, it just needs to be nurtured. Being em-
pathetic towards others, affect our actions and

decisions in life.

Empathy and Sympathy, though sounds similar,

yet there lies subtle difference between the two.

Empathy means projecting our own feeling onto
something whereas sympathy is showing support.

For example, when we try to console someone

and say ‘I am Sorry’, this is sympathy, but when
we extend our concern and say ‘I know how it

feels’ is conveying empathy. Thus it is evident that

empathy goes beyond feeling compassion for oth-
er’s pain.

There are within-child contributions such as ge-
netics, neural development, and temperament, as