6 Ways To Teach Compassion To Your Children

Usually, I go with my daughter to the orphanage home. While I teach the teens, she spends time playing with the younger children. Do you remember, my dear friend Carol and the home? If not don't miss the article >>here<< 'When God Gives You A Voice'

One of the days, while we drove home, my daughter asked me ‘mom why don’t my friends go home?’

You see that’s their home for now.

But I don’t see their parents, Where are their parents?

I had to think for a while to find an age-appropriate response. I tried explaining how many of her friends have no parents or were abandoned there at the home.

Trust me, it was a hard thing to do. 

She was quiet for a while and next she asked, ‘is that why you go to teach them?’

Yes, partly. I have other reasons too.

Ok mom, ‘what can I do for them?’

‘You could start by praying for them just as you would for yourself’ I replied.

Then you could visit them and play with them too. They are always happy to see you.  

And whenever you get the chance, give them gifts.

Sometimes we think just telling our kids about compassion would be enough.

But my daughter’s set of questions proved that kids try to reason out why we as parents or adults do the things we do.

Here is the thing, in this case, I got the chance to hear her heart on the matter, what about others?

It made me ponder what meanings she had read to other situations.

Back to the table with ‘compassion’.

It way easy talking about compassion than demonstrating that heart for people.

Related Articles: One Reason To Show Kindness

When God Gives You A Voice

Fast forward to two months after the incident, her best friends now have ‘homes’ to go to.

When I learnt they will be going abroad, I couldn’t help but cry. One of the sisters had such a sweet voice. The duo had been wonderful but now they go to a better place by God’s grace.

The rest of the kids would ask Carol, when they would have parents and when they get to go home.

Our visits to our friends has opened my daughter’s heart to more love,

more praying,

more thankfulness

and more compassion.

All four qualities are priceless. Her tender heart is grasping the fact that there is more to life than mere living itself.

If you are probably thinking, how you could instill compassion in the heart of your children, its ok. I’m still working at it too.

Some Scriptures that stir our hearts to compassion are;
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Serve. I’m guessing you don’t have an orphanage home near you like we do, but there are many ways you and your kids can serve in your community.

There is always going to be a need around you. Prayerfully, consider ways to help out.

Children learn a lot when they watch us offer a hand to those who are likely never going to pay us back.

Your attitude matters. It is one thing to serve others but entirely different thing to do it with love. Sadly some would serve with a lot of arrogance and resentment.

If you must render a service, please do it with kindness.

Even God loves a cheerful giver, how much more His children! We should always remember our children watch the way we treat other people.

Let them do it too. The willingness to help others will find its footing in their young hearts. Encourage their enthusiasm and allow them show kindness their own little way.

Personally, I have known many parents to be overly protective of their young minds. Sometimes it is good to let our kids explore especially when it comes to doing good.

Praise their acts of kindness. Every baby step they make towards helping others in need means a lot to God. Let us speak kindness to our children when they show compassion to the needs and struggles of people. 

We are keeping their hearts responsive to real life issues, sufferings, pain and how they respond to these things matters.

Pray for your child’s heart.  How hard can it be to pray for them? There are mean people no doubt, but there are kindhearted people. We don’t need to come close to a person without kindness to pray for our children’s heart. Please join me say a word of prayer

 “Lord, give my children the heart of compassion.”

It is takes commitment to be compassionate and it is a gift from God.

Let them join other kids. Allow your kids to join the church or Christian fellowship groups or school having a compassion project like visit the sick, prisons, old people’s home etc.

Children learn from watching and interacting with their peers.

They learn from seeing their peers showing their heart of compassion. Good deeds have a way of spilling over and being contagious.

In what way have you encouraged your kids in the area of showing compassion?

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