How to develop empathy towards animals in children

empathy is the ability we have to put ourselves in another person's place or be, coming to understand him and know how he feels. It has a very important function, and that is that, thanks to it, we can better relate to others and thus promote social relationships.

That we show empathy is not only beneficial for the people around us, it also benefits us, since it helps us in our adaptation to the environment and emotional development. That is why we can say that it is the basis of many other skills, such as social skills, emotional intelligence, etc

Although human beings are born with the ability to be empathic, this is a quality that develops as we grow. It is because of that the people close to the child's environment are essential for the development of empathy to occur properly.

• Related article: "are you empathic 10 typical traits of empathic people"

Is it important to have empathy towards animals?

We all agree that children should develop a good empathy with their peers, but nevertheless many people do not show interest in

the relationship that children have with animals. However, we must consider whether emotionally connecting with other living beings is also beneficial for child development, since there are studies that have observed the relationship between violence and animal abuse such as Ascione (1997-1998), who observed significant scores in his studies in the relationship between domestic violence and abuse animal.

Naturally the child feels attraction to animals, it is what is called biophilia; however, education and the environment make the behavior that the little ones towards other species be in one way or another; it can be respectful, indifferent or aggressive. On the other hand, there are studies that lead us to think that instilling respect and relationship with animals helps us to also maintain positive relationships with others. Authors such as Serpell (1999) state that the presence of animals enhances in us the attitude of attention, care, companionship, safety, comfort and fun.

What is clear is that the child-animal relationship creates an opportunity for emotional expression without any negative consequences.

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Do you want to encourage empathy towards animals in your children?

If you like animals and want to share your home with them, great, but it is not necessary to have a pet for your children to develop a love for them. And it is not enough to have them at home either, you must teach them. The simple fact of having them at home does not guarantee that they will be cared for by your children. If you are interested you can follow these steps:

1. be your model

This is the most important. Always remember that children have a great capacity to learn everything that happens in their day to day. You have to be his model in this as in all important things in life. As long as they see that you treat animals, they will do the same. Speak well in their presence, do not yell or punish the animals. Your children should see that you respect them.

2. read animal stories

Encouraging reading in children is very beneficial, and if we use books about animals we will achieve two valuable objectives: that they read and that they learn about them. It is important to choose the book that fits their age well and share the moment with them. Reading the book together is important, as many questions may arise that you need to be able to answer.

Here are some examples of books: animal rescue (Patrick George) let's save the animals (Frances Barry) Only one thing (Celeste Sanchez Demare).

3. Visit a nearby protector

Surely you have protectors nearby in your town. You can make an appointment for the little ones to see the shelter and observe how the animals that are abandoned live. You can also attend talks offered by the protectors, or propose that they explain to your children some topics in which you think they have more doubts.

4. Share chats with them

The animal world is very extensive and has many things to know. Choose a specific topic to start a conversation with them. The needs of pets, abandonment, how shelters, zoos help...etc. If there are issues that you do not know, it is important that you inform yourself beforehand so that you can answer your questions well.