EMPATHY, SYMPATHY, COMPASSION

Velveteen Principle #4 : Real is Empathetic
          the ability to really hear another person’s point of view

Empathetic.  People who have this trait make very good friends.  I'm lucky to have many.  An empathetic person is someone who can share another person's feelings. If you tell an empathetic person that your heart is broken, she might touch her own heart as she listens.  

My daughter is very good at this.  Especially now that she is on the rainbow side of the tunnel.  We are both fortunate that she got such great therapy over the years.  She is capable of interpreting her feelings and using a calm voice to tell me about them.  Plus she is so understanding of my feelings.  Kinda of a very nice relationship.  She is making me better at these things as well!  Who knows!  She could BE a therapist!  I wish she would.

She applies these conversation starters with her family.  Braeden is four and a half and she has taught him to verbalize his emotions.  Right now he's going through a dramatic phase (I am so angry with you that you are not my brother any more) yet she is able to first empathise with him (I can see you are MAD at your brother for taking your army guy), and then explain (again) all toys on the floor within the "baby jail" are fair game.  Next she offers him two choices ... do you want to take your toys and play somewhere else?  Or would you like to teach Deacon how to play your army game.

I love watching this family.