We had the honor of talking with Dr. Dan Siegel (which is always mind-expanding!)
Dr. Siegel wrote that an important part of parenting is not just responding to our child’s behavior but also seeing and responding to their inner thoughts and feelings.
How do we tune into our child’s inner life?
What does that actually mean?
Watch the video to find out how!
Our 3 favorite takeaways:
Gateway to empathy and compassion
Your child’s inner world includes many things–their feelings, memories, longings, perceptions, thoughts, hopes, dreams, etc.–and it’s their gateway to developing empathy and compassion.
Empathy vs. Compassion
Empathy will help your child feel another person’s feelings and imagine their point of view. Compassion is developed when a child understands that another is suffering and starts considering how to help them.
Two things you can do
- Talk to a child about their feelings.
- Create a story with your child about their experiences and how they felt.
Which takeaway is your favorite? Write it in the comments below.
Resources:
More information about Dr. Dan Siegel, his books and his programs can be found at his website and The Mindsight Institute.
Get the full interview in The Village by Happily Family.
And if you’d like to be on LIVE, while we talk to luminaries like this AND get coaching with Cecilia and Jason, join The Village.