In order for a child to demonstrate appropriate empathetic behavior towards someone else, he must fully understand the broad range of emotions he feels on a daily basis, appreciate that other people might have different feelings than his own, be able to put himself in another person’s shoes and understand how they might be feeling, and choose an appropriate response. He must also have a certain degree of self-awareness and self-control so that he can put someone else’s emotions before his own.

As you can imagine, developing empathy in kids is definitely not something that happens overnight, and while some people grow up to be more compassionate than others, research suggests our experiences can either help or hinder our ability to empathize with others, and that parents and caregivers play a pivotal role in teaching compassion to kids.