Empathy is the ability to identify with another person’s feelings. The ability to see and feel things as others see and feel them is central to competent parenting and successful social relationships in all stages of life.
Lovelace Labor of Love is proud to support Roots of Empathy, a curriculum for elementary school children that teaches empathy, social and emotional skills, and reduces aggression.
Initiated in 1996, Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based program where school-aged children are taught how to identify feelings in others. By raising their emotional IQ and stimulating empathy, bullying and other forms of aggression have decreased, program coordinators report. A mother and baby are invited into the classroom with the Roots of Empathy instructor. Over the course of the school year, children observe the baby's development and begin to label the baby's feelings and intentions. In this manner the baby is the teacher and helps children understand their own feelings and the feelings of others. The children do not touch the baby during these sessions and Mom always remains with her infant. Children are taught how to protect babies from harm and spread the news in their communities about potential dangers such as second-hand smoke, shaken baby syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, back-to-sleep and more.
At the end of the experience, children share their wishes for the baby:
“I wish that Jade will be loved and stay safe.”
~ Eight-year-old student
“I wish that Madelyn would smile forever and never stop smiling. Her smile would cheer up the world.”
~ 11-year-old student
“I wish for Sashca to never give up on anything.”
~ 12-year-old student
“Courtney, here’s my wish for you: Forgive your own mistakes.”
~ Nine-year-old student
“My wish for Jordan is that he can be nice to people and help them. I wish that he can help people when they are sick to get better.”
~ Five-year-old student
The Roots of Empathy team in Albuquerque is seeking moms with babies born in May, June or July of 2016. The baby needs to be two to four months old when the program begins in September. Mom and baby need to commit to attending the classroom program for the school year one or more times a month. After program completion, Mom and baby may receive a gift card as a thank you for participation.
If you would like more information, contact Labor of Love at 505.727.7677 or by email. You may also contact Roots of Empathy directly by contacting Courtney Custer at 505.301.3036.
This blog was written by Kymba Halliday Clear, RN, CCRN-K, manager of Labor of Love and outpatient programs at Lovelace Women’s Hospital.