How parents can use coronavirus to teach kids about compassion

When the world feels dark, teach kids to make it lighter

A house.
(Image credit: Illustrated | iStock)

The global coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of families to cancel plans, stay home from work and school, and self-quarantine together. This can be frustrating and boring for lots of us, and especially for children. But it presents a good opportunity to teach kids about social responsibility, and how their own seemingly small acts of sacrifice and kindness — from washing hands and staying home, to volunteering for those in need — can improve the lives of many, many others.

"This is perhaps the greatest opportunity in decades to teach children about life's delicate balance between looking out for ourselves and doing what we want, and looking out for others and doing what is best for the country," says Mike Erwin, the co-founder and chairman of The Positivity Project, which partners with educators to help them empower young people through positive relationships.

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Claire Gillespie

Claire Gillespie is a freelance writer with bylines on Health, SELF, Refinery29, Glamour, The Washington Post, and many more. She likes to write about parenting, health, and culture. She lives in Scotland with her husband and six kids, where she uses every (rare) spare moment to work on her novel.