...the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner ; also : the capacity for this

Maybe empathy might have first been evident in her reaction to others being unhappy with her actions, but last night, we had stronger proof of empathy growing as an emotion.

Each day, one of the highlights of the day... past the going to work, earning a good salary, and the adventures of a commute both ways, I get to come home, spend a little time with the little girl, maybe go get mail, possibly a bath, and sit down and read a couple books with the little girl in my lap.

Of the different books that she cycles through her favorites is one called Going on a Bear Hunt where a family goes through a variety of different outdoor terrains in their quest to find a bear. Once they find the bear, they are scared and run back through the snow, grass, forrest, etc to get back home, where they close the door and run upstairs and hide under the covers.

On the last page, it shows a bear walking away on a beach, subjectively described as dejected and alone by Bethy and I.

apparently empathy as an emotion is starting to grow with her. As

bear was going home, alone and possibly sad. Bethy, who sits opposite of us while I read(she sits in my lap facing outward) noticed that she had a sad face, which slowly turned into a frown, and continued to progress into tears and sobbing for the bear who was going home alone. Bethy tried to console her by letting her put a sticker of "backpack" into the page of the book with the bear to keep him company, but apparently to little effect.


As I sat in the next room working a little bit, I could hear the crying continue.


What are we supposed to do with these emotions? How are we supposed to teach and cultivate them? Discipline is already a very tough situation to deal with, helping her understand and experience emotions is going to be yet another interesting and fun journey.