Empathy

Empathy is a skill – one that we can cultivate and strengthen with practice. Empathy means that we can imagine what someone else is thinking or feeling and then respond in a caring manner. Seven-year-olds understand that other people have thoughts and feelings that are different than their own, and they can use this knowledge to respond to others in a way that meets their specific needs. They can begin to forecast with more accuracy how specific events and behaviors will affect the feelings of people around them.