Parenting Tip

Overcoming Selfishness With Honor:

Some parents are frustrated because their children are so self-focused that they can't seem to grasp the concept of honoring others.
How can you help children think about other people instead of always thinking about themselves?
One helpful way is to teach kids to recognize emotions in others and then know how to respond accordingly. One way to do this is to work with your child by using a journal to track and make observations about the emotions of others. Every evening ask your child to identify examples of a friend or family member who was sad, mad, or glad that day. Then ask the question, "How might you respond to that person in a helpful way?" Keep track in the journal of your child's answers and work with him/her in coming up with appropriate ways to respond.
Continue this exercise every evening for a couple of weeks. Over time, this should help your child get outside of him/herself, look at the needs and feelings of others, and then respond with honor.
When a brother or sister is mad, it might be best to leave them alone or to just ask a helpful question. With a friend who is sad, help can be offered. When Mom or Dad is glad, the child can enter into that gladness by listening to the story and enjoying the situation too.

The Bible says in Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others better than yourselves."
That's good advice for all of us. Seeing and responding to emotions in others is a great way to start.