Learning to be supportive

Educating children to be in solidarity is not a trivial or secondary issue in their formation: solidarity implies empathy, generosity and sensitivity, vital aspects that children must assimilate to learn to live in society. There are more and more selfish children who only look for and for them. To change this attitude, children have to perceive that parents are aware of other people.

The human being is a social being by nature and must learn to live, to coexist and to relate within society. This implies that you can not be individualistic or selfish because it would be difficult to favor this socialization. It is important, for learn to be supportive, empower children in solidarity and the ability to think about others.


The boy does not learn to be supportive until two years since, until then, the interaction with the rest is for the search of the own satisfaction. After two years, they begin to consider the other as someone different. It is difficult to talk about empathy before these ages, but it is certainly the right time to start developing the ability to think about others.

Guidelines for teaching solidarity to children from 2 years old

There are more and more activities and events that promote solidarity promoted by the media or by non-profit organizations that carry out campaigns in favor of different causes. It could be thought that solidarity is very present in the lives of children, however, does not come to impregnate their lifestyles.


- Individualism. It is reflected in young children due to family overprotection. Today, parents want to see their children suffer as little as possible. As a result of this, children are accustomed to always having someone to look after them, to be the protagonists constantly, so they never stop to think about others.

- The example of the parents. The family plays a very important role in making solidarity a part of the life of each of their children. As in all educational aspects, the example of parents should be the first guideline to take into account. They have to perceive that we are aware of other people, that we care about how others are, that we ask about others, that we try to help, to share our time, effort, resources, etc. This must be part of the day to day of the family as something natural and proper to the home.


- Time. This also implies having the ability to put our things aside to devote your time and effort to others, not constantly talking about what you are worried, thinking and feeling, but being able to ask for others, transmit the concern you have for others and help others. This type of behavior does not have to be directed exclusively to people we do not know or to people who may seem most in need, but also to the family itself.

- The virtues intimately related to solidarity are generosity, resilience or ability to overcome periods of emotional pain or traumas, kindness, loyalty, etc. But to transmit the virtues, you have to have them and live them, so the role of parents is essential to educate solidarity.

Small works of solidarity that children can perform

But what activities can a child of these ages exercise to assimilate and practice solidarity? Since we are talking about young children, it is best to start with small works that they will have to assimilate:
- Greet others.
- Ask how the other is and if you need help.
- Share what they have with other children, classmates, friends, relatives * Not only what they have left but everything they have, even what they like the most.
- Accustomed to thinking about what others may need of themselves.
- Help others as an act of generosity, without expecting anything in return.

All these types of activities are easier to promote working in groups. In the case of families with several siblings, one can think of family activities to enhance solidarity, such as visiting sick people, going to soup kitchens, each of them being responsible for helping other family members (accompany the small brother to extracurricular activities *). In the case of smaller families, in which there are not so many members, it will be easier to learn solidarity by participating in activities outside the academic environment: social groups, leisure time clubs, sports clubs, etc.

Currently, a task that many families leave pending is to teach them to be in solidarity with their own parents. We are very used to parents being the ones who give themselves 100% to their children.This is really positive but, some children grow up thinking that only parents are the ones who have to be aware of them and do not develop the ability to think that parents also need their children.

Conchita Requero
Advisor: María Campo. Director Centros Educativos Kimba

Video: Designing Supportive Learning Environments


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