Don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes is an adage that rings true in many social scenarios. We often invoke this quote while defending victims of unjust criticism.
But if we cared to dig deeper, we’d realize that those with a penchant for judging others equally deserve our love and attention. Instead of telling them off with a straight face, we can help them nurture important social skills like perspective taking.
Like most soft skills, perspective taking is best taught right from the cradle. Our kids should grow up knowing better than to criticize before they’ve viewed things from different lenses.
Here’s a definitive guide to perspective taking and its significance for your little ones.
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What Is Perspective Taking?
Perspective taking is the act or art of perceiving a situation or problem from different viewpoints to understand it better. The skill allows children to carefully interpret and tactfully respond to other people’s thoughts and emotions rather than simply react to them.
Through perspective taking, your little ones can get into your mind and understand the justifications behind your actions or statements. Instead of throwing tantrums all day long because you raised your voice to them last evening, they’ll figure out that you were probably stressed out after a long workday.
However, perspective-taking isn’t only beneficial for children. It’s also among the most in-demand soft skills in the corporate world. Taking a colleague’s perspective can help minimize workplace conflicts, improve interpersonal relationships, and foster a healthy work environment.
Why Teach Your Kids Perspective Taking?
- It Helps Develop Empathy
Empathy is the ability to patiently listen to others and respond appropriately to their emotional needs.
However, it can be challenging for kids to develop empathy without perspective taking.
Assuming the perspective of other kids allows your little ones to rationalize certain behaviors that they would ordinarily confront with heavy criticism. This can help foster meaningful relationships and avert conflicts at home or school.
- It Helps Nurture Patience and Tolerance
It’s only human to overreact occasionally. After having a stressful day in the office, the last thing you want is to come back to an untidy home. Certainly not when you had left clear instructions on who’s to do what.
Now, swap roles with your teenage college-going daughter versus her younger middle school siblings.
If the teenage girl was properly taught perspective taking, she’d be patient enough not to overreact even if she discovers that her instructions were blatantly ignored. Instead, she’ll engage her siblings in a deep conversation to discover why they didn’t perform their assigned chores.
- It Helps Kids Appreciate Diverse Emotions and Experiences
It’s impossible to have everyone’s thoughts perfectly aligned. Sometimes, certain household members are happy and upbeat, as others feel down and despondent.
A child who has mastered the art of perspective thinking will not go flaunting their impressive academic achievements to their sibling who emerged with less-than-average scores. They’d rather suppress their happiness and share the other child’s sadness.
Perspective taking is all about acknowledging the fluidity of human emotions. It reminds children that most things in life exist in contrasts, and we experience both extremes sooner or later.
- Your Kids Will Need It in the Future
As already hinted, perspective taking is one of the most sought-after soft skills in corporate landscapes. It ranks alongside other essential life skills like communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence.
No employer wants their workplace to be reduced to a conflict resolution organization. As such, they’re looking for staffers who can smartly navigate common workplace challenges rather than escalate every little misunderstanding to their line supervisors.
Teaching your children perspective taking isn’t just crucial in their day-to-day interactions. The skill may save the day when your kids are finally old enough to apply for employment. It may be the one extra incentive that a recruiter is looking for in a pile of resumes.
Tips for Teaching Your Children Perspective Taking
- Create a Safe Environment
A safe environment encourages open communication among children. It also creates a sense of belonging, reminding everyone they’re part of a larger group with shared interests and missions.
A classroom is an excellent, safe environment, as no specific child claims it. But if you’re teaching your little one's perspective at home, you must find a neutral spot associated with no particular child.
- Practice Role Playing Games
Role playing games are central to the success of perspective taking training. These games involve assigning different roles to children and then asking each kid to dramatize scenarios from different perspectives.
There are numerous role playing games you can line up for your next perspective taking training session. Just be sure to pick an activity based on the participants’ age, interest, and intelligence level.
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Wrap Up
Perspective taking is a critical life skill that can help your children navigate complex and challenging social situations. By mastering this talent, your kids will quickly empathize with others and be slow to chastise them.
Kids who can take on different perspectives also tend to be excellent listeners and communicators. They know when it’s best to express their mind and when it’s safer to bottle up their emotions, which can be critical in averting potentially confrontational situations.
If you’re planning to enroll your children in a social skills training program, be sure to have perspective training at the top of the list.