MSI Press Blog

  Empathy doesn’t arrive fully formed. It grows quietly, through the way children are treated and the way they see others treated. You can’t force it, but you can plant it — in the soil of daily life, where kindness and awareness take root. Children learn empathy by watching how adults respond to emotion. When they see you pause instead of react, listen instead of dismiss, comfort instead of correct, they begin to understand what care looks like. They notice tone, timing, and the small gestures that say, “I see you.” Empathy deepens when children are allowed to feel their own emotions without being rushed past them. A child who’s comforted when sad learns how to comfort others. A child who’s respected when angry learns that feelings don’t make someone bad — they make someone human. It also grows through stories and shared experiences. Reading about lives different from their own, helping with small acts of service, noticing when someone is left out — these moments teach perspective...

  The Overlap Between Feeling and Meaning Emotional intelligence (EQ) and spirituality may seem like separate domains—one psychological, the other transcendent—but they share a common goal: understanding the self and connecting meaningfully with others. Both cultivate awareness, empathy, and peace. Where EQ teaches us to manage emotions wisely, spirituality teaches us to see those emotions as part of a larger human experience. Shared Foundations Self-awareness: Emotional intelligence begins with recognizing what we feel and why. Spirituality deepens that awareness by asking what those feelings reveal about our values and purpose. Empathy and compassion: EQ helps us sense others’ emotions; spirituality invites us to respond with compassion rather than judgment. Mindfulness and presence: Both encourage living in the moment—EQ through emotional regulation, spirituality through practices like meditation or prayer. Transcending ego: Emotional maturity and spiritual growth both requi...

  Today's tip for parents from two talented teachers comes from  365 Teacher Secrets for Parents  by Cindy McKinley Alder and Patti Trombly.                                                   #149 Move Over, Dear Abby   He that never changes his opinions, never corrects his mistakes, will never be wiser on the morrow than he is today. ~Tyron Edwards   Many times your child has probably come to you with a problem or question in which he needs your opinion or advice. Today, try asking your child for his opinion on something. Depending on his age, choose a real situation in your life that you could ask his opinion about. It could be very simple or more complex such as, “I was really bothered by the way the repair man talked to me today in the shop. I’m thinking of calling his superior. What do you think?” Giving advice and hav...