<\/p>\n
Mom is sitting with her 18-month-old son, sharing a wordless storybook. \u201cLook,\u201d she laughs. \u201cThe little boy is so happy. He\u2019s licking an ice cream.\u201d Then, as they turn the page together, things go awry. \u201cOh no!\u201d laments Mom. \u201cHe\u2019s fallen over and dropped his ice cream on the ground.\u201d She begins to explore the emotions of the scene: \u201cThe poor little boy! Now, he\u2019s so sad and crying. Shall we give him a kiss and make him feel better?\u201d Together, they pick up the book and each place a kiss on the image of the weeping child.<\/p>\n
This is an everyday scene that any parent might enact at bedtime\u2014Mom or Dad leads a child through vicarious experiences in a story, giving words to tales of other people, perhaps explaining the characters\u2019 feelings and sharing ways to care. In my research with Emily Newton, we\u2019ve used such storybook exercises to explore whether explaining such emotional landscapes to young children is connected with them acting in helpful, kind and considerate \u2013 \u201cprosocial\u201d \u2013 ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cTalking brings clarity to the child, throwing light on what other people need and why. It puts rich words into their minds at an age when they\u2019re fascinated with the feelings and needs of others but may struggle to understand what\u2019s going on and what to do.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
We\u2019ve found that narrating others\u2019 needs and emotions can help to shape young children\u2019s prosocial skills, building their capacity to appreciate and help others. In everyday life, such narration might be as simple as saying, for example: \u201cIs Daddy trying to find his keys? Shall we help him, so he can go and do the shopping?\u201d Or when a sibling is upset and needs help, a parent might provide words to describe how the sibling is feeling and help the toddler know what he or she can do to make the sibling feel better.<\/p>\n