Discovering YOU Magazine July 2017 | Page 7

DID YOU KNOW?

Experts Say, “It's Never Too Early

to Teach Compassion

and Empathy to Children”.

Article by The Jenson Project

(BPT) - The news is filled with articles about the opinions and attitudes of the millennial generation and now, Generation Z. But what about the youngest generation - youths 4-9 years old? These children are growing up in a time of unprecedented access to information, when civility, kindness and compassion have taken a back seat to bullying and violence. Experts say, “It is more important now than ever for parents to seek learning moments in which children can experience compassion and empathy”.

The Jensen Project is a program designed to foster compassion, inspiration and courage in young people as a path to avoiding the bullying and sexual harassment prevalent on college campuses.. The program examines the attitudes and opinions of young people

with the goal of inspiring a gentler, kinder, more empathetic dimension in their lives.

Janet Jensen, founder of The Jensen Project, says, "Children are at their most vulnerable when they are forming their social skills. They are a reflection of what they see and hear around them. Parents, educators and media influencers need to take extra care to teach compassion and courage at an early age."

".... bullying is becoming a critical issue at a younger

age and must be addressed ...." proactively

Recent research conducted by YouthBeat and commissioned by The Jensen Project, asked youths ages 4-9 if they thought the world would be a better place when they grow up. Forty-one percent said yes, while 38 percent felt the world would be the same or worse.

In an alarming statement about what stresses them the most, death and bullying each rose to the top third of concerns after family and school issues. Experts agree bullying is becoming a

: Children should learn empathy and compassion at an early age according to The Jensen Project.