I easily empathize with children, but not always with adults.
This is a little off topic, but I think empathy needs to be taught. 8 year old Onna and I went through the McD’s drive through to get hash browns and milkshakes for the hoards waiting at home. The young man who gave us the shakes asked us to go park in #4, which is where you go when they are making fresh food so you don’t hold up the line.
He had a pretty pronounced stutter. I waited patiently for him to finish his sentence, although I knew in the first ½ second what he was trying to convey, then thanked him and pulled off.
From the back seat Onna said, “He said ‘Can y-y-y-y-ou p-p-p-p-ull over t-t-t-t-o f-f-f-f-four?’ ”
I said,“He has a stutter, Onna. Lots of people do. And it’s something we do not point out because they are very aware that they stutter and pointing it out would be embarrassing to them. Think about it it….how would you feel if you had a stutter and people talked about it?”
She said she’d feel bad and embarrassed.
I said, “Right. Always, always try to put yourself in other people’s shoes. Don’t stare at people in wheel chairs, things like that. Be kind to everyone.”