This is the All Pro Dad podcast, where in each episode, dads of all ages dive into just one question. Today, we ask, “Why should I get good at empathy?”

Empathy seems to be lacking in our world. In his song The News, popular performer Jack Johnson sings, “Why don’t the newscasters cry when they read about people who die? At least they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eyes.” In today’s episode, Bobby Lewis and Ted Lowe discuss why “empathy is the way” in our relationships, especially with our kids.  

Ted has written multiple books on family and marriage and speaks frequently around the country. The topic of empathy comes up often in his talks. It’s a key attitude to master as a parent and spouse because it shows the people around you that you care.

You may not practice empathy as often as you’d like. That’s OK. Work on it! Practice empathy by trying to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. That’s the essence of empathy, and it’s something Ted unpacks during this episode. His three-sentence “cheat sheet” to help dads increase their level of empathy is “I see you. I get you. I got you.” Here’s how you can put this into practice:

“I see you.”
Look the other person in the face. Eye contact makes a huge neurological difference and connects people.

“I get you.”
This is acknowledging the emotions in the topic. A great way to actively express this is to tell others  that “that’s understandable” when they tell you how they feel.

“I got you.”
Commit to always having your family’s back. We change things to make sure they know we support them.

Today’s Pro Move: Practice empathy this week by choosing to look people in the eyes when you’re interacting.