Don’t get me wrong—empathy is an absolutely critical skill to teach our children and to make sure they practice. The world is short on empathy, so we need to help our kids step outside of themselves.

But at the same time, <strong>we shouldn’t give them the idea that they can <em>accurately imagine</em> how someone else might feel in any given situation. Suggesting that’s the case implies not only that everyone is like them, but also that it’s the “rightâ€ way to be.</strong> If you personally want a how-to macrame book for Christmas, do you decide that would be the best gift for everyone on your list? Umm, probably not.

Not only do you not want to buy gifts for others based on what you would like best to receive, but discovering the best gift for someone requires that we take the time to really know them. In general, the better you know and understand a person, the easier it is to buy them the perfect gift. In an odd way, gift-giving can be a form of empathy.