Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.
– Mohsin Hamid, Pakistani British novelist

Jennifer Lehnertz, in an article that’s the foundation for an Exchange Reflections, provides an idea that can transform classroom birthday celebrations to heartfelt opportunities for children to care for each other. Lehnertz describes her journey of developing a birthday committee at her program, and empowering children to design and carry out celebrations for classmates. She explains:

“At an age when children are inherently focused on themselves, a unique opportunity arises for them to venture into the realm of alternative perspectives, honing their ability to prioritize the desires and necessities of others…

“The birthday committee serves as a valuable lesson in resourcefulness for the children. Our approach strictly avoids purchasing external items, relying solely on the materials available to them. While the children often come up with inventive suggestions, occasionally a gentle nudge from the teacher is required to guide them toward more realistic solutions. I recall a specific instance involving a child who loved horses. Amidst the brainstorming, one child suggested we get her a pony. While I celebrated the idea, I told them that it would not be possible to gift her a pony. However, one of her classmates noted how much this student liked to play with the horse figurines in class. So I asked, ‘What could we use the horses for?’ Ultimately, the birthday committee decided to use blocks to build a ‘horse play land’ complete with food, a slide, and even a resting area for the horses that became tired.

“When ideas, planning, and execution stem from the children themselves, they experience an inherent sense of pride in having achieved so much. They genuinely believe that they have contributed positively to someone’s well-being.”