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Kids/Parenting

Empathy at 19 months?

Is it possible for children to be empathetic at nineteen months?

Of course, the question requires a little explanation. (Okay, so maybe it doesn’t require it, but you all want to hear the story, right?)

I’ve mentioned that Hayden’s favorite show is Yo Gabba Gabba!, yes? So naturally, I’ve been taping episodes just in case the virulent people dominating the discussion at Nick Jr.’s Yo Gabba Gabba! message board succeed in taking the show off the air and forever scaring my child.

And, since Yo Gabba Gabba! is the only show he watches, we rewind the tape and watch the show at least three times a day. By now, we’ve watched the “Sleep” episode a total of six times (it also happens to be the first one that we ever watched).

The first three times we watched it without incident. But the last three times, one song in particular really seemed to disturb Hayden. It begins with Muno (“he’s tall and happy”; the red cyclops) tossing and turning. He can’t seem to fall asleep, and is feeling sad and lonely—and whimpering appropriately.

The rocks in Muno land come to life and sing a song with him, telling him to “Think happy thoughts, happy thoughts / That’s what you gotta do. / Think happy thoughts, happy thoughts / and a smile’ll come back to you.” But before that can happen and reassure his friend, Hayden was in tears—full out crying. He calmed down a bit when I (and the second time, Ryan) came to sit with him and sing the happy thoughts song. (The third time I think was influenced by his fever 🙁 .)

So what do you think? Could Hayden be feeling empathy at nineteen months or was it just a really sad song?

Of course, there are many things that Hayden does that are totally normal for a nineteen month old. Like

Hayden covered in ketchup
love hot dogs and ketchup,

Hayden wearing mom shoes
wear mama’s shoes, and

Hayden hamming it up
ham for the camera

Hayden hamming it up again
(a lot).

15 replies on “Empathy at 19 months?”

I’ve seen Becca (also 19 months) get upset when one of her sisters is hurt and she’ll ‘pet’ me if I’m tired or not feeling well. It’s so hard to tell what’s just mimicking us or if they’re really feeling sad or sorry for the other person. It really sounds like Hayden was feeling bad for the character though.

He is just a little cutie – I love all of the photos at the end! 🙂

When Obi-Wan was a toddler his favorite movie was Toy Story and EVERY time he watched it, he would be SOBBING by the end of the scene where Buzz discover’s he isn’t a real person and falls off the banister and breaks. I think little children definitely have empathy.

AWwww…it sounds like he’s sad for the cyclops thingy…tender! We just recently saw the “Party in my Tummy” episode and it completely slays us everytime…way too funny!

Herr Meow and his totes-bestie usually apologize for one another when the other’s been bad, and sometimes they will be mischievous on purpose so they can be in time-out together. They are 21 and 24 months respectively, and they’ve been doing this for a while.

Yep, kids definately have empathy and heaps of other great skills much earlier than we give them credit for. I had my 3 year old daughter hold my hair and rub my back while I puked in the toilet for 45 minutes with a migraine until my husband came home from work. She stayed with me the whole time and kept saying in such a soothing voice “it’s okay mummy, I’ll look after you.”. Then when the baby would cry (then 6 months old), Miss 3 year old would say “I’ll be right back”, she’d run off, do something funny to make her sister stop crying and start laughing, and then she was straight back at my side, holding my hair and rubbing my back again. I should have called her Florence!!

My 19 month old is a normal 19 month old in every way – but she does feel empathy for those that are hurt. So my answer is, Yes!!

Hi. I found this entry by searching “Yo Gabba Gabba Happy Thoughts”. My son (currently about the same age as yours when you wrote this entry), loves this show. I was hoping to find it online somewhere. But alas, nothing there.

Anyway! My son also shows empathy around this age. My oldest did too. I think they start to realize other people have feelings too.

Thanks for the entry! Interesting read!

My daughter of 15 months loves Yo Gabba Gabba. It’s the only show that really gets her involved and dancing. It’s funny you mention the Sleep episode as it’s my personal favorite (sad I know) but when Claire gets really upset I sing that song to her all the time. I also sing to her the “Dreams can take you near, dreams can take you far..” song. And I sit and think to myself, wow, I need to get a life! But honestly, it’s a great show. Those parents that freak out about it need to relax. So what if DJ Lance is too gay to function, I love him! He’s great TV and makes my kid happy!

Just wanted to say that I watch Yo Gabba Gabba with my 3 year old & have been watching it since it came out on Nick Jr. Can I just tell you that this song literally makes me bawl if I am having a bad day and this episode is on? I have no idea why… but I will be singing along & tears start pouring from my eyes. There is definitely something haunting about it… not to say that a 19 month old is depressed and relating to the song in that way, but it makes me wonder how an uplifting song like that can just make people cry? lol

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