Relationship Repair Guide

Teaching Empathy for Restoring Connections

Adult Session

Time

45 Minutes

Objective

Guide children in restoring relationships through empathy.

Approach

Experiential learning & reflective modeling.

Why This Matters

This lesson equips adults with strategies to teach children how to restore relationships after negative interactions. By focusing on empathy and understanding, adults learn how to guide children in resolving conflicts and rebuilding trust. This empowers educators and caregivers to foster a supportive environment where children can learn essential social-emotional skills.

Required Materials

Restoration Roadmap Slides
Conflict Bridge Cards (Role-playing)
Empathy Action Worksheet
Empathy Dialogue Guide
Post-it notes & Pens

Facilitator Tip

"Remember that empathy is a muscle. As you guide adults, remind them that their role is not just to fix the problem, but to help the child 'see' the other person's perspective. Your own modeling of empathy during this session is the best teaching tool."

Instructional Sequence

1

Introduction

5 MINS

Open with a hook: "Why is an apology sometimes not enough?"
Discuss the importance of empathy in restoring relationships.
Share examples of how understanding feelings helps resolve conflict.
Use Restoration Roadmap Slides to define empathy in this context.

2

Conflict Bridge Role-Play

15 MINS

Divide participants into small groups of 3-4.
Distribute Conflict Bridge Cards (negative interactions).
Task: One person plays the 'child' who caused hurt, one plays the 'hurt child', and one plays the 'adult' facilitator.
Emphasis: Use the cards to guide the 'adult' in facilitating an empathetic exchange rather than a forced apology.

3

Group Reflection

10 MINS

Reconvene to discuss the role-playing experience.
Use the Empathy Dialogue Guide to prompt deeper conversation.
Focus on common obstacles (e.g., child resistance) and how to overcome them.
Review slides for pedagogical insights on experiential learning.

4

Empathy Action Planning

10 MINS

Distribute the Empathy Action Worksheet.
Participants reflect on past situations and plan for future interactions.
Encourage specific language choices for teaching children perspective-taking.

5

Closing Strategy

5 MINS

"One Word/One Strategy": Each participant shares one actionable takeaway.
Summarize key principles using the final slide.
Call to Action: Commit to practicing one restorative script this week.

Relationship Repair Guide

Relationship Repair Lesson Plan

Empathy Dialogue Guide

Empathy Action Worksheet

Restoration Roadmap Slides

Conflict Bridge Cards

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