Can children be taught empathy

Empathy and compassion are very hard for an adult to learn. These are usually traits that have been instilled in us during our formative years. Compassion can be learned by an adult but it may take them losing something they love before they can see how others may be affected. This can also be devastating so don't try and change someone by this method. When someone feels compassion or empathy it is usually when they have their eyes opened to the needs of others. To see a starving or hurt child usually causes one to feel for that child and this may show compassion. If someone has been told to "suck it up" all their life and "big boys don't cry" then it may be hard for them to shoh compassion. Openly. They still may feel it on the inside but they have been taught to not show it as it may be perceived as a sign of weekness. This is wrong and hopefully in time they will overcome this "handicap". Just because they don't show compassion does not mean that they don't feel it. They could be laughing on the outside and crying in the inside.