Daisy the Dolphin’s Big Heart: A Story About Empathy
In a sparkling blue ocean, far beneath the waves, there lived many wonderful sea creatures. Among them was a cheerful dolphin named Daisy. Daisy loved to swim around the coral reefs and play with her friends. But what made Daisy special wasn’t just her graceful flips or her bright, shiny smile. Daisy had a big heart. She could tell when one of her friends was feeling sad or worried, even if they didn’t say a word.
However, Daisy’s ability to feel other animals’ emotions wasn’t so much of a supernatural gift – she just paid attention to what was happening in their lives, and she always asked herself how she would feel if she were in their place.
One day, Daisy was playing and swimming around the reef with her friends Coral the Clownfish, Sammy the Seal, and Tina the Turtle. Although all her friends had smiles on their faces and genuinely enjoyed the play, Daisy was aware that each of them had their own worries and challenges, so she tried to be extra kind to everyone.
Coral, who had arrived in their waters just two days ago, was still feeling a little bit shy, so Daisy paid special attention to her, wanting to make her feel welcome. Sammy’s dad had just gone on a trip in colder waters, and he wouldn’t be back for another couple of weeks, so Sammy was feeling a little bit lonely and sad. Although Daisy knew she couldn’t replace Sammy’s dad, she tried to support her friend and cheer him up whenever she could. Tina, on the other hand, attended special classes about history, and she had an important test tomorrow. Although Tina had studied hard, she was still worried about the outcome, so Daisy did her best to help Tina relax and get her to think positively. And so, Daisy was always there to support her friends with some gentle encouragement, understanding, and sympathy.
Living not too far away was an octopus named Olivia. Olivia was very different from Daisy. While Daisy loved thinking about others, Olivia was always busy thinking about herself, her problems, and what she needed. She often grumbled and complained, and it seemed like nothing ever made her happy. She lived in a cozy cave, but she dreamt of going to warmer waters because she thought her life would be better there.
One day, as Daisy was swimming along, she saw her friend, Sandy the Seahorse, looking a little down. ‘‘Good morning, Sandy! What’s wrong?’’ she asked, her voice soft and caring.
Sandy sighed and twirled her little tail nervously. ‘‘Oh, Daisy, I’m having a birthday party this weekend, and I’m so worried that it won’t be perfect. What if no one has fun? What if the games aren’t exciting enough? What if the cake is too small?’’
Daisy swam closer and nuzzled Sandy gently. ‘‘Don’t worry, Sandy. Your party will be wonderful! Everyone loves you, and they’re going to have so much
fun just being with you. And if anything goes wrong, I’ll be right there to help.’’
Sandy smiled, feeling a little better. ‘‘Thanks, Daisy. I’m so glad you’ll be there.’’
Finally, the day of Sandy’s birthday arrived. The sun was shining brightly through the water, and all the sea creatures were excited. Everyone swam to Sandy’s special party spot, where colorful seaweed streamers waved in the gentle current, and tiny bubbles floated up from the sandy floor. Daisy arrived early to help Sandy set up. She noticed that Sandy was still a little nervous, so she smiled and said, ‘‘Sandy, everything looks beautiful! Everyone is going to have so much fun. Just relax and enjoy your day.’’
Sandy took a deep breath and smiled back. ‘‘Thank you, Daisy. I feel much better with you here.’’ Soon, all of Sandy’s friends arrived. There were starfish, crabs, turtles, seals, and fish of all colors. They laughed and played, and Sandy started to relax and enjoy her party.
But when Olivia arrived, things took a different turn. As soon as Olivia swam in, she looked around and frowned. ‘‘I’m so hungry, but the food
doesn’t look very good,’’ she said loudly. ‘‘And why is the music so boring? I thought this was supposed to be a fun party! I really need to relax and
enjoy tonight; I’m under so much stress already!’’
Sandy’s smile faded a little, and she looked down at the sand. She had worked so hard to make everything nice, and Olivia’s words hurt her feelings.
Daisy quickly swam over to Sandy’s side. ‘‘Don’t listen to her, Sandy,’’ she whispered.
‘‘Your party is wonderful, and everyone else is having a great time.’’
Throughout the party, Olivia kept talking about her own problems. She complained about her cave, as usual, and even how some of her family members annoyed her. She didn’t notice that Sandy was starting to look more and more upset or that Daisy was quietly comforting her friend.
...
At the start of the story, Daisy recognized how her friends were feeling in their own challenging situations, so she was extra kind to them. How
do you think people feel when they: a) are new at school, b) lose their favorite toy, c) get left out of a game, d) have to say goodbye to a loved one going on a trip, e) don’t do well on a test, f) get a new sibling? (This question encourages readers to consider a range of common situations that might evoke different emotions, helping them practice empathy by imagining how others might feel in each scenario.)