Nurturing Empathy and Self-Awareness: “The Love Tank” and Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez

“The Love Tank” was inspired by a conversation with my 3 (almost 4)-year-old daughter.

– Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez

Parents and educators frequently look for efficient ways to develop compassion and empathy in young hearts and minds, as these values are more important than ever in today’s environment. Renowned children’s book author and behavioral scientist Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez, Ph.D., presents a novel and endearing method in her critically acclaimed book “The Love Tank.” Mendoza-Vasconez’s book, which was inspired by a talk she had with her young daughter, has won multiple awards, including the American Book Fest Children’s Mind/Body/Spirit Award and the BREW Children’s Book Excellence Award. Understanding the value of love, compassion, and connection, Mendoza-Vasconez offers insightful advice on raising kids who are kind and empathetic.

At the heart of “The Love Tank” lies a powerful metaphor that resonates with both children and adults alike. Through the concept of a “love tank,” Mendoza-Vasconez skillfully guides young readers in understanding the significance of giving and receiving love. As she explains, the book serves as a tool for addressing difficult questions and topics, such as hurtful behavior and the importance of responding with kindness and compassion. By empowering children to visualize and fill their own love tanks, Mendoza-Vasconez encourages them to cultivate empathy and extend love to others.

As a mother herself, Mendoza-Vasconez draws upon her personal experiences to enrich her storytelling. Motherhood, she attests, has deepened her appreciation for the values of love, compassion, and authenticity—themes that resonate throughout her body of work. Through her books and workshops, she strives to share these essential qualities with parents and caregivers, offering practical tools for fostering empathy and connection in children.

In this exclusive interview, let’s have a closer look at Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez’s thoughts such as on how kindness and compassion can make a profound difference.

TWB: “The Love Tank” addresses important themes of empathy and kindness for young children. What inspired you to create a book specifically tailored to the emotional development of children aged 4-8?

AMV: “The Love Tank” was inspired by a conversation with my 3 (almost 4)-year-old daughter. Sometimes children ask difficult questions and it is really hard to explain why, for example, others may behave hurtfully. I try to explain to my daughter these difficult topics by resorting to imagery. In the case of “The Love Tank,” I was trying to explain why I was sad after hearing about the tragic news of a school shooting. I explained that we all have a love tank inside, which is filled by giving and receiving love. And when our love tank is full, we are able to act kindly and lovingly with others. But when our love tank is empty, it is much harder to be kind and loving. I explained that I was crying because someone with a very empty love tank hurt others and it made me really sad. A few days later, I woke up and the story was in my head, so I wrote it down and eventually published it as a children’s book.

TWB: Building empathy in children is a critical aspect of your book. Can you share some specific strategies or storytelling techniques you employed to effectively convey these concepts in a way that resonates with young readers?

AMV: “The Love Tank” is very personal to me because it was my way to explain a difficult topic to my daughter. Thus, to tell the story, I used the image and voice of a mother who is relaying an important message to her children. I think this resulted in a tender and intimate feeling along with a clear and straight forward message that is easy for children to understand. I also used imagery and, specifically, the metaphor of a love tank to help young children visualize and understand complex concepts like empathy.

TWB: Self-awareness is a key component of your book. How do you approach introducing such a nuanced concept to young children, and what impact do you hope it will have on their emotional intelligence as they grow?

AMV: Self-awareness is so important yet so hard to grasp, even for adults. “The Love Tank” and other books in the “Wholesome Children: Self-Awareness” series aim to equip children (and parents who read the books with their children) with strategies to dive deep within themselves to be able to understand themselves; this includes understanding their thoughts and feelings, their values, their motives, their desires, and their aspirations. I think this understanding can and should be something that we strive to teach to our children from a young age, so that they continue to develop it as they grow. Dreaming big, I hope “The Love Tank” and other books in the series help to foster a generation of individuals who are able to analyze themselves and to act in accordance with their values.

I was over the moon to learn that The Love Tank was recognized with the prestigious BREW Children’s Book Excellence Award.

– Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez

TWB: Illustrations play a vital role in children’s books. Can you discuss the collaboration with the illustrator and the decisions made to visually enhance the storytelling and convey the messages of empathy and kindness?

AMV: I am so grateful to be able to work with Rita Nilson on these books. I explored collaborations with different illustrators, and Rita was a perfect fit. Not only is she an amazing artist, but she is also a mother and she has a sensitive and kind soul. Thus, she perfectly understood the intimate and tender feeling that I wanted to convey with “The Love Tank” and the other books in the “Wholesome Children: Self-Awareness” series. Regarding our collaboration, we usually discuss ideas before she starts creating a storyboard. Sometimes I will quickly sketch things that I have in mind and send sketches to her; she then takes those ideas and runs with them, adding her beautiful artistic touch. I think some important decisions that we made to convey the messages of empathy and kindness, as well as to maintain the feeling of tenderness that I was hoping for, include the color palette and the inclusion of the figure of the mother who is relating messages to her children.

TWB: “The Love Tank” has the potential to be a valuable resource in educational settings. Have you received any feedback from teachers, parents, or educators about the impact of your book on children’s understanding of empathy and self-awareness?

AMV: “The Love Tank” has received heartwarming reviews by educators and parents, detailing how the book has had an impact on their children. Some of my favorite reviews mention very young children who, after reading the book, start brainstorming how they could help other people in their lives to fill their love tank, or simply turn around and hug their parents stating that their love tank is full. The book has also helped parents and educators to discuss difficult situations such as bullying. I have been humbled and honored, as I feel that “The Love Tank” is already making a difference!

@twbmagazine

Multi-award-winning author of “The Love Tank,” Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez, talks about nurturing compassion in young minds in this exclusive interview on The World’s Best Magazine’s Prime Perspectives. theworldsbest theworldsbestmagazine awardwinning awardwinner viral viraltiktok like trending fyp fy

♬ original sound – The World’s Best Magazine – The World’s Best Magazine

TWB: Your book received the prestigious BREW Children’s Book Excellence Award. How did you feel when you learned about this recognition, and how has it impacted your writing career?

AMV: I was over the moon to learn that The Love Tank was recognized with the prestigious BREW Children’s Book Excellence Award and with various other awards during the first few months after its publication. Again, I am humbled and honored that the book is being recognized as deserving of these awards, and I am excited to see where it goes next. I think this and other prestigious awards will help the book to continue gaining recognition, and I am hoping the messages in “The Love Tank” reach far and wide. I am eager to spread love, empathy and kindness throughout the world through my writing. ⭐

Self-awareness is so important yet so hard to grasp, even for adults.

– Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez

Get a copy of “The Love Tank” by Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez by clicking here.

For more information about the BREW Book, Blog, and Poetry Awards, click here.

You can also find Andrea and her book on the March 2024 Edition of The World’s Best Magazine.

Join the conversation! After reading Andrea Mendoza-Vasconez’s inspiring interview, we invite you to share your thoughts and reflections in the comments below.

What resonated with you most about Andrea’s approach to nurturing empathy and kindness in children through “The Love Tank”?

How do you incorporate themes of love, compassion, and connection into your interactions with children?

What other resources or strategies do you find effective in teaching children the value of empathy and compassion?

We look forward to hearing from you!

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