Character Champions: Flaming Lights Mom & Child Spotlight
Nurturing Kindness One Small Act At A Time
Asha Reed is a wife, mother, singer, musician, and a dedicated woman of faith. With over a decade of experience as a board-certified music therapist, she has worked with individuals with special needs and those in hospice care through organizations like Southwestern Music Therapy LLC, Scoggins, and Seasons Hospice. Asha holds a Bachelor of Science from Texas Woman’s University and a master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She also spent nine years as a special education teacher, pouring her heart into shaping lives.
Beyond her professional work, Asha is an adventurer at heart—whether she’s skydiving, cycling, or indulging in her love for great food. A passionate reader, she finds joy in stories that inspire and uplift. Above all, she lives by faith over fear, believing in the power of love and empathy—values she instills in her children.
Her six-year-old son, Ace, is a shining example of those values in action. A straight-A student who reads above grade level, Ace speaks with a wisdom beyond his years and can hold intelligent conversations with adults. He’s a devoted big brother who adores his baby sister and shows extraordinary kindness to his friends and family. A star flag football player with dreams of becoming an airplane pilot, Ace’s love for reading and his boundless curiosity make him a true standout.
Asha and Ace reside in North Texas, where their journey of faith, love, and learning continues to inspire those around them. Stay tuned for a heartwarming story about Ace’s exemplary empathy and the impact of his bright, compassionate spirit.
Raising an Empathetic Child: A Parent’s Perspective
1. Asha, what inspired you to focus on teaching empathy to your child?
Working with children in school and medical settings, I’ve witnessed firsthand how much the world has changed—especially since the pandemic. Isolation made many people more self-focused, and I didn’t want my son to develop that mindset. Instead, I wanted to nurture his ability to connect with others, recognize emotions in those around him, and respond with kindness. Understanding people on a deeper level leads to stronger relationships and more meaningful interactions, and that’s a gift I want him to carry through life.
2. Can you share a specific moment when your child demonstrated exceptional empathy?
Ace has always been a people person—he’d rather spend time with family and friends than play alone, no matter how many toys he has. One day, a friend came over, and I knew his family was struggling financially. While they played, I was quietly putting together a care bag in the kitchen for him to take home. Without any prompting, Ace disappeared into his room before the boy’s mom arrived. When he came back, he had a small bag filled with toys his friend had admired, some candy, and—most touching of all—Ace’s favorite airplane. He simply said, “I want him to have something cool to make him happy.”
What struck me the most was that I had never told Ace about his friend’s situation—he just noticed, understood, and acted. That moment showed me that empathy isn’t just something we teach; it’s something our children internalize and express in their own beautiful ways.
3. What daily practices or activities do you use to nurture this quality at home?
Every day, we take time to pray for specific people—family members, classmates, teachers, and even strangers who may be struggling. We talk about gratitude and how we can use our blessings to help others. I often ask Ace, “How can you be a blessing to someone today?” These moments create natural opportunities for him to think about others in a way that resonates with his world.
It’s also a reminder that what matters to adults doesn’t always matter to kids—and vice versa! Sometimes, their way of showing kindness looks different from ours, but it’s still just as powerful.
4. How do you handle situations where your child struggles to understand another person’s perspective?
At this age, kids are naturally curious and open to learning. Instead of giving long lectures (which I know will lose his attention), I keep our conversations short and meaningful—usually during car rides or while grocery shopping. I make it a point to see things from his perspective first before guiding him toward a broader understanding.
More than anything, Ace learns by watching. He picks up on acts of kindness and sees how people respond. Seeing empathy in action makes a stronger impression than any explanation ever could.
5. What advice would you give to other parents who want to raise empathetic children?
Keep communication open—really open. Be ready for all the questions (because there will be a lot of them!) and answer with honesty and patience. More importantly, model the behavior you want to see in your child. Show love in action, talk about feelings, and help them connect the dots between choices and consequences.
Empathy isn’t something we can force; it’s something we nurture. When children feel seen, heard, and loved, they naturally extend that same kindness to others.
