We all want our kids to grow into moral citizens, but getting there is complex. One way is to impart the notion of compassion, which seems like a good idea, but the path is not so certain. Whether it can be effectively taught, or modelled is open to scrutiny. And then, there’s a lingering suspicion—from the Stoics to Kant—that emotion should not get in the way of sound moral decision-making. Laura D'Olimpio weighs it up.