Raising emotionally intelligent children: The underlying topic with which many families are dealing. But what do we really mean by children equipped with “emotional intelligence”?
Surely, all parents wish to have to provide their kids with the best opportunities for their future. Therefore, they focus on finding the best alternatives for education life. However, good grades or success in school is not the only factor to consider in child development. Indeed, it is of vital importance for children to learn the ways how to identify and express their feelings. Emotional intelligence simply refers to improving emotional capability. Here, we will give some basic tips to follow in raising emotionally intelligent children.
What Is Emotional Intelligence and Why Is It Important?
Emotional intelligence (EQ) basically deals with understanding and expressing the feelings of their own and others. Developing EQ in childhood addresses various benefits. First, children build strong and valuable relationships with other kids and adults. That way, children also learn how to deal with conflicts and solve problems in their relationships and friendships. Second, EQ ensures higher success in adulthood since social skills (e.g., sharing, cooperating) are learned in childhood. Third, emotional intelligence is directly linked to the development of mental health. The researches demonstrate that a higher level of EQ reduces depression or other mental illnesses. Finally, we can state that EQ significantly contributes to the development of IQ and increase in school grades.
EQ, therefore the concept of raising emotionally intelligent children, comprises of four essential frames. The first is self-management, which refers to managing emotions, controlling feelings, and adapting to changing circumstances. Self-awareness, the second factor, addresses recognizing the emotions, self-reliance, and weaknesses-strengths. The other form of awareness, social awareness, encompasses understanding empathy and group dynamics. Finally, relationship management is about to learn developing and managing value and relationships.
Raising Emotionally Intelligent Children: 5 Basic Tips for Parents
- Tip 1: Recognizing and Identifying Emotions
The first step of raising emotionally intelligent children is being aware of negative and positive emotions. Indeed, consider that even negative feelings are an opportunity to connect with your kid. Children many times do not know how to express their emotions. So, try to develop empathy and better understand them. Children will feel more comfortable when they can manage and demonstrate their feelings.
- Tip 2: Naming Emotions
Allow your children to label the emotions they have recognized. That will help them to easily define what they really feel. Have them sense that you understand whether they are upset, hurt, or disappointed. Let and assist them say all sorts of emotions in words. That would contribute to your efforts in raising emotionally intelligent children.
- Tip 3: Demonstrate Empathy
Put yourself in your children’s shoes and show them that they validate their feelings through empathy. That way, they will tend to show their feelings in more appropriate ways rather than screaming or crying. Moreover, it is important for children to see that you understand their feelings. However, they also have to recognize that accepting all feelings does not mean accepting all behaviors. Sharing your simple observations and ideas with your kid and waiting for an answer is a good way of expression.
- Tip 4: Do Not Judge Expressions
It is crucial to encourage expressing also negative emotions in raising emotionally intelligent children. Accept those emotions as an opportunity for your children to express their true feelings. Besides, try to be a model for your child in how using “feeling” words in daily conversations. Furthermore, do not judge them in case they behave and act in unacceptable ways. That would frustrate them and have them avoid from properly showing emotions.
- Tip 5: Developing Problem Solving Skills
Helping your child in problem solving is another step in raising emotionally intelligent children. After identifying and discovering problems, they will need assistance to find out how to solve problems. They may get angry or upset and may not know how to cope with that situation. You should take the role of a coach rather than a problem-solver. Have them understand that you are on their side and will help to find the solution. Set appropriate limits and tell them why they have to adapt to those limits.
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