It is easier to raise strong children than repair broken men or women. Parents were placed in their children’s lives to make them happy. Mum has always been seen as the parent who provides much love as they nurture their kids, while dads are more disciplinarians and breadwinners.
We need to teach children the importance of compassion and connecting to others. Emotional intelligence is a great aspect of bringing up a child. They should understand how to express their emotions as well as respond to other person’s emotions.
Importance of Emotional Intelligence
Research shows that emotionally intelligent kids become successful in life and are generally happy. If there are two main things entrepreneurs and business leaders talk is about developing emotional intelligence in raising the next generation of leaders. Therefore, emotional intelligence is important because
- Better relationships. Emotional intelligence helps your child develop deep friendships and the ability to solve conflicts
- . More so, adults who have high EQ have better relationships in both their professional and personal lives
- High EQ translates to high IQ. Children who can express themselves well and ask instead of only listening tend to perform well academically.
- Good Mental health. Children with high emotional intelligence are less likely to experience mental illness and depression.
- Some studies have also linked childhood EQ to high success in adulthood. The study published in a journal found that children with strong emotional skills in kindergarten predicted lifelong success.
- Your child can stand and speak for themselves even when you are not there. Emotional intelligence teaches your child how to relate with others, express themselves, and manage their feelings.
Emotional intelligence is a set of important skills that your child can start learning even at a young age. Here are some tips for raising emotionally intelligent children.
Tips on raising emotionally intelligent kids
1. Give room for expression
Sometimes it is difficult for the child to differentiate between themselves and their emotions. Rather than shaming a child, accept their emotions. Disapproving anger from a child will not end the feeling. Teach them that feelings are understandable and are okay to experience them. Expression of feelings shows that a child is trapped and needs help to untrap themselves. This encourages emotional intelligence by;
- The child accepts their own emotions, which is the first step to resolving his/her feelings.
- It proves that emotions are common thing to everyone and are manageable. Your child learns that even the unpleasant side of them is acceptable, which is what makes a whole being.
2. Teach problem-solving skills
Teach the child how to breathe through emotions and how to tolerate them without acting on them. When kids feel understood, they tend to calm down and allow for solving the issue. This encourages emotional intelligence by;
- Children need to express their feelings and also be able to find solutions on how to handle the situation.
- Emotional intelligence needs one to express their needs without hurting others.
3. Show empathy
Being understood helps any human ease their troubles. Empathizing involves looking at the inside and understanding the child. We all know how good it feels when someone reasons with us. Everyone has their own perspective of things and should be listened to. NB: This does not mean that you will accept everything they say. This encourages emotional intelligence by;
- The child learns the virtue of empathy to practice it on others.
- It promotes self-esteem in the child. Being understood allows the child to understand themselves even when older.
4. Lead as an example
Your children learn from you. Through actions, words, and your expressions of feelings. They won’t respect their own emotions if you can’t communicate your emotions. Learn to be strong and handle situations intelligently so your children can follow that.
Keep in mind that unhappy parents raise unhappy kids. You can’t sacrifice yourself and do anyone any good. In the end, you will mess up your situation. Therefore, keep healthy emotions if you want emotionally intelligent kids.
5. Embrace change of emotions
Your child has to learn that emotions are not constant. Sometimes one is happy, and other times one is sad. It is also possible to have mixed emotions at the same time. As parents, we always talk of happiness as if it should be a fixed state. Well, moods change, and we experience different emotions.
6. Ask instead of telling
It’s human nature to commit to a talk or any action if we feel we have been invited to participate in it. Children psychologists recommend we ask for kids’ ideas to achieve certain things rather than just telling them to do them. Examples include, ‘we are leaving the house, are you coming with us?’ and ‘what are you going to do first?’
Asking makes the child internalize the process. But if you just tell them, they will not internalize the whole process.
7. Engage in emotionally intelligent Plays
Play is a way in which kids interact with their world. Once parents engage in play, they enjoy and interact with the intellectual self of the child. Use play as a tool to get to know your child. Good examples include solving puzzles and helping find something. Noteworthy plays help you understand your child’s emotions in a healthier and deeper level.
Wrap up!
Emotional intelligence is critical for your child to understand themselves and also understand the emotions and feelings of others. High EQ helps you reduce stress, understand conflict and build relationships. It helps a child conquer their fear and improve their communication skills. All these attributes are soft skills demanded in adulthood, especially in the job market.