Most will agree if we want to make this world a better place, we need to develop children's social and emotional intelligence (EI). This goal is especially true considering emotions' vital role in managing relationships.
Children's Emotional Intelligence is a Learned Skill We Can Teach
There are numerous benefits of supporting children's emotional intelligence and resources that will help you accomplish this goal. Parents, family members, and caregivers must instill social and emotional intelligence into their children's upbringing to develop well-rounded children.
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I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give children is to provide them with skills that will assist them in developing strong social and emotional intelligence.
Creating well-rounded kids.
Without question, children with strong social skills can build relationships with their family and peers. The earlier we educate them to recognize and harness their emotions, the quicker they can develop social skills and build positive relationships. The exciting news is that our brain is like plastic and is highly malleable, allowing us to retrain ourselves and our children to become more emotionally aware. Brain plasticity is a common term used by neuroscientists, referring to the brain's ability to change at any age.
(Just how important is social and emotional intelligence to children's development and relationship building? Find the answers in this post)
Talking about our emotions with family builds EI!
How often do you talk about emotions with your family? Most would answer, "Not too often!" However, we should practice this at home so children learn to recognize, understand, and manage their emotions from their families. Our emotions send us vital messages and guide all we do, so it is paramount that we are comfortable with them. Developing and strengthening your emotional intelligence is not easy. However, it is doable. You can help your child develop emotional intelligence by becoming their emotional coach.
Speaking of emotional coaching, this article tells you how to be the emotional coach your child needs to succeed.
Children need to develop both their IQ and EQ.
Fostering children's intellectual development is very important; however, equally important is emotional intelligence. Children must develop emotional awareness and learn to regulate themselves to have successful relationships. How children communicate and interact with others will influence their impact on society.
Dr. Travis Bradberry shares that, "Decades of research now point to emotional intelligence as being the critical factor that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. The connection is so strong that 90% of top performers have high emotional intelligence."
Don't miss this post next where you can read more about what makes children's emotional intelligence a game-changer for their success in life.
Building children's emotional intelligence leads to their success.
Parents who coach and develop their children's social and emotional intelligence will undoubtedly prepare them for successful relationships and make this world better.
Get started today—you won't regret it. Be sure to check out many more motivational blogs here. If you want to help support children's emotional, check this out.
This article was originally published on February 16, 2019, and has been updated (May 2023).
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