3 Life-Skills Parents Should Emphasize While Building Emotional Intelligence in Kids

Why social emotional learning matters?

One of society’s biggest predicaments is how imbalanced our education systems are.  Academic intelligence is underscored so much that children rarely have opportunities to learn about emotional intelligence.  This places the responsibility for emotional development squarely on parents’ shoulders. Career Educator Kirsten Tulsian suggests that “When it comes to predicting life success, research shows that a person’s emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) is far more significant than their intelligence quotient (IQ). Children with high EQs perform better in school, stay in school, and are more likely to avoid risky behaviors. They make better leaders and go on to more successful careers.”

Here are a few tips on how to nurture strong emotional intelligence in kids:

1) Teach Children How to Deal with Uncertainty

Uncertainty is part and parcel of the human experience.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of people do not understand how to endure, or adapt, to feelings of uncertainty.  This leads to dysfunctional behaviors such as escapism, denial or anxiety.  The best way to teach kids about uncertainty is to explore it with them:

• Encourage them to savor or appreciate new experiences.
• Discuss how they feel about encountering surprising events.
• Teach them how to think outside the box, and solve unique problems.
  
  

2) Teach Children How to Feel Empathy

Kids have a natural tendency to be brutally honest.  But this is usually a sign that they haven’t figured out how to respect context while expressing themselves.  Empathy is an important trait to have for the sake of stability in relationships.  This is because empathy makes it easier to get along with other people.  The best way to teach kids about empathy is to foster friendliness within them:

• Emphasize the value of imagining oneself in other people’s shoes.
• Encourage them to logically justify their opinions or assumptions of others.
• Teach them about the toxicity of prejudice or psychological biases.  
  
  

3) Teach Children How to Self-Regulate

People with fully matured emotional intelligence understand how to practice self-control.  They understand how to manage temperament in order to avoid impulsive behavior. And they understand how to make use of their strengths and weaknesses in a way that enhances relationships.  The best way to teach self-regulation to kids is through discipline:

• Teach them how to take pride in their work.
• Show them the value of integrity and good sportsmanship.
• Encourage them to think about/make high-stakes decisions for themselves.
  
  

Conclusion

Emotional intelligence shouldn’t be something that people begin exploring during adulthood.  It should be practiced and refined throughout the early stages of life.  And this is exactly why parenting-style is critical.  The more parents do to raise emotionally intelligent children, the more society benefits from individuals who understand how to cope with life.  It’s simply impossible to overstate just how impactful emotional coaching is for kids.  If you like what you just read from our blog, you’ll love the various informative courses, workshops and events listed on our websites and social media. Whether you’re interested in personal development, or overall improvement of your business, give us a call at 1 (888) 823-7757 to find out how The RISE Academy can help you break past your daily struggles and start soaring in success. For business development coaching by Richard Martinez, call at 626-202-2291 or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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