Teaching emotional intelligence to your children is the best thing you can do for their
future and make them better humans.
Emotional intelligence can be defined as understanding, articulating, and regulating
their own emotions and those around them.
Some ways you can nurture emotional intelligence in your child are
- Extend and enjoy playtime with your children: Playing with your children can be the most enjoyable, rewarding, and enriching experience for them while also earning them some brownie points for being their friends. It is an excellent pastime for their developing minds. When most of their time is threatened by rapidly increasing screen time sitting in one place, it’s undoubtedly a more hands-on and enjoyable approach to ignite their emotional intelligence. So, playing outside may be a terrific exercise for their general development because it teaches them various skills such as interacting with others, taking turns with patience, and taking care of themselves, all of which are essential components of emotional intelligence. Along with playing outside, it is also crucial to have an indoor play now and then because it provides similar, if not greater, benefits. So, try out all the board games you can get your hands on. There are countless to pick from, such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Chess, Snakes, and Ladders. They teach your children crucial skills such as thinking on their feet, being calculative, and considering several approaches to certain circumstances. Another bonus of playing with them is that it helps to strengthen your connections outside the four walls of your home; well, not when you’re playing indoors, but you get the point.
- Communicate and share as much as possible: As the adage goes, “Barriers break when people talk,” and the importance of effective communication cannot be overstated. Talk to your kids and include them in family discussions. Teaching your children that your home is a sanctuary where it’s alright to feel diverse emotions and talk about them without fear of judgment is crucial to parenting emotionally savvy children. Suppose your child shows an unfamiliar emotion to them or that they do not recognize, label it for them. It’s natural for people of all ages to bottle up their feelings.
Effective home communication allows your children to vent their negative emotions in a secure environment. More often than not, parents keep “bad news” or other such matters to themselves. However, this does not model emotional intelligence. It is also essential for parents to occasionally let their children in on more serious topics that affect the entire family. Practicing this sends the message that they are an equal and integral part of the family. Make it a point to inquire about their day, how they feel, and what has caused them to feel that way. Walk together through possible solutions if they face a negative feeling or something challenging. Nurturing Emotional intelligence also requires you to express yourself in simple terms they’d express themselves in. It teaches them the empowering lesson that everyone is entitled to their feelings and all of it is valid. A key thing to always remember is that disapproving of a particular emotion does not stop it, so be more encouraging and empowering. When your child throws a tantrum or misbehaves, remind them that it is normal for all of these emotions to come and that they should acknowledge them and then let them go because feelings are not permanent. It stands true in terms of both positive and negative emotions, and it teaches them that no emotion is unacceptable and it’s okay to feel, and it’s only human.
- Teach healthy coping mechanisms: Just recognizing and labeling emotions is not enough when trying to teach children how to be emotionally intelligent. Having the ability to cope with and tackle feelings that may not be as welcome as others and have a negative frequency are essential for you to impart. Teach them different ways to control and regulate their emotions, like counting to 10 whenever they are angry before they say or do anything rash. Teach them how to take deep breaths before acting out their frustration. You can inculcate the habit of going to their favorite thing when they’re upset, for instance, coloring in color books or listening to music, going for a walk around the block, or watching their favorite TV show while they cool down. It teaches them how to be one with their emotions and not be overwhelmed by them while also making them aware of the different situations and consequences of their behaviors. A healthy coping mechanism goes a long way in being emotionally intelligent and comes in handy for the years to come.
- Instill a reading habit in your child: Implementing a reading habit in your child can help them discover a wide range of emotions and expand their creativity. Reading has numerous advantages for children of all ages. Encouraging your child to read various fiction and nonfiction literature may be a good habit that will last a lifetime. It improves their vocabulary while also making them better and more imaginative people. Reading also boosts a child’s IQ because it helps them articulate their thoughts into words and improves their communication skills. Reading also instills in students a sense of culture and etiquette that often go amiss in their curriculum.
- Limiting the amount of time spent in front of the screen: It is tough to keep children away from the internet in today’s world since, let’s face it, most of their schoolwork and
academics involve access to the internet; nonetheless, keeping it to a minimum is critical. Monitoring the sites they visit, including all social media apps, is another step toward ensuring they do not engage in unhealthy browsing. Social media use at a young age can expose children to negative news and propaganda that they may not be ready to learn about or even comprehend.
