As parents, we want to provide the best of everything for our children. We've outlined how instilling emotional intelligence skills in your children will be a game-changer for them.
This article was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated.
How do we prepare our children to thrive in today’s world?
As parents, we strive to educate our children and prepare them to thrive in this difficult world. Our goal is to raise our children to be successful and to help them develop to their highest potential.
In fact, many see that as their sole responsibility once they bring a child into this world.
We want to provide the best of everything for our children. This is becoming increasingly challenging in a world that’s constantly changing and becoming more complex.
What if I told you there’s a critical skill you can teach your children that will result in their greater success?
Emotional intelligence is a game-changer.
And guess what? It’s up to you to instill emotional intelligence into their upbringing—it's a learned skill.
Emotional intelligence skills are not part of your child’s curriculum.
It’s true that some of these skills are embedded in what they learn, but it’s not a key part of their daily curriculum.
Clearly, developing a child’s intellect (IQ) is important but intellect alone isn’t enough, especially with the difficult social landscape of today’s world.
The greatest gift you can give your children
I believe the greatest gift we can give children is to provide them with skills that will help them develop strong social and emotional intelligence.
Providing our children with these essential skills will change their lives in a positive way–it truly is a game-changer!
You can become the emotional coach your child needs to succeed. Click here for specific steps for accomplishing this goal.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is equally as important as IQ.
As author, John Gottman explains;
“In the last decade or so, science has discovered a tremendous amount about the role emotions play in our lives. Researchers have found that even more than IQ, your emotional awareness and abilities to handle feelings will determine your success and happiness in all walks of life, including family relationships.”
When it comes to educating your children about harnessing their emotions and developing their social ability, emotional intelligence will be the key to their success.
Children need to become aware of their emotions to have successful relationships.
Fostering children’s intellectual skills is very important for a successful life, but children need to learn how to become aware of their emotions and regulate them to have successful relationships.
Ultimately, how children get along with other children can determine how they succeed in life.
The way in which children manage socially is dependent upon the interrelationship between both parents and their children. Developing friendships is a big part of family and community life and plays an integral role in a child’s development.
Allowing your children to experience their emotions starts at home.
In general, children feel most comfortable in their home environment and will naturally act out at home. I might add that adults sometimes do the same thing.
We behave in ways with our family that most of us would never share with friends or colleagues.
This can be a challenge if children observe adult behaviours that are socially unacceptable.
The best place to teach children who are acting out is in their home where their family who loves them unconditionally can provide support and guidance.
Home is the perfect venue to teach them how to assess and regulate their feelings in their early years.
You can teach your children to assess the physical effects of their emotions. I’ve written more about that here.
You are developing your child’s emotional intelligence when you help them understand their feelings, such as anger, confusion, and frustration.
Allowing your children to experience their emotions and work through why they feel that way is essential.
Working through these feelings and emotions is also a form of problem-solving, which is a skill that will benefit your child throughout their life. Don’t miss this post if you’d like to learn more about the life-changing power of daily problem-solving.
Children with high emotional intelligence are better able to learn, problem-solve, and develop positive social relationships.
Author John Gottman elaborates on this point:
“A child with a high emotional IQ is better able to cope with his feelings, can bring himself down from emotional high-wire acts, understands and relates well with others, and can form strong friendships more easily than a child with a lower emotional IQ.”
Raising emotionally intelligent children starts with you, and it’s a gift you can give your child that will benefit them for their entire life.
To raise emotionally intelligent children, you’ll want to nurture this skill in yourself, too. We offer customized Emotional Intelligence training both in-person and online. If you are interested in these services, contact us today!
Did you like this post? If you’d like to see more like this, have a look at these articles:
4 Ways to Assess Physical Effects of Your Emotions
4 Surprising Reasons to Lean Into Discomfort
The Life-Changing Power of Daily Problem Solving
