Emotional Intelligence Matters!

In today’s society, a lot of emphasis is placed on the academics and with due cause but DID YOU KNOW that EQ (emotional intelligence) is just as important?

Understanding, accepting and coping with emotions in a healthy manner plays a significant role in an individual’s overall probability for success.

The ability to identify, understand, regulate and communicate emotions appropriately helps develop healthy self-esteem and is essential in creating and maintaining healthy relationships with others.

Here are some ways in which we can support children in the process of developing emotional regulation:

• Helping them understand that emotions are natural, necessary and OK! It is OK to feel joy, sadness, anger, frustration
• Giving them time and space. Some children may need more time and space than others to cope with an emotion. It is important to respect their individual process.
• Listening to them when they are ready to share what they feel. Sometimes they just need a lending ear and a hug.
• Intentionally teach vocabulary words that allow them to name what they are feeling. The more vocabulary they have, the better they will be able to verbally express themselves.
• Acknowledging their efforts when they express their emotions in healthy manner.
• Modeling emotional regulation. The most influential examples our children see are, we talk, the things we say, the way we react in difficult situations, and the way we treat people in our daily interactions.
• Read books that talk about emotions and how to cope with them. Here is a list of some great books:

A Little Spot of Emotions by Diane Alber (Box Set)
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas
In My Heart – A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney
The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen
My Body Sends a Signal by Natalia Maguire
I choose to Calm my Anger by Elizabeth Estrada
When Sophie Get Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang