Why is emotional intelligence so important?
According to Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-author of the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0, emotional intelligence is a key player when it comes to how well someone performs personally and professionally.
In an article for Linkedin Bradberry writes, “Of all the people we studied at work, we found that 90 percent of top performers have high EQs.”
Emotional intelligence is made up of 4 core values; self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and relationship management.
Dr. Bradberry describes self awareness as the ability to be aware of your emotions as they happen. He describes self management as the ability to use the awareness of your emotions to stay flexible and positively direct your behavior.
Social awareness is described as the ability to pick up on the emotions of others and to understand them, and relationship management is the ability to use awareness of your emotions and the emotions of others to manage interactions successfully.
As parents we want our children to have the opportunity to grow and learn from their early childhood experiences. We search for the best school districts to live in and yet focus on education more than we focus on social skills, character count, and healthy relationships.
It is vital that we combine academic learning with socialization skills in order to raise a child who has high emotional intelligence.
Here are some tips and strategies to promote high emotional intelligence in your child.
- Teach your child to be empathic – role model empathy at an early age.
- Help them to identify their feelings and emotions – validate their feelings and emotions, do not put them down.
- Teach your child that making a mistake is okay and practicing a skill over and over again may be frustrating, but that is how we improve.
- Share personal stories about your own life at your child’s appropriate age, and share some of your mistakes throughout your development.
- Use humor and understanding when your child makes a mistake so they realize they don’t have to be perfect.
- Try not to compare your child to anyone in terms of their looks, talents, abilities and skills.
- Teach your child that character counts, such as being kind, generous, polite, respectful, gracious, apologetic, and loyal.
- Teach your child to be open minded and not judgmental when it comes to race, religion, nationality, etc.
- Help your child create a healthy balance in life by being mindful, and learning how to be introspective through yoga, meditation, or journaling.
- Create a healthy lifestyle at home in terms of food and exercise.
- Teach self-control by having rules in a home and consequences for not following them.
- Read children’s stories that have family values and social awareness in them.
- Teach your child to become self-sufficient and helpful by doing family chores and community outreach.
While you are raising your family, read articles and books on emotional EQ that may guide you so that your child will be successful in this world.
