Ways to Help Kids Be More Emotionally Intelligent

September 07, 2022

Ways to Help Kids Be More Emotionally Intelligent

 

 

Strengthening your kid’s emotional intelligence matters because his inability to manage his emotions can create a domino effect in other aspects of his life. Emotional intelligence is relevant for kids, and there are many simple ways to start fostering your kid’s emotional awareness starting today. 

 

1. Help your child to be aware of their emotions: When your child displays a certain emotion, and even more so when they are upset or displaying a negative emotion, acknowledge it and label what they are feeling. This will help them understand their own emotional state better, and eventually, they will learn to regulate this same emotion with more control. 

 

2. Acknowledge their emotions and show empathy: When you respond to your children’s emotions empathetically, they learn the appropriate response to situations too. This also validates their feelings and helps them understand their own behavior better. Thus, teaching them to self-regulate their emotions. 

 

3. Model appropriate ways to express feelings: In addition to knowing that their feelings are understood, kids also need to learn how to appropriately express their emotions. This helps them learn how to deal with their emotions and to move past them instead of holding them in or repressing them. 

 

4. Teach them healthy coping mechanisms: Teach your children how to respond to negative emotions. Teach them to breathe or count to ten when they are feeling a negative emotion.  

 

5. Teach them problem-solving skills: Once feelings are acknowledged and understood, there sometimes comes a need to problem-solve or address any issues that need to be dealt with. Initially, you can take the lead but eventually, step back and act as a guide while they navigate their problems themselves. 

 

 

Coach Benjamin Mizrahi. Educator. Learning Specialist. Family Coach. Father. Husband.   

More articles on Mr Mizrahi's Blog - Benjamin Mizrahi