As parents, we want so many things for our children — good health, success, happy relationships, and purpose in life.
One thing we can do to try to guarantee these things is to help them develop emotional intelligence skills, which are key predictors for happiness and success.
How do you know if your child is on the right track? As a conscious parenting researcher and coach, I’ve studied the behaviors of over 200 kids, and I’ve found that those with high emotional intelligence do six key things:
1. They recognize non-verbal cues
Like an emotional detective, they are good at grasping other people’s feelings by picking up on their body language and facial expressions.
They might say, “Mom, my friend Sarah was really quiet today. I asked if she wanted to play, and she said no. I think she was sad about something.”
How to build this skill: Have reflective conversations with them about their day and discuss emotions they observed in people they interacted with. These chats strengthen their ability to read emotions and boost their confidence in understanding others.
You can ask, “What kind of a mood do you think your classmate was in today?”
2. They show empathy and compassion
They not only identify others’ emotions, but also show real concern and offer help.
During a playdate, for example, your child notices her friend looking upset because he didn’t win a game. She walks over to him and says, “You played really well! Do you want to play something else together?”
How to build this skill: The most powerful way for parents to inspire empathy in their child is to model it themselves.
If a neighbor is unwell, you could say, “I’m worried about Mrs. Brady. Let’s check on her and see if she needs help with anything.”
3. They can name their emotions
Emotionally intelligent kids are great at sharing their feelings.
When your child says, “I feel frustrated because I can’t solve this puzzle,” or “I’m happy because I helped my friend fix her toy,” they’re recognizing and communicating…
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