The Development of Emotional Intelligence in Children: The Role of Parents and Tips
Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a very important skill for children to understand, manage their own emotions and approach the feelings of others with empathy. This skill plays an important role not only in social relationships, but also in academic achievement and overall quality of life. So, how does emotional intelligence develop in children and what role do parents play in this process? Here’s what you need to know about it.
- What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage one’s emotions and show sensitivity to the emotional states of others. Emotional intelligence is not only limited to children’s self-expression; it also includes the ability to understand and respect the feelings of others.
Some of the main components of emotional intelligence are:
Recognizing their own emotions: The child should understand what emotions they are feeling and be able to express these emotions.
Emotional self-awareness: The child should notice how his emotional state reflects on others.
Empathy: The child must understand the emotional needs and reactions of others.
Emotional regulation: The child should be able to calmly manage and control his strong emotional reactions.
- Emotional Intelligence and Development: When Does it Start?
The development of emotional intelligence dates back to infancy. Children shape their emotional reactions with the feedback they receive from their environment from infancy. For example, when a baby cries, his parent’s reaction teaches him how to relax. This process is shaped according to their age and developmental periods.
Infancy (0-2 years old): During this period, babies learn their emotional expressions through their parents’ facial expressions and voice tones. Secure attachment is considered the basis for the development of emotional intelligence.
Preschool (3-5 years old): Children understand emotional expressions in more detail and learn how to show empathy to others.
School period (6 years and later): Children develop emotional regulation skills and make progress in social skills.
- How Can You Contribute to the Development of Emotional Intelligence as Parents?
There are many ways that parents can help their children develop their emotional intelligence. Here are some effective tips:
a) Be Open about Emotional Expression
Children take examples from their parents to express their feelings and thoughts. If a parent clarifies their emotional state, children will similarly become more comfortable expressing their feelings.
Suggestion: Name your feelings and give your child as an example, “I’m very stressed today, because my work was very busy, but I relaxed by taking some deep breaths. make statements like “. This can help your child gain emotional awareness.
b) Teach to Manage Emotional Reactions
In order for children to develop their emotional regulation skills, they need to learn how to manage their emotions. This reduces emotional outbursts and overreactions.
Suggestion: Teach your child how to express emotions such as being sad, angry, or afraid in a calm way. You can use techniques such as taking deep breaths, going to a corner and being alone, or waiting for a while to calm down.
c) Encourage Empathy
Empathy is showing sensitivity to the feelings of others and understanding them. If children learn to understand how others are feeling, they can form healthier social relationships.
Suggestion: Talk about other people’s feelings with your child. For example, “Your friend looks sad, how can you help him? encourage empathy by asking questions such as “. Also, become a model by showing empathy yourself.
d) Use Positive Reinforcement
Children can learn to reinforce healthy emotional behaviors. Positive reinforcement involves rewarding the right behavior and highlighting your strengths.
Suggestion: Appreciate and reward your child for calming down, coping with emotional difficulties, or showing empathy for others. This leads to your child exhibiting the right behaviors more often.
- Games and Activities that Will Help Children Gain Emotional Intelligence
Some games and activities that children can develop their emotional intelligence include:
Emotion Cards: Help them recognize their emotions with cards that symbolize different emotions.
Role-Playing Games: You can play role-playing games to develop empathy skills. For example, to search for solutions together through a scenario in which a child is upset.
Storytelling: You can enable children to develop their emotional intelligence skills through stories. Suggest to them to discuss the emotional states of the characters in the stories.
Conclusion: Emotional Intelligence Is the Basis of a Healthy Life
Supporting children’s emotional intelligence from an early age helps them become successful and healthy individuals not only in social life, but in all aspects of their lives. Emotional intelligence offers important lifelong skills such as sensitivity to others, building healthy relationships, and coping with stress.
As parents, improving the emotional intelligence of our children is the best way to give them the strength to cope with the difficulties they face in life.
