Emotional intelligence is a gift every child should be bestowed with as it helps them maintain good mental health in the future.This skill will enable a child to comprehend and manage their feelings and have empathy toward others, all leading towards robust emotional health.
Every child (Ages 2-5) enters this stage with some emotional awareness. During these years, children learn to identify basic feelings like happiness, sadness, fear, and anger. It is helpful for parents to label emotions as they happen. Say: 'I know you're angry because you can't solve that puzzle. This helps the child to learn to express their emotions and promotes self-exploration.
Between 6-11 years, children start to develop their understanding of feelings further. They start to appreciate that it is possible for people to feel multiple emotions at once and that different people respond to emotions in various ways. Encouraging the children to express their emotions during this age is essential. Instead of mocking at negative feelings, allow children the space to examine them. “There's nothing wrong with being angry. Let's see what's bothering you" is an example of a response that can be helpful.
Pre-teens and early teens (Aged 12-14) come with their own set of tasks to manage, especially with changing hormones restrictively affecting emotions. Learning mindfulness and stress management is crucial at this stage. These techniques allow children to stay mentally alert during difficult situations while also providing help to develop strong emotions for the future.
Through modelling, parents and caretakers contribute most significantly to this development. A child can only learn how to manage their emotions by seeing how adults manage their feelings and relationships. Hence, practising healthy forms of expressing emotions and self-caring will teach children to manage their feelings while maintaining good mental health.
Daily routines should include opportunities for emotional learning, as it enhances skill development. These moments can happen while reading stories, discussing emotions, discussing problems, or practising problem-solving activities. In the proper context, working with a therapist can also help parents and children navigate these challenges.
Emotional intelligence is built and nurtured over time and differs for each child. Some children may require more assistance in some areas, while others may pick up emotional concepts without much help. The critical focus should be on supportive scaffolding while allowing for growth at each child's pace.
Any situation that triggers an emotion forms a chance for someone to develop and learn something new. As much as children can understand and give meaning to emotions, they are on the path to psychological health. This means teaching them that there are no negative feelings but rather assisting them in finding ways to express their emotions.
Intelligent, emotional development is not something that can be taught. It is a slow approach to be mastered with the help of the child's caregivers. Through unconditional emotional care and proper display of feelings, these children are enabled to attain positive mental health. The development of emotional intelligence is so important as it allows a child to build healthy relationships later and deal positively with life experiences.
