Emotional Intelligence for Kids. Why its important, how it will help the kids

10 reasons why Emotional Intelligence is really Important for Kids?

As a parent, all of us are worried about our kid’s physical health, their studies, and other things. But have you ever wondered about their Emotional health? An Emotionally Happy Child of today would be a mentally happy and strong individual of tomorrow. So imparting them good emotional health and teaching them the basics of Emotional Intelligence to kids is also the primary responsibility of the parents.

During this pandemic, most of the parents are working from home and managing multiple activities including kid’s studies. Amidst all this, we are not getting adequate time to sit and observe the kid’s fears and anxieties. The kid’s emotions are also overflowing and not able to find a way to vent them out. In fact, their internal fears and various anxieties are growing up into big monsters in their head waiting to explode at any given moment.

As a parent, when we ourselves don’t have time to manage multiple stuff, how can we sit and observe our kid’s emotions and take care of them?

This very same question has driven me to take up various child psychology courses and even led me to Meravigilia EQ Academy. I had completed my Kids and Parents Life coaching courses with them. These courses helped me to grow as an individual and also helped in improving my bond with my kid. Now we both have become emotionally literate and can manage our emotions better together.

Mental Health Issues observed in Children during Pandemic.

The moment, we talk about the problems faced by the children during the pandemic, the first and foremost complaint that comes from the parents is about “Digital Addiction”. That’s a very long topic and already been discussed so much in print and social media. Hence, that topic is for the other post.

These are a few of the issues the mental health practitioners worldwide have observed in kids. We need to try and help our kid’s in managing their emotions and the various issues mentioned below.

  1. Kids are getting anxious and scared to meet new people or step out of the house
  2. They are getting bored with all the Online classes and digital interactions too. Hence, their interest in studies is also dwindling
  3. They are resorting to the passive watching of the gadgets, which is hampering their emotionl growth and management
  4. Their anger and frustration levels are becoming higher and higher
  5. They are becoming withdrawn and silent
  6. Their phobias and fears are increasing
  7. Their need for constant attention and affection is increasing.

Most of the above issues are again interconnected and leading to more complex issues, if not addressed at the earliest. Emotional Intelligence is the answer to all the above issues.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is nothing but acknowledging, managing, and positively expressing our emotions. As adults, we ourselves fail at managing or expressing our own emotions. Do you agree that there is no wonder for the kids not to be aware of emotional self-care?

The anxiety and fear about the unknowns in the current chaotic situations outside are draining most of the people’s energies. In that case, just imagine the situation of the kids, who thrive on the social interactions and grow while playing outdoors. They are restricted to indoors and not given a chance to relax and unwind with friends.

Why Emotional Intelligence is Important for Kids

Kids learn to experience various emotions while they are playing with their peer group. Their peer group is currently replaced with gadgets. These gadgets are not teaching them healthy ways to express their emotions. We as parents are not able to provide good role models for them in this case.

Basically, Emotional Intelligence encompasses the following:

Awareness:

Being aware of different emotions the human being can feel. Their level of intensities and the inter-linking connections between various emotions needs to be understood. Also, we have developed the required vocabulary to describe these emotions in detail to another person.

Recognition:

Being able to identify the various emotions in the self. Also being able to identify the emotions the other person is going through based on their body language and expressions.

Understanding:

Being able to identify the root causes for various emotions one can go through. Also, understanding how our behavior is changing when we undergo various emotions.

Acceptance:

Accepting our own behavioral mistakes when the high tides of emotions hit us. Trying to make amends with the near and dear whom we would have hurt during these high waves of emotions.

Managing and Controlling:

Once we can understand the triggering mechanisms for various emotions, reacting at the earliest to stop being swayed in the emotional high storms. Also, expressing those emotions without hurting self or others.

Empathy:

Once we understand the emotions we are feeling, then the next step is to understand the emotions that other people are going through. Understanding their behavior is being driven due to the different emotions they are undergoing. Also, trying to help them to sail through these big feelings.

Benefits of having Emotional Intelligence:

Emotionally intelligent people would be standing out in the group and would be taking the stairs up to their success. Have you ever wondered why? The following are few reasons:

  1. Self-Awareness: They are aware of their own weaknesses and strengths. So, they can use their strengths and weaknesses wisely to navigate through any situation.
  2. Managing Stress: They would be able to identify the root causes that are causing them stress and anxiety. So, these people can find out the ways to remove the stress.
  3. Intrinsic Motivation: These people always possess the intrinsic motivation to reach their goals. They will be able to set their goals and targets based on their weaknesses and strengths and would acheive them with out any external push.
  4. Decission making power: They will be able to evaluate the situations and emotions to come up with a judgement. So their decission making power would be non-judgemental.
  5. Communication skills: They use the verbal and non-verbal cues to understand other people’s feelings and hence will be able to communicate with them better.
  6. Good Relationships: Since, they are able to understand the feelings of others, these people will have good social skills and will be able to connect with people easily and maintain good relationships.
  7. Acceptance to Change: These people would be able to accept the change without resistance. Hence, they would be able to mould themselves in the ever changing world.
  8. Positive Attitude: These people will know how to escape a tricky situation. They will become the doers and try to solve the problems.
  9. Leadership Qualities: Since these people are able to connect with people easily and guide them appropriately, they would become the leaders whom people would love. They would lead by example rather than by preaching in all probable situations.
  10. Mentally Strong: They will be mentally strong as they know the triggers of the negativity and avoid them, coming out of negativity with relative ease.
Importance of Emotional Intelligence for Kids

Final Thoughts:

Now that you understand the benefits of having Emotional Intelligence, parents need to impart this precious knowledge to all their kids. Luckily, MEQ Academy has come up with the EI Certificate course for kids, which is one of its kind and the first one.

It’s a 6 weeks course (1 hour per week) which teaches about Emotional Intelligence to Kids and how they can use it for their own benefit in the future. This is one of the best gifts we can give our kids, as we are training them for the uncertain future and the competitive world they will face when they grow up.

Please contact MEQ academy for further details of this course, if it interests you. The EI course is designed by MEQ Academy in such a way that it will impart all the aspects of Emotional Intelligence to kids in a structured way.

Suhasini, IP, is the Author of the book “Practical Tips for Kids Mental Health.” As a certified kids and parents life coach, she helps/guides you toward a happy family life for your kids. She firmly believes that “Emotionally Happy Kids of today are the Mentally Strong and Happy Citizens of tomorrow.” Let’s make the world a happy and beautiful place for our kids to thrive.

39 Comments

  1. EQ!! Something that was unheard of in our times as a parent. Tough times call for some serious action. You have explained EQ so well. Kids have been cooped up indoors for far too long and it will surely have an effect on them. I am sure the course would help kids.

    1. Thank you Harjeet. Yes in your time and even my time, most of us learnt emotions from our peers and cousins. Now that kids are not able to mingle with other kids, we need a lot more focus on these points.

  2. Loved your post! During the current pandemic times, the people we really need to thank are our kids, they have been very patient even though their entire life has been turned upside down. As parents, it’s our duty to develop emotional intelligence in our kids. Thank you for writing this post.

    1. Thank you for dropping by Mayura

  3. I’ve noticed so many of the issues you’ve mentioned in my child – increasing fear, anxiety, frustration, boredom. He’s also whining for attention more than usual. It’s so sad because we’re helpless. We try to engage him as much as we can but other tasks need to be done as well.
    Even adults need to develop emotional intelligence because we’re feeling overwhelmed by the stresses of the pandemic. I’ll check out MEQ academy to see the EI course. One hour per week is quite doable.

  4. It is really very important to understand the benefits of having Emotional Intelligence, henceforth , the parents need to impart this important knowledge to all the kids and make them emotionally strong and intelligent .

    1. Yeah, well said Pamela. Thank you

  5. Emotional Intelligence?? It’s very new concept to me. Staying indoors and not mixing with other kids have some negative effects on the kids, actually on their mental health. This is such a helpful initiative of MEQ academy. I’m going to refer to my colleagues who are so worried about their kids’ emotional well-being.

  6. Emotional Intelligence is not something that I knew of but overall knew what our kids are suffering during these lockdown days. Even my daughter tries to get her hands on gadgets evry now and then but when I’m more involved in play time and studies, it does make a difference. Understanding and expressing emotions is also something that I’m working on.

  7. You have covered it all so well, Suhasini! Awareness and acceptance is the key here. With a hyperactive kid around me, I understand how difficult it is to take note of our child’s emotions during different situations and make them feel comfortable about it.. Thanks for letting us know about the EI course by MEQAcademy.

  8. In our times, the emphasis was on the all round development of the child. That also included the EI. These days, even little toddlers are under stress and teenagers getting heart attacks We should let kids be kids and not put so much pressure on them.

    1. Thank you Aunty. Yes, even in our time we used to learn all these things from siblings, and peers. Now the kids don’t have that luxury.

  9. Very informative post. Our time was quite different and this is need of the hour… Thanks for sharing this.

  10. Intuitive post and very relevant in these time. Iam sure many parents will find it helpful. The points you have mentioned hold good for adults as well. In today’s times it has become very important to take care of the emotional quotient or intelligence as you have mentioned. As a teacher, I have seen a sharp decline in the attendance and receptivity of older kids during online classes. When I spoke to them one on one, many came out with challenges all resulting in not knowing how to handle the problem they are facing.

    1. Thank you Vasumati. Yes, these online classes are making it all the more worse especially for the kids.

  11. I don’t have kids but I got a chance to interact with one of my colleagues son lately. We went out for a 3 day trip and it actually took him 2 days to utter his first word in front of me. Generally, kids would become playful within a few hours of interaction. This very topic came up at that point and I could connect the dots. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Thank you Raghav. Yes, most of the kids are forgetting how to interact only

  12. EQ is equally important and we learnt the status of our kids during this testing times of pandemic. It is very difficult to intersect the emotions of kids and bring out the real authenticity out.

  13. It is great to read another post on emotional intelligence for kids, a need of the hour. Thank you for such a detailed and informative post. I didn’t know there were courses of these for kids. I am sure they would be extremely beneficial.

  14. That’s a detailed article about emotional intelligence and I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for sharing about MEQ academy I will check out their course.

  15. Having a surrounding of the same age is quite important at the early age to develop social skills. And I am so worried for my son as due to the Covid he didn’t ever meet anyone his age.

  16. I feel empathy is very important to be developed in a kid. Today it’s even more important as we are all going through such circumstances where staying at home kids are even more emotionally strained. Your article has raised very good points and you have explained them very well. My cousin sister is just 10 years old and I really understand what it does to kids today staying at home in these circumstances.

    1. Thank you Shail. Yes Kids are the ones who are getting effected badly, as they don’t know how to express too

  17. I second with this post. We have been emphasizing a lot over IQ. But IQ can take us up to one level on the ladder of success. Beyond that it is all about EQ. It is must for all children and parents too.

  18. A couple of months ago, I wrote an article on the negative effects of the pandemic period on kids, and my research revealed shocking mental health issues. Kudos to the academy you have mentioned for attempting to change the situation.

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