Posted on 12/06/2021
In this series on life skills needed as we recover from the pandemic and beyond, you've probably noticed that there's an overlap between executive function skills and emotional intelligence, which we started discussing in Part 1. Emotional intelligence can also be known as "EQ" and is, perhaps, even more significant when it comes to determining a person's quality of life than his or her "IQ."
A person's EQ relates to his or her "ability to understand, use, and manage . . . emotions in positive ways." As such, emotional intelligence directly relates to a person's proficiency in relieving stress, communicating effectively, empathizing with others, diffusing conflict, and overcoming challenges. I'm sure you'd agree that these are definitely important life skills and ones that we want our children to develop! The good news is that, unlike a person's IQ, a person's EQ can undoubtedly be developed and expanded.
Benefits of High EQ
While IQ and EQ are distinct, children with higher EQ levels also perform better in school and on standardized tests. Perhaps even more importantly, those with high emotional intelligence tend to have better relationships and experience higher levels of success during adulthood, extending into many facets of both professional and personal lives. A person's emotional intelligence also correlates to his or her resilience and ability to avoid depression and other mental illnesses. The biggest component in developing a higher EQ for children is having an adult to model and teach them the skills that relate to emotional intelligence.
Developing a Higher EQ, Step 1: Labeling Emotions
This begins with labeling emotions or naming them. You can start to do this by printing a simple chart like this one and playfully trying to imitate the expressions on the faces. Next, you can label the expressions with the types of feelings they represent and talk about what each one means. (Don't overdo this, especially if your child is young or new to the language of emotions - maybe take 2 or 3 per day, reviewing the ones you've already discussed before introducing a new one.) Once you've introduced a few, you can play a version of charades in which you make a face and try to guess one another's emotions.
For children who are able to read and write, you can print the poster without labels and have them write the names of the emotions beneath each picture. For pre-readers, you can print two extra copies of the poster and cut them into cards with which to play memory. Every time you turn over a card, practice naming the emotion displayed.
Once you've practiced labeling emotions in this playful way, you can begin modeling naming your own emotions out loud and teaching your child to do the same. We'll talk more about this important next step in Part 3.
The Bedroom Source
Located near the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island, The Bedroom Source is your source for the best collection of children's and teen bedroom furniture. From flexibly configurable Maxtrix furniture to fashionable American-made collections, The Bedroom Source offers high end furniture and professional design assistance to create the bedroom of your child's dreams.
Contact the friendly staff at The Bedroom Source by calling (516) 248-0600 or by submitting our online contact form. We're a local family owned mom & pop store. When you shop with us, you're dealing directly with the owners. We professionally assemble everything we sell. We deliver to Nassau, Suffolk, the 5 Boroughs, Southern Westchester, Southwestern Connecticut & Northern New Jersey.