Teaching children emotional intelligence is an ongoing process integrated into your everyday activities. To begin this process first Initiate family meetings to give your children a heads up on what you are doing and why. Set up a specific day and time that is easy to do. Avoid rescheduling this meeting especially in the beginning. Firstly, explain emotional intelligence to your children and give them examples. Secondly, describe different emotions and feelings. Have your children participate. Together create a list of 10 or 15 of the emotions that are most common. Make a list for everyone and even post one on the refrigerator. Thirdly, set up the scenario of everyone participating in identifying their emotions throughout the week. Warning, take it slow and easy and for a couple of weeks just getting used to identifying, feeling and thinking about emotions.
Teaching Children Emotional Intelligence: Time to Play With Your Emotions
We all learn best through play. Even academic lessons do not become part of our consciousness until we have used the information. Evidently, children learn through play, socialization and integrative, creative activities. For instance, emotion pantomimes, storytelling, and reading short passages from their favorite books. Have contests to determine who can include as many emotions in a description of their favorite activities and their least favorite. Watch what surprises occur when engaging in so much feeling and emotion within your family framework. If you have a child with disabilities, pictures showing the feelings is needed. Check out the EQforChildren website for activities that include identifying feelings and emotions especially for children with disabilities. Below I have included a chart with the basic feelings children use and express.
Resources and Activities Promoting Emotions and Feelings Identification
Our society steers clear of expressing our emotions and feelings. Especially true with the onset of technology in all our lives. Therefore, it feels strange and uncomfortable. Push forward and take a few minutes to access the resources that provide the interactive activities that teach us to express and emote. Huffington Parenting has an entire section called “EQ not IQ” with articles and resources. I have included a link to a great article From HuffPost called, “9 Everyday Things To Do To Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids.” The Six Seconds organization promotes emotional intelligence worldwide. Their website provides many resources. The EQforChildren website engages children with fun characters and activities. Including, the YouTube channel, “Children Become EQ Smart with CJ” , allowing children to experience emotions and feelings in all the episodes. Watch for Part II next week.
Resources for Teaching Children Emotional Intelligence
- EQ for Children Website/ Games and Activities
- Children Become EQ Smart YouTube Channel
- Huffington Post Article
- Feelings Chart