Emotional Intelligence, what is it and why is it important? When we send our children to school we expect that their academic intelligence will be built, but do we have an understanding that Emotional Intelligence is just as important as their academics.
To understand this concept, we need to know what and why Emotional Intelligence is important. Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to have self-awareness and be able to manage your emotions. There is a trend throughout western society that suggests that people just inherently know how to manage their emotions but from the side of a school counsellor I am seeing, again and again, the impacts of children who struggle to regulate their emotions and build their Emotional Intelligence.
According to Daniel Goleman, a world-renowned behavioral scientist, and psychologist, Emotional Intelligence should be taught systematically to children. So essentially this should be implemented by adults, whether at school or home. Daniels's research suggests that similar to an IQ (intelligence quotient) score predicts a person’s academic success a person’s EQ (emotional quotient) can help with someone’s overall success. The reason for the is because someone that has a good EQ or Emotional Intelligence is someone who can effectively manage themselves when it comes to grievances with peers, stressors in school or the workplace, and ultimately have resilience when faced with challenges. When people can manage these issues efficiently they can reduce stress which is healthier mentally and physically. If someone internalizes emotions or is incapable of recognizing emotions their stress hormones can be elevated which is extremely hard on the body. Someone that has high levels of stress hormones consistently is more likely to struggle with heart disease, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, and mental health diagnosis.
There are four elements to Emotional Intelligence; Self-awareness, Self-management, Empathy, and Social Skills. Attached is a link to a video that suggests how to develop Emotional Intelligence. Remember as parents and caregivers we are modeling how to be Emotionally Intelligent.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
