Every parent faces the issue of defiance from their child at some point or another. However, there are times when defiance is more than a child simply ‘testing the boundaries’, it can be a sign that they’re lacking emotional intelligence, which can lead to all kinds of problems in the long-term. Research suggests that children who lack emotional intelligence are more likely to struggle to connect with their peers, fail to fulfil their potential at school, and refuse to ‘pull their weight’ at home.
So, what can we do as parents to try and combat this problem? This article in Psychology Today, shares four effective ways to help your children to change their outlook, and become more emotionally mature. We felt it was important to share this as we know how damaging a low EQ can be to children’s long-term development. Here is a brief summary:
Emotional intelligence is defined by the following five factors:
- Self-awareness
- Mood-management
- Self-motivation
- Empathy
- Ability to manage relationships
We can help to nurture emotional intelligence in our children by:
– Acknowledging your child’s feelings at all times, no matter how trivial you may think them to be. If you want your child to recognise that their emotions are valid, you must first learn to listen to, and encourage your child to express, their emotions.
– Help your child to become aware of their physical responses to stress. Ask them if their palms get sweaty or if their mouth gets dry. Once they begin to recognise their stress triggers, as well as their responses, they will be better equipped to deal with them.
– Teach your child that stress is a natural human response and nothing to be worried about.
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