Emotional Intelligence

Contributed by Lucy Reed

Bringing a new child into your family is a special event worthy of celebration. You have much to be excited about as a parent-to-be, but the responsibility of parenthood can be stressful as well. If you are expecting a child with an intellectual or developmental disability, you might feel as though you are unprepared for the unique challenges ahead. Knowing how to handle some potential pressure points ahead of time will help you feel ready for the arrival of your new…

It used to be very popular to make children “suck up” their emotions, especially boys. It was also common to assign emotions to girls that they may or may not have. This created an entire generation of people who had trouble dealing with their emotions. Then they raised more kids who can’t deal with their emotions. Therapy bills skyrocketed.

Well, it might not be that bad, but the truth is, studies are showing that learning to cope with emotions in a healthy manner is one of the most important …

When your child is going through any event that might be stressful, it is important to figure out how to evaluate your child’s emotional level and how well they are coping with the situation. The best questions you can ask are open-ended questions. Open-ended questions require full answers and not just “yes” or “no” answers. Then, be sure to listen to the answers and ask follow-up questions.

Questions to Ask

When any situation happens, it’s good to ask your child plenty of questions to help th…

It’s clear that having a high level of emotional intelligence (EI) helps a child develop into a responsible, productive and happy adult. Some studies show that having a high EI is more important than even a super high IQ in terms of having a successful life.

Here are seven ways that you can nurture your child’s EI.

1. Allow Your Child Free Expression - Children who have a high EI are raised in households where they are free to have their own thoughts, feelings, and observations and aren’t tol…