Establishing respect for emotions is the most important childrearing task we have as a parent. If you and your partner treat each other and the children with emotional awareness and empathy, your children are much more likely to enjoy strong mental health, stable, satisfying relationships, and a rewarding work life.

Her are a few strategies to practice emotional intelligence at home:

Model Emotional Intelligence

• Express Emotions: Share feelings openly and appropriately. For example, say, “I feel frustrated when…” to demonstrate how to articulate emotions. • Handle Emotions: Show healthy ways to cope with frustration, sadness, or anger. For instance, use deep breathing or talk about solutions rather than reacting impulsively.

Teach Emotional Vocabulary

• Identify Emotions: Encourage your child to identify their feelings and those of others. Use books, movies, or everyday interactions to discuss various emotions.
• Expand Vocabulary: Educate them on a wide range of emotions beyond just happy, sad, and angry. Words like frustrated, excited, embarrassed, or anxious can help them express themselves more accurately.

Encourage Empathy

• Discuss Perspectives: Encourage children to consider how others might feel in different situations. Ask questions like, "How do you think they felt when that happened?"

Promote Social Skills

• Group Activities: Encourage participation in team sports, group projects, or community service. Interaction with peers helps develop cooperation and communication skills.
• Conflict Resolution: Teach children how to resolve conflicts peacefully. Role-play scenarios where they can practice negotiation and compromise.

Encourage Self-Reflection

• Journaling: Encourage them to keep a journal where they can express their feelings graphically and reflect on their day.
• Discuss Events: After a significant event, discuss it together. Ask open-ended questions to promote self-reflection, like “What did you enjoy most?” or “How did you feel during that moment?”

Teach Coping Strategies

• Problem-Solving: Help children brainstorm solutions to problems instead of immediately jumping in to fix things for them.
• Mindfulness and Relaxation: Introduce mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, to help manage emotions and reduce stress.

Create a Safe Communicative Environment

• Listen Actively: Make sure to listen to your child’s feelings without judgment. Validate their emotions by acknowledging their experiences and feelings.
• Encourage Expression: Provide a safe space where your children can freely express emotions without fear of dismissal or ridicule.

Set Appropriate Boundaries

• Teach Responsibility: Help children understand the consequences of their actions on others’ feelings, guiding them toward making responsible choices.
• Consistent Discipline: Use consistent and fair discipline methods that teach children about accountability and the impact of their emotions and actions on themselves and others.

Encourage Help-Seeking Behaviour

• Normalize Seeking Help: Teach children that it’s okay to ask for help when they’re feeling overwhelmed. Help-seeking behaviour is an important part of emotional intelligence.

Celebrate Emotional Growth

• Acknowledge Progress: Recognize when your child handles emotions or social interactions well. Positive reinforcement will encourage them to continue developing these skills.


By integrating these practices into your parenting approach, you can help your children develop the emotional intelligence they need to navigate life’s challenges and build healthy relationships with themselves and others.