172. Why is Emotional Intelligence important and how do you know if kids have it?

In this episode of Overpowering Emotions, I dive back into emotional intelligence (EI) as the foundation for resilience. Discover why teaching kids to recognize and manage their emotions is far more impactful than simply correcting behaviour. I dig even deeper than before, so this will cover a few episodes Today I break down the four branches of EI and share practical strategies to help kids build self-awareness, empathy, and emotional regulation. This is the first step in our journey to continue nurturing emotional resilience in the year to come. Ideas to work on this week:Model Emotional Awareness: Regularly name and express your emotions in front of kids to normalize emotional conversations. When frustrations arise, model taking a deep breath or stepping away momentarily. Narrate this to help kids understand the importance of pausing and responding thoughtfully.Emotion Check-Ins: Set up daily or weekly emotion check-ins with kids. Use simple prompts like, “How are you feeling today and why?”Labeling Emotions: Encourage kids to identify and name their emotions during different situations, both positive and challenging.Gratitude Practice: Start a daily gratitude ritual by asking kids to name three things they are grateful for. Key Points covered: Emotional Intelligence (EI) is essential for raising resilient kids.Identifying strong EI skills in kids. EI focuses on recognizing, understanding, and managing emotions in oneself and others.Emotional regulation helps prevent meltdowns, sibling conflicts, and frustration.The four branches of EI include:Perceiving EmotionsFacilitating Thought with EmotionsUnderstanding EmotionsManaging EmotionsStrong EI correlates with better relationships, empathy, and confidence in kids.Modeling EI as adults is crucial to teaching it effectively.Simple practices like labeling emotions, gratitude exercises, and role-playing help foster EI. Want to learn more about helping kids strengthen their emotion regulation skills and problem-solving brains while boosting their confidence, independence, and resilience? Check out my many training opportunities! https://drcarolinebuzanko.com/upcoming-events/