Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Raising a child no small feat in today’s fast-paced, achievement-driven world. While many parents focus on grades and extracurriculars, it’s one of the most overlooked skills emotional intelligence.
This not only helps children excel socially; helps them grow resistantempathetic, and successful adults One that can confidently navigate challenges, foster meaningful relationships, and lead fulfilling lives.
So what do parents who raise emotionally intelligent children do differently? After years Examining 200 parent-child relationships —and practicing healthy habits with my child—I’ve discovered seven powerful strategies that these parents adopted early on.
1. They understood the power of silence
Children were given space to process feelings and trust their inner voice. When their child was upset, they sat quietly beside them, wordlessly offering comfort. Embracing silence can help children better navigate and reflect on their emotions.
DON’T MISS: How to use AI to be more productive and successful at work
2. They named their emotions early and often (mostly their own)
By verbally sharing feelings—like “I’m frustrated” or “I’m happy”—they taught their children emotional awareness and gave them words to express themselves. This helped their children see their emotions as normal and share them openly, rather than repressing them.
3. They apologized to the child
They showed their child that mistakes are a part of life and that taking responsibility is a strength. Apologizing built trust and showed respect, making her child feel valued. It also modeled empathy and taught them how to repair relationships.
4. They didn’t force “please”, “thank you” or “excuse me”
This may sound unusual, but they knew that kindness and respect cannot be forced. Instead, they modeled these behaviors, trusting their children to learn by example. If the child forgot to say thank you, the parent told them, sure that the lesson would last for a long time.
This takes a lot of courage! But as a parenting coach, I have never told my 6-year-old please or thank you. Now he says it on his own all the time — because he hears me say it.
5. They did not ignore small concerns
They took the child’s concerns seriously, whether it was a lost toy or trouble with a friend. By validating feelings, they showed the child that emotions matter. This promoted self-worth, emotional safety and respect for their experiences.
6. They didn’t always offer a solution
The best way to teach decision making is to encourage children to make their own decisions. Instead of solving the problems, they asked what do you think we should do. This helped foster critical thinking, confidence and independence.
7. They embraced boredom
They let the child get bored, which helped them get comfortable with the quiet. This built creativity, self-regulation and problem-solving skills. Their children learned to enjoy their company and find joy in simple moments, like looking out the car window instead of needing a screen.
How to nurture your child’s emotional intelligence
- Model the behaviors you want to see: Express your emotions openly, apologize when you make mistakes, and show kindness and empathy in your interactions.
- Value your child’s feelings, no matter how small they may seem, and give them time to process those emotions without rushing to fix or dismiss them.
- Encourage problem solving by asking open-ended questions rather than providing all the answers.
- Allow them to experience moments of calm or boredom to develop creativity and self-regulation.
Most importantly, focus on building a relationship rooted in respect and trust, because emotional intelligence starts with feeling safe, valued and understood.
Reem Raouda She is a certified parenting coach, mother, and conscientious creator CONNECTED — The only parent-child bonding magazine designed to nurture children’s emotional intelligence and self-esteem. He has transformed hundreds of families through him the courses, coach and tools Follow him Instagram.
Want to improve your AI skills and be more productive? Take CNBC’s new online course How to use AI to be more successful at work. Expert instructors will teach you how to get started, practical uses, prompt writing tips, and mistakes to avoid. Pre-register and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for 30% off admission until February 11, 2025.
