Emotional Education: 14 Very Useful Strategies For Children
Emotional education is key to the present and future well-being of the little ones In recent decades, a concept has burst strongly into the field of Psychology, both in clinical, work, educational and sports settings, it is emotional intelligence.
In the following lines we propose a series of strategies and tips for emotional education in children.
1. Teach him that he can’t always have what he wants
One of the great conflicts that human beings frequently encounter is learning to control our impulses. Emotional intelligence is key for us to learn to manage them; However, first it is necessary to be able to identify them.
That is why it is important to start teaching them from a young age that they cannot always have what they want For example, whenever possible it is necessary to explain to them the consequences of their actions. With these types of actions, self-control is encouraged.
2. Let him express emotions
Some adults believe that children are too young to understand certain things. But already at an early age We must trust our children and allow them to express themselves freely, including their emotions If we give them a space of comfort so that they can trust us with their feelings, we will be giving them a positive message that they can apply in other contexts, for example, school.
3. Create a space for dialogue
It is not necessary to treat children like adults, but it is necessary to encourage dialogue and encourage them to learn at an early age. This is important so that children grow up with the dialogue skills necessary to become people capable of negotiating and reaching agreements with other people. In the adult world, interpersonal relationships are important to achieve mental and emotional well-being
4. Work on empathy
Empathy, that is, putting yourself in the other person’s shoes, is also one of the most important elements of emotional intelligence and, therefore, it must be taught when children are young. This is also important to ensure that the previous point is carried out, because then they will be able to agree and agree in a democratic way. Empathy is key for them to put aside their egocentrism.
5. Teach him to self-motivate
Self-motivation is also essential in emotional intelligence, but it is common that many people, when faced with failures, become pessimistic. Make him understand that failures are opportunities to grow and stimulating them in this sense at an early age is essential for them to become optimistic people.
6. Use the example
Sometimes it is easy to tell others what we have to do, but especially when raising a child, we must be a good example for him or her It is a fundamental point, because parents are role models for their children, something that we must not forget. This is another of the practical keys to emotional education.
7. Learn active listening
Listening is not the same as hearing We can hear what someone is telling us but be thinking about our turn to talk without the other interlocutor having finished theirs, or we can listen with all five senses, that is, listen actively. When someone communicates with us he not only expresses what he says in words, but also speaks his non-verbal language and emotions. Paying attention to this is key to fully communicating with other individuals.
8. Give them examples to solve their problems
Developing problem-solving skills is necessary to adapt to the changing environment in which we find ourselves Not only children, but adults are also overcome by negative emotions. If we give children examples, it is easier for them to learn to manage their emotions and the conflicts that surround them.
9. Emotional self-knowledge
The first step to becoming an emotionally intelligent person is know your own emotions and label them To do this, it is possible to carry out different exercises such as, for example, the emotional diary. In which they can write how they have felt throughout the day and thus reflect on the experience. It is important that the
10. Stories
The use of stories is an ideal alternative so that children can increase their emotional intelligence, something that will positively influence their well-being. There are different stories on the market for children to develop emotional intelligence Adults, for their part, can read one of the books that appear on the list in our article “10 books about emotional intelligence that you need to read.”
11. Videos
Books are an interesting strategy to emotionally educate children; However, another educational resource in this sense is to use audiovisual content, which is entertaining and educational at the same time.
Recommended article: “15 movies about emotional intelligence that you should see”
12. Congratulate him and highlight the positive aspects of his learning
Positive reinforcement is one of the most common forms of teaching, but it is also highly effective, especially at these ages. Whenever the child does something well that is related to emotional education, you can reinforce her action, so that he understands that what he has done is good and reflects on it.
13. Make him/her adopt the role of educator
Showing that we trust their ability to help by educating other children will not only make them feel great about having deserved that show of respect; Furthermore, it will help you understand how other people may react differently to the same information, both intellectually and emotionally. For example, in this way you can observe how another person finds surprising one of the aspects of what is being explained to them that the boy or girl in the “educator” role had assumed was normal. And in the same way, this strategy allows your empathy to develop, by coming into contact again and again with the need to anticipate the emotional reaction that a phrase or a certain use of words may have.
14. Exercises
Many experts consider that emotional education should be mandatory in educational centers, since emotions are an important part of our life and affect our behavior and our emotional state. If you want to know some practical activities to emotionally educate the little ones, in our article “8 activities to work on emotions” you can find a large selection of exercises.
