Raising a child in today’s fast-paced, achievement-driven world is no small feat. While many parents focus on grades and extracurriculars, one of the most overlooked skills is emotional intelligence.
This not only helps children not excel socially; helps them grow into resilient, empathetic and successful adults who can navigate challenges with confidence, foster meaningful relationships and lead fulfilling lives.
So what do parents who raise emotionally intelligent children do differently? After years of studying over 200 parent-child relationships — and practicing healthy habits with my own child — I’ve discovered seven powerful strategies that these parents embraced early on.
1. They understood the power of silence
They gave the child space to process their feelings and trust their inner voice. When their child was upset, they sat quietly beside them, offering comfort without words. Embracing silence can help children better navigate and reflect on their emotions.
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2. They named 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 emotions as normal and share them openly instead of repressing them.
3. They apologized to their child
They showed their child that mistakes are a part of life and taking responsibility is a strength. Apologizing built trust and showed respect, making their child feel valued. He also modeled empathy and taught them how to repair relationships.
4. They didn’t force ‘please’, ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry’
This may sound unconventional, but they knew that kindness and respect cannot be forced. Instead, they modeled these behaviors, trusting their child to learn by example. If their child forgot to say thank you, the parent said it for them, trusting that the lesson would stick over time.
This takes a lot of courage! But as a parent coach, I have never told my 6-year-old to say please or thank you. Now he says it all the time himself – because he hears me say it.
5. They didn’t dismiss small concerns
They took their child’s concerns seriously, whether it was a lost toy or trouble with a friend. By validating their feelings, they showed their child that emotions matter. This fostered self-esteem, emotional security and respect for their experiences.
6. They did not always offer solutions
The best way to teach decision making is to encourage children to make their own decisions. Instead of fixing the problems, they asked, “What do you think we should do?” This helped increase critical thinking, confidence and independence.
7. They embraced boredom
They let their child be bored, which helped them become comfortable with the quiet. This built creativity, self-regulation and problem-solving skills. Their child learned to enjoy his 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.
- Validate your child’s feelings, no matter how small they may seem, and give them the space 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 quiet or boredom to build creativity and self-regulation.
Most importantly, focus on building a relationship rooted in respect and trust—because emotional intelligence begins with feeling safe, valued, and understood.
Reem Raouda is a certified self-aware parenting coach, mother and creative i CONNECTED — the first and only parent-child bonding journal designed to nurture emotional intelligence and self-esteem in children. She has transformed hundreds of families through her. course DRILL and tools. Follow him Instagram.Â
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