In today’s era, where stress and anxiety are common, especially in teenagers, it is very much important to make them aware of emotional intelligence. About their feelings, about their emotions and to tell them that’s it’s okay to feel sad sometimes. What is important is to feel every emotion but in a way that feels complete and safe. Even as a parent, it is your responsibility to help them with their insecurities, emotions and feelings. As emotional intelligence, leads a person to handle their emotions. It leads to developing their inner strength and personality.
IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN TEENAGERS
Nowadays, where every teenager wants to be cool among others. They often make this confusion in their mind on how to feel. As they think, that it is shameful to cry, it is uncool to sit and feel nostalgia, to feel kindness, to be kind. And that’s why it is important to teach them about emotional intelligence. To make them realise to recognise their feelings, to make them aware of other’s feelings and so on.
Emotional Intelligence also helps in growing and maintaining;
- Better relationships,
- Better decision making,
- Helps in boosting confidence level.
- Ability to solve problems more effectively
- Better social skills
- Being empathetic and kind towards others and ownself.
- And most important, the ability to accept.
So, let’s see 5 effective ways on how a teenager can be aware of emotional intelligence.
Make them understand what emotional intelligence is all about
The first and foremost, thing is that you need to make your child aware of what emotional intelligence actually is! Why is it important to talk about emotional intelligence? I understand it becomes difficult for you to explain them all this as they sometimes ignore what parents tell them, but you can seek help from a counsellor/therapist or even school teachers. They can make them understand more effectively. This will make them aware of what actually EQ is and why it is important to be emotionally intelligent. Make them help in the way that they actually feel the emotions and can connect in a way that makes them feel in a comfort zone. So, it is important to make them realise from the basics.
Appreciate their perspective and allow them to express
sometimes, teenagers act in a way that may not seem appropriate to you as a parent, but you need to understand their perspective as well, listen to them, appreciate them that they have their own perspective, This will help them feel secure and allow them to express what they are feeling. Practising expressing will make them feel relaxed. And, if you think that how they are reacting is instinctively not the right way, then make them understand softly. Show them affection and talk to them as a friend. This will make them feel way more encouraged and happy and they will be able to express themselves.
Provide them with the workshops and training
Nowadays, there are such good courses that are available online on EQ, Personality development and so on. Workshops and courses use advanced levels of tricks and techniques and make a teenager understand everything in a very calm way. In a way that they enjoy the process as well. Workshops on social and emotional intelligence. There are courses that provide training on everything regarding EQ.
Listen to them
Be a good listener to them. Teenagers usually don’t express their feelings or emotions as they are scared about parent’s reactions that usually turns into an argument. And, that is why it is important to just listen to them, without giving any advice or any suggestion. Just listen, that makes them feel comfortable around you. Also, this will make them feel cherished and happy.
Make a healthy and positive atmosphere at home
It is very much important for a teenager to be able to be surrounded by a positive environment. You cannot control the outside world but can always make sure that the home surroundings are positive and being taken care of in a good way. Arguments and fights at home lead to mental disturbance in one’s mind. Especially in a teenage mind, as it still tends to be in a developing stage. So, it is important to take care that your child is growing in a healthy and positive environment.
These were the 5 ways that you, as a parent can help your teenage child to how to be emotionally intelligent. Emotional intelligence is not an overnight understanding but a process that takes time and patience both.
