August 29th, 2016

                                  HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD SUCCEED IN SCHOOL (1)
                    Emotional Quotient (EQ) versus Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
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First of all, I would like to define what success means. Most if not all parents want their child to succeed academically, which means getting good grades so that the child can integrate a prestigious university later on in life. While there is nothing wrong with wanting your child to have good grades, as a psychotherapist, I define success in school differently.
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IQ (Intelligent Quotient) is the tool often used to measure human intelligence. The higher the better is what we think. However, studies show that the most predictable indicator of success in life and career is EQ (Emotional Quotient). But what is exactly EQ? Here is the definition of Wikipedia “Emotional Intelligence or Emotional Quotient is the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and to manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environments or achieve one’s goal(s).”
In the world, and especially in our global world, your child needs to develop the mature emotional intelligence that is required to better understand, empathize, and negotiate with their peers.

There are 5 categories of Emotional Intelligence recognized by researchers in this area:
1. Self-awareness. When your child knows how to tune into her true feelings then she develops her ability to recognize her own emotions and to manage them.
2. Self-regulation. Your child is ready to learn when she can monitor and manage her own thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.
3. Motivation. If your child sets clear goals for herself and has a positive attitude, it motivates her for any achievement.
4. Empathy. The more skillful your child is at discerning the feelings behind others’ signals the better she can manage the signals sent to her.
5. Social skills. In today’s hyper connected world, children need more than ever to develop social skills so they can better understand, empathize, and interact with their peers.

Children who develop a high EQ are more likely to cultivate positive relationships, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner, overcome life's challenges, and reduce stress.
Stay tuned for my next blog about “How to develop your child’s Emotional Intelligence”.