Emotional Development
"Emotional intelligence begins to develop in the earliest years. All the small exchanges children have with their parents, teachers, and each other carry emotional messages" -Daniel Goleman
Important Information to Consider for Emotional Development
1) Emotion is an innate, powerful, and unconscious process.
2) Emotion is perceptible and in body language
3) Emotional arousal does not define or solve a challenge.
4) Emotion responds most vigorously to high contrast information
5) Emotions are neither positive or negative in themselves (Sylwester, 2000).
Interactions at school and at home can influence a child's emotional development. The way children communicate with parents, teachers, peers and society can have a direct effect on their emotional development. It is important for parents and educators to pay attention to children's emotional needs so that they can provide them with a positive emotional environment. The positive environment will help children develop appropriate attitudes or behaviors towards themselves and other people in their societies/communities.
Try these activities at home!
Activity 1
Happy or Sad
The purpose of this activity is to read with your child. Reading should be a very special moment and a chance for developing emotional and moral development skills
1. Find a simple picture book that deals with being happy or sad. Read that book to/with your child.
2. When it comes to the happy or sad part in the story/text, share the feeling with your child by using facial or other body expressions.
3. Get your child/ren to mimic the emotions you are expressing. Use your face/body in different ways e.g. wink, move your mouth or open it wide, smile, cry if possible, and etc.
4. Some children may find it difficult to copy the emotions, but we cannot underestimate what they learn from the experience.
Activity 2
Emotions
The purpose of this activity is to prepare your child to be able to respond to a range of feelings when necessary.
1) Find somewhere quiet and sit down with your child.
2) Read to them a story that is linked with emotions.
3) Be expressive when you read the story. Talk about some of the different emotions described in the book.
Make some different sounds with your child that express emotions such as, excitement, pleasure, frustration, sadness, disappointment, or anger.
Here are some examples of books you can read to your child to help improve emotional and moral development
How to you feel? By Mandy Stanley
Some Dogs Do. By Jez Alborough
This video shows how parents and educators can help children identify their own emotions. The children are using vocabulary to describe their emotions. This practice is a great way to foster positive emotional development in children.
References
http://www.ichild.co.uk/activities/view/861/Am-I-Happy-or-Sad (activity)
http://www.ichild.co.uk/activities/download/861
Sylwester, R. (2000). Unconscious emotions, conscious feelings. Educational Leadership. 58(3). 20 – 24
Reading: Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (1993). The intelligence of emotional intelligence. Intelligence. 17(4), 433-442.
http://www.bestbeginningsalaska.org/