Emotional Agility

Teach your kids to be emotionally agile

Instructions

Broaden your perspective on success.
Rethink what success means to you and your child. Instead of just valuing academic achievements and future career prospects, recognize the importance of emotional resilience, adaptability, and overall well-being as markers of success. This shift in perspective encourages a more balanced approach to parenting, where your child's happiness and ability to navigate life's ups and downs are just as important as their grades or job prospects.
Teach your child to understand their emotions well.
When your child experiences strong feelings, whether joy, anger, or sadness, talk about what triggered these emotions and explore healthy ways to express and manage them. For example, if they're upset about a conflict with a friend, discuss why they feel that way and brainstorm solutions together.
Set an example of emotional agility.
Demonstrate how to handle emotions and stress in constructive ways. Let your child see you managing your emotions, especially during challenging times. Share your thought process aloud, such as, "I'm really frustrated by this mistake at work, but I'm going to take a few deep breaths and figure out how to fix it." This teaches your child that it's normal to have strong feelings and that they can be managed thoughtfully.
Encourage learning from mistakes.
Allow your child to experience setbacks and learn from them. Instead of protecting your child from every failure, use these moments as opportunities for growth. Discuss what went wrong, what they learned, and how they might approach similar situations differently in the future.
Praise effort more than results.
Celebrate your child's effort and the process of their work rather than just the outcomes. Applaud their dedication and hard work, regardless of whether it results in a win or a high grade. This encourages a growth mindset, where effort and learning are valued over just achieving success.
Guide your child through fear.
Help your child face their fears by breaking down the challenge into smaller, manageable steps. If your child is scared of something, discuss what the worst outcome could be and how they could handle it. Encourage small steps towards facing the fear and celebrate their courage, no matter the result.
Help your child develop problem-solving skills.
Encourage your child to come up with solutions to their problems. When they face a challenge, instead of offering an immediate solution, ask guiding questions like, "What do you think we could do to solve this?" This helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, ensuring they feel capable of handling future challenges independently.
Always ensure open lines of communication with your child. Establish a daily "chat time" where you and your child can share thoughts and feelings without distractions. Regularly checking in on their feelings and experiences helps build a strong, supportive relationship.