With children heading back to school, you may be thinking a lot about stocking up on school supplies, new clothes, and after-school snacks to help your child prepare for the year ahead. However, one often overlooked key for success in school is emotional intelligence. Students may gain some emotional intelligence skills in the classroom, but it’s also important for parents and caregivers to foster those skills as well.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is a person’s ability to understand, use, and manage their emotions. This includes understanding non-verbal communication such as facial expressions and body language.
With high emotional intelligence, students are better able to navigate social relationships with peers and teachers, handle conflicts, and cope with stress.
How does emotional intelligence influence academic performance?
School can be a high-stress environment due to the pressure of exams, social situations, and loads of homework. With a strong capacity to interpret and regulate the emotions that come along with stress and anxiety, students can better overcome the challenges they face in and out of the classroom. Additionally, emotional intelligence is directly linked to success in humanities studies like language arts and history. Even if students have a strong grasp on subjects like math and science, having low emotional intelligence—and thus, a reduced capacity to deal with stress and social conflicts—may result in a worse performance on exams in those subjects.
If your child needs extra support in managing and understanding their emotions, talk therapy can be a helpful tool. With Walmart Health Virtual Care, you can easily schedule therapy visits for children from ages 10-17. Appointments are available in as little as 72 hours.
