A child’s emotional well-being has everything to do with the atmosphere created around them, says Rushda Majeed
The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated certain conditions in children. Regardless of age, emotional and personal growth is about competencies, opportunities, and how they feel while doing activities. Since there is a harmonious interplay between how children feel and how they act, their emotional needs should never be overlooked when trying to support their intellectual development, creativity, or overall well-being. Especially now.
It is important to take note of research that shows that increased emotional intelligence in parents leads to healthy and stronger relationships in the child’s life. Our emotions determine how we function in our day-to-day lives which is why it is important to regulate and manage them. While there is a genetic component to the development of emotional regulation in children, family, and parents in particular shape this crucial faculty. Thus, children may learn to regulate their emotions by developing comparable regulatory approaches as their parents. This is proven to have a significant influence on a child’s development and well-being. Children under the age of five are still their own person, having distinct likes and dislikes and that shapes their personality.
How do children learn best? Through observation. Children are most influenced by what they observe in their parents. Early in the child’s development, they achieve this by directly modelling responses and emotions displayed by their parents. Later on, during the development process, there may be the adoption of more verbal components.
It is critical for parents to project themselves successfully navigating their way through difficult conversations and challenges by analysing the situation, understanding different perspectives and then reacting in a balanced manner. This encourages children to do the same.
The emotional climate of the family also has a great influence on the child’s ability to regulate emotions. This is where the relationship between parent and child comes into play. The children will reflect the level of openness that the parent portrays. Being able to identify the emotions, analysing outcomes and discussing them with parents need to be encouraged through example. Regulation of emotions is a complex skill that evolves through the lifetime.
Parental playfulness is the ability to be spontaneous, creative, amusing and flexible. Parents creating fun and enjoyable outlets for children to express their creativity and stimulate their minds can be a way of crafting long-term emotional stability. Using these mediums, parents can formulate closer and more open relationships with their children, which leads to open expression of thoughts and emotions at a young age.
Research on early child development care studied a sample of 137 parents of children under the age of eight that self-reported their parental playfulness levels, their own emotion regulation ability, levels of parent-child closeness and conflicts, and their child’s emotion regulation and anxiety. Parental playfulness was directly associated with improved emotion regulation in their children. This association was brought about by the parent’s emotional awareness and the level of their closeness.
Emotional intelligence and regulation usage in parenting techniques can help children navigate complexity and stress, foster healthy and positive relationships, make room for innovation and creativity and grow into positive change-makers. Some common emotional problems children may face are ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), anxiety disorder, eating disorder, et al.
Here are some practical tips for parents:
Be aware: Pay attention to children’s reactions. Be aware of where they are and who they are with because that puts you in a better position to help them respond to challenges and emotional upheavals.
Identify causes: Help them recognise the underlying reasons for their feelings.
Communicate: Talking about emotions with others can be an effective way of dealing with them.
Self-reflect: Model the benefits of regulating emotions and thinking things through.
Consider self-esteem: Reinforcement and encouragement from parents can go a long way toward strengthening children’s self-esteem, and instilling feelings such as optimism and relief.
In conclusion, a child’s emotional well-being has everything to do with the atmosphere created around them. Emotional intelligence and emotional regulation stem from the experiences and observations they make at a young age.
(The writer is the India representative of Bernard van Leer Foundation.)