Which if any, is more important in your opinion and why: Cognitive Inteligence (IQ) or Emotional Inteligence.

My children's happiness is the most important thing in my life; I want my children to grow up believing they can achieve anything. My role as a parent is to ensure that I raise my children to be emotionally intelligent. We all want our children to be happy and succeed in life, but if a child is not happy, how can we expect them to go through life with the ability to learn.

Yes we have to protect our children, they need boundaries, but do we take them for granted, do we take the time to explain to them about the importance of emotions, we could sit with them for hours teaching them how to read or write, but not about the ability to deal with their feelings.

Personally, I would be more in favour of Emotional Intelligence rather than cognitive intelligence, as I believe we need happiness in our life to achieve our goals.

Emotional intelligence

According to Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer (2004, p.35) they define emotional intelligence as;

"The ability the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actions" (2004, p.35)

Emotional Intelligence involves the ability to understand our own and other peoples state of mind, so that we have the skills to manage our emotions and thoughts and use this to better ourselves and other people’s lives. 

Emotional Intelligence (Kids Esteem n.d)

·    Daniel Golman outlines five crucial emotional competencies basic to social and Emotional learning:

• Self and other Awareness

• Mood Management

• Self-Motivation

• Empathy

• Management and Relationships

If we can master these five competencies it will result in enhanced emotional intelligence. (NYU, 2012)

So it’s important for me to teach my children the skills of being aware of their emotions and how the relate to people in a positive way. I think when a child is emotionally intelligent; it leads the way for a child to become cognitively intelligent.  For more information on emotional intelligence on children click here (NYU, 2012)

References 

Kids Esteem (n.d.) Where all Kids Belong.[Online] Image, Available at: http://www.kidesteem.com/node  [Accessed 12th November]

NYU, Child Study Center (2012) Social and Emotional Learning, [Online] Available at: http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/social_emotional_learning_what_it_how_can_we_use_it_help_our_children [Accessed 14th November 2012]

Salovey, P., Brackett, B., and Mayer, J. (2004) Emotional Intelligence: Key Readings on the Mayer and Salovey Model, New York: Dude Publishing.