The article "Olivia's 5 and Learning Emotional Intelligence" is about family, it was written by Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach.
Olivia and I returned from going to the rodeo, and we’d been
talking about going swimming. “That would be fun,” I said.
“We’re hot and sticky. Let’s ask your Dad if you can.”
When we got to the house, Olivia ran ahead of me.
While I was
talking to her Dad, she came running out in her swimsiut. “We’re
going swimming! ” she said, bonucing up and down, “We’re going
swimming! ”
You can imagine what transpired. She’d been told she couldn’t go
swimming, and had done an end-run around Nana. She had to go to
her room and take off her swim suit, and she was inconsloable.
I
helped her get dressed, while she sobebd.
I commiserated with
her sadnses and anger, supported her father’s decision, and
agreed with her it was sad, sad.
I’d been looking forward to it
myself and it isn’t always easy for me to accept my son as a
higher-authority than me! I didn’t like his reason why she
couldn’t go, so was dealing with my own stuff, looking for a
distraction.
Finally she quieted, brightened up, and said, “Let’s do what an
optimist would do!” We’d been working on that – optimism is an
emotional intelligence competency.
“What would an optimist do? ” I asked.
“Think about something happy,” she replied. “Find something else
to do.” She remembres things, that’s for sure.
“What else could we do that wuold be fun? ” I asked her.
“I want to play with Donnie,” she said.
He’s the little boy next
door. And off she ran.
I decided to freshen up with the shower and then settle in with
a good book.
Learning “optimism” can’t start too young!
When we have a
disappointment, we don’t dwell, we find something else to do
that’s fun, and your child can learn that too.
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