Ask the Expert: Nurturing Emotional Intelligence From Early Childhood

Dear Anon, thank you for writing in. Babies are quite attuned to our emotions—they absorb our feelings and energy, and they can sense our anxiety and sadness. This is why it’s so important for parents to prioritize self-care.The greatest gift we can give our children for their emotional well-being is our own emotional health. The more you take care of yourself, the better equipped you'll be to care for your baby. That said, we all face stressors, and the goal isn’t perfection. Happy moms are good moms. It may be helpful to think about what helps you relax and cope better with your stress. What support system do you have in place to assist with caring for your baby? How do you take care of yourself while also caring for your little one? Reflecting on these questions can help as you navigate this stage of life. All the best!

Dear Anon, thank you for writing in. This is a good question. When a child (or even an adult!) is upset and has a meltdown, it is important for us to soothe and calm them first. A tantrum means that their big feelings were too much for their little bodies to handle. Young children do not have the vocabulary to express all their feelings, so they show them with their bodies - through crying, screaming, throwing stuff, pushing etc. It is essential that they still feel our love and presence in that moment, rather than our disapproval and rejection. Your calm presence is the greatest gift at that time which will help soothe the child. When children are in this heightened state, they cannot learn anything cognitive. Learning comes later when the child and the parent are both in a calm state. Hope this helps. All the best!