Emotional Intelligence: What We Can Pass On to Students

Kristijan Musek Lešnik
Nov 9, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Nov 26, 2025

Young people learn emotional intelligence by watching us: the calm we model, the empathy we express, the apologies we make. Our job isn’t to shield them from emotion, but to walk beside them and show that feelings are messages to understand, not problems to hide.

“Emotional intelligence isn’t about “being nice” —it’s a set of teachable life-skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills, and motivation that shape how young people understand themselves, connect with others, and make wise choices.”

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is one of the most powerful predictors of lifelong success — often more important than IQ. It shapes how children understand themselves, connect with others, and navigate the world around them.

Children who can recognize, understand, and manage their emotions are better equipped to form healthy relationships, make thoughtful decisions, and cope with stress and change.

And just like reading or math, emotional intelligence can be taught, modeled, and practiced — every day.

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters

Emotional intelligence is not just about “being nice.”It’s about developing emotional awareness, empathy, and self-regulation — skills that influence every area of life.

Children and youth with strong EQ are more likely to:

cooperate and resolve conflicts peacefully,
stay engaged in learning or work even when frustrated,
show empathy toward others and perspective-taking,
recover more quickly after setbacks, and
develop confidence and realistic optimism about their abilities.

These are not “soft skills.”They are life skills — the foundation of well-being, motivation, and resilience.

The Building Blocks of EQ

Self-awareness – recognizing one’s emotions and how they influence behavior.
Self-regulation – managing impulses, staying calm, and thinking before reacting.
Empathy – understanding the emotions of others.
Social skills – communicating, cooperating, and resolving conflicts.
Motivation – finding inner drive to act in meaningful ways.

When help children develop these capacities, they are helping them build emotional literacy — the language of feelings and relationships.

Learning Through Everyday Moments

Emotional intelligence grows in moments of connection:

When an adult listens to a child’s emotion instead of dismissing it — “It's OK to feel angry, sad, disappointed.”.
When we name emotions — “You’re disappointed because it didn’t work out.”
When we stay calm during a tantrum and model emotional regulation.
When we help children repair relationships after conflict rather than assigning blame.

Everyday experiences — joy, anger, sadness, frustration — are the laboratory of emotional growth.

Why It’s Hard for Them — and Why It’s Worth It

In a fast-paced, performance-oriented world, emotions are often seen as distractions rather than valuable signals. Yet emotional intelligence allows children to pause, reflect, and respond instead of reacting impulsively.

Children who lack these skills may struggle to focus, misinterpret others’ intentions, or feel overwhelmed by strong emotions.But with support, they can learn to manage those feelings — and transform them into empathy, creativity, and self-confidence.

How to Foster Emotional Intelligence in Children and Youth

Name emotions. Help them put words to what they feel — labeling emotions reduces intensity and builds awareness.
Validate feelings. Show that all emotions are acceptable — it’s behavior that needs guidance, not feelings themselves.
Model emotional regulation. Let them see how adults stay calm, apologize, and manage stress.
Teach empathy. Encourage perspective-taking — “How do you think your friend felt when that happened?”
Use stories and reflection. Discuss emotions in books, films, or classroom experiences.
Practice problem-solving. Guide them to think about how to repair hurt feelings or improve situations.
Encourage mindfulness. Short breathing or reflection exercises help them slow down and connect with the present moment.
Celebrate progress. Notice when they express emotions more calmly or respond with kindness — reinforcement turns awareness into habit.

The Role of Adults

Children and youth learn emotional intelligence by watching emotionally intelligent adults. Every calm response, every empathetic word, every sincere apology becomes a lesson.

Our role is not to shield children from emotion, but to walk beside them through it — showing that feelings are messages to understand, not problems to hide.

In the End

Emotional intelligence is the heart of positive education. It teaches children not just what to think, but how to understand themselves and others. Because academic success may open doors —but it’s emotional intelligence that helps children build meaningful, joyful lives once they walk through them.