I've studied over 200 kids—the ones with high emotional intelligence do 7 things

Many parents are focused on raising smart kids. But emotional intelligence , or the ability to understand, navigate and express emotions in healthy ways, will strengthen your child's resilience and mental strength far more than any report card. The good news is that you can see it developing in real time. As a conscious parenting coach who has worked with over 200 kids, I try to look for clues of a child who feels emotionally safe enough to stay connected to themselves. Here are seven signs your child is building emotional intelligence. 1. They can name what they're feeling It's a healthy sign if your child can say things like "I'm frustrated" instead of throwing a toy, or "I feel left out" instead of shutting down. It means they've developed emotional vocabulary. This is one of the earliest indicators of emotional intelligence because feelings with names become feelings that can be processed instead of acted out. I always make it a point to acknowledge my chid's emotions instead of dismissing them with phrases like "you're fine" or "stop crying." 2. They come to you when something is wrong If your child comes to you with big feelings — the messy, inconvenient ones — it means they trust and feel safe with you. Children open up when their experience has taught them that they won't be shamed, punished or emotionally abandoned for what they feel. 3. They can experience disappointment without falling apart Emotionally intelligent children move through disappointment. …