The Secrets to Raising a Smarter Child
- By Inderbir Sandhu, Ph.D

Recommended

Intelligent Quotient and Emotional Intelligence - Two Kinds of Intelligence

By Andrew Loh

Children are born with an inbuilt ability to learn new things, understand new concepts and think in a logical way. The efficiency with which they accomplish these tasks depend on their natural intelligence. Some children could be very gifted, intelligent and talented in performing these entire academic, scholarly and intelligence tasks while others are just above average and or poor in similar tasks. In a way, intelligence among children is diverse and varied and it is only an indicator of how well they do in academics. However, IQ is not just enough to make a child complete and wholesome. There is another intelligence that is much more important than IQ at least in some respects.

Everyone knows about the term “IQ” when talking about how intelligent and smart someone is and in the manner in which that person scores so high in an examination. However, IQ is just one simple measure of human's abilities to perform academically. There is another kind of intelligence that helps a person to lead a life that is free of stress, tension and emotional problems. This type of intelligence is the emotional intelligence.

For a child, who is just growing up, understanding emotions and paying attention to them is very important because it can build self-awareness, know and understand other people, and eventually understand their own mind and emotional status. Known as emotional intelligence or quotient, it is very critical skill that can help children build a wholesome personality and a successful career. Just like IQ, EQ can help children predict future success in acutely emotional situations. Some children have very good skills in managing their emotions while others are very poor in such skills. Unlike IQ, it is possible to improve and build emotional intelligence and skills with proper intervention, training and tutoring.

So, which is vital for the success of your children? Is it intelligence quotient or the emotional intelligence? Academicians and educational experts believe that there should be a fine balance between the two as both of them are essential for success in a world that is full of cutthroat competition. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of both intelligences:

Intelligence Quotient

Advantages

• An intelligent child might do well in professional career.

• A smart child may perform well in academics and studies.

• An academically skilled child is oriented towards a scholarly attitude.

Disadvantages

• An intelligent child who is rich in IQ but poor in EQ may not be a successful person in leading a life free of tension and stress.

• A child who is poor in emotional intelligence, may not understand others and in addition, he or she may not develop a sense of self-awareness.

• A child that is poor in emotional skills may not develop social and emotional competence at all.

Emotional Intelligence

Advantages

• An emotionally stable child has very good social skills and he or she can lead life free of stress, strain, pressure and deep emotions. In other words, mental health in such children may be very good.

• An emotionally competent child can survive with greater societal challenges and strife.

• An emotionally stronger child is adept in adjusting his or her life to changing situations and scenarios.

• A child who has better emotion quotient can easily manage emotions in a better manner.

Disadvantages

• A child who is poor in IQ may not be able to succeed in a professional world that demands academic and scholarly skills.

• A child with poor IQ may find a traditional classroom very boring and difficult.

Any comparison should end here because a child of today's world should be brought up with both of these intelligences. Both IQ and EQ are just like right and left eyes. One cannot exist without the other although EQ is still preferred a little higher. Emotional intelligence is often referred to as a “life saving skill” meaning it either makes or breaks the life of a person. Goleman, the noted proponent of EQ, discusses various factors that make up emotional intelligence.

One of the most important aspects that make EQ in children is the manner in which they are nurtured in their early life. Family strife, grief, negativity, conflicts, separation, medical problems and a series of other issues could affect emotional balance of a child. Hence, parents may need to nurture their children in a tension and stress free environment. In addition, emotional support, counseling and guidance are very much required to ensure proper training in acquiring this all important skill. You may be interested to read Intelligent Quotient and Emotional Intelligence, which is better?

Back to Child Development Articles

Copyright ©2002-2021 by Brainy-Child.com. Hosted by BlueHost.
Privacy Statement :: Disclaimer :: Bookmark Us :: Contact Us