Studies consistently show that emotional intelligence is much more important than IQ because it relates directly to happiness and success. Many highly intelligent adults struggle in day-to-day life due to a lack of emotional intelligence.

Making an effort to increase your child’s emotional intelligence is one of your most important tasks as a parent.

Avoid downplaying this important factor of happiness and success. Those with a higher level of emotional intelligence enjoy more satisfying careers and stronger, more fulfilling relationships.

Emotional intelligence has five components:

1. Self-regulation of emotional states. An emotionally healthy person can manage their moods appropriately and successfully.
   
   
2. The ability to motivate yourself. Staying the course in spite of doubt and distractions is an important component of emotional intelligence.
   
   
3. Empathy for others. This includes the ability to recognize emotions and feelings in others and choose an appropriate course...

Spooky, scary, and horror season is upon us. Leading up to Halloween, children and young adults are searching for stories to knock their socks off and give them a fright. We searched high and low for great reads that will give you chills (and maybe consider sleeping with the lights on). Here are six of our favorite spooky stories, some with a bit of humor, for all ages. 

Poultrygeist by Eric Geron, Illustrated by Pete Oswald

Perfect for grades K-3

This spooky, yet humorous, picture book takes a fresh spin on an old joke, "Why did the chicken cross the road".  A chicken bravely crossing the road but is sadly flatted by a semitruck. The animals who have gone before him have to break the news - the chicken is now on THE OTHER SIDE. Your child will enjoy the beautiful and colorful illustrations, along with interactive storyline to discover what really happens on the other side.  

Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney

Perfect...

Think about the five most successful people you know. On the average, they’re probably not that talented. However, they know how to get things done and persist. That is why resilience is an important skill to develop and polish throughout life.  Resilience helps you be persistent through the ups and downs life brings. 

Resilience might be the missing ingredient in your quest for success. We want to share a few techniques you can use to increase your resilience.  You can also share with your children or partner so they can learn right along with you. 

1. Stay in contact with others. When times are tough, it’s natural to crawl into a hole and be by yourself. While there are moments we need alone time, you’re more capable with a support system. Give up the idea that strong people take on the world by themselves. You’re stronger when you have help and support. Maintain your relationships.
   
   
2. Have high hopes. It’s easier to stand strong...

Disappointment is a normal part of life, and the lockdowns due to COVID-19 caused some major disappointments while disrupting lives everywhere. It’s enough to make anyone feel a little sad and discouraged. But disappointments don't only pop up during global pandemics, they are mixed in with all the joy and excitement life can bring. 

It’s also natural for parents to want to shield children from such unpleasant situations. However, dealing with losses can be a beneficial experience. Otherwise, your sons and daughters may struggle when they run into bigger letdowns as adults.

How can you guide your children without taking over? Try these ideas for helping your kids to deal with disappointment.

Talking with Your Kids about Disappointment

There are major differences between dwelling on disappointments, trying to suppress them, and dealing with them constructively. Your child will probably find it easier to move on if they can talk about their feelings.

Try these...

Graphic novels are one of my favorite type of books because it combines art and text to bring the story alive. Here are my favorite graphic novels for your middle grade reader. 

All's Faire in Middle School 

By Victoria Jamieson

Imogene (Impy) is raised by parents working the Renaissance Faire. She loves all that goes into a fair and can't wait to begin her own training. Impy's quest is to attend public school after being homeschooled her whole life. But public school is not as adventurous as she hoped and there are a ton of rules to follow. Will Impy complete her quest and become a brave knight? Watch the book trailer here. 

Guts

By Raina Telgemeier

It all starts with a stomach ache. Once her family gets over a bug, Raina realizes her stomach pain is not going away. Raina worries about a lot of things - school, friends, siblings, food and most importantly, if someone is going to puke around her. This is the author's true story about dealing with her food and...

Welcome to 2020! Some of you are (or already have) created resolutions and goals for the upcoming year. On the other hand, some of you may not be the New Year resolution type but believe progress and self-growth happen no matter the time of year.

In either case, are you including your kids in creating and setting goals for themselves? If you are, I applaud you, as goal setting is a powerful thing. It can literally alter our brains. This article from INC Magazine by Geoffrey James, explains beautifully the benefits of goal setting, with the scientific research to back up this amazing phenomenon. James says, “if you strongly desire a goal, your brain will perceive obstacles as less significant than they might otherwise appear”.  Our brains are chemically changing based on what we focus on. This is a huge benefit to teaching your child to goal set.  You child is growing, learning, and reprogramming new thoughts and belief systems every day. By goal...

When you were growing up you probably had someone around who taught you the colors of the rainbow, how to tie your shoes so they won’t slip off or sang the ABC song to help you remember the alphabet. Now that you either have your own kids or, like me, borrow your friend’s kids to enjoy and lovingly give them back, you try to teach them the basics, as well as values like sharing and being polite.  

We teach children by explaining, showing and doing. We give concrete items a label. This is a CRAYON. That is a DOG. This CHAIR is BLUE. 

We attach labels to everything; we even begin to attach labels to humans. You are FUNNY. She is MEAN. He is such a LOSER. Those type of statements start to show up early in life and we just keep sticking these labels to each other (and sometimes even ourselves). It becomes a problem when we believe that a label is...