When you hear people talk about emotional intelligence, they are not talking about someone’s IQ or how “book smart” they may be. Emotional intelligence is a term used to describe a set of other skills that are equally as important, if not even more important.

Author Daniel Goleman describes emotional intelligence in his book “Working with Emotional Intelligence” as having five main characteristics. These are:

• Self-Awareness- The ability to recognize your emotions, strengths, and emotions
• Self-Regulation- The ability to manage your emotions and impulses
• Empathy- The ability to understand someone else’s position
• Motivation- To be able to work towards your goals
• Social Skills- To be able to manage relationships

These are all skills that can take some time to grow. But, they can be improved as kids learn about coding, robotics, and Minecraft. Here’s how