Your Kid’s EQ: Something Else to Worry About!

You feed him “smart foods.” You read to him every night. You help him with homework. When it comes to little Timmy’s IQ, you’ve got it covered. But what about his EQ?

Today, CNN reports a movement to foster “emotional intelligence” (or emotional quotient, a.k.a. EQ) in budding young brains. According to Roger P. Weissberg, Professor of Psychology and Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago, developing emotional wellness not only improves social behavior, but it also makes kids smarter. Weissberg’s research shows that children who “get good emotional and social training” score 11 percentage points higher on standardized tests.

Teachers at Clarendon Hills Middle School near Chicago are currently test-driving this theory by including self-esteem building activities during classes, but critics argue that it’s absurd to task teachers with kids’ emotional education.

Do you think Timmy needs a grade in feelings, or should we just let his future girlfriends judge his EQ?