Emotional intelligence is a crucial skill that helps individuals navigate through social situations, regulate their emotions, and develop meaningful relationships with others.
While most people don’t start actively developing emotional intelligence until adolescence or adulthood, some individuals show signs of advanced emotional intelligence at a very young age.
One such example is 4-year-old Aldie, whose emotional intelligence has been described as “off the charts” by people who watched the video of him talking to his mother.
Jonisa Padernos, Aldie’s mother, shared a video of their meaningful conversation on TikTok before Aldie’s bedtime, which has now amassed over 17 million views and growing.
The conversation begins with Aldie expressing his sadness to his mother about not being allowed to go outside that day. His mother then clarifies that this was a consequence of his behavior.
During the conversation, Aldie said, “After I was a little sad, I was a little upset,” and then corrected himself by saying, “More than a little.”
His mother acknowledges and affirms his emotions in response.
“We all experience feelings of disappointment and frustration at times because things don’t always go as planned,” Padernos stated, which her son agreed to.
Aldie explains to his mother, “It’s difficult for babies to understand that they should not do that.”
Despite being a toddler, Aldie never had big tantrums during his formative years as he was able to communicate his feelings and thoughts effectively using words, his mother said.
According to Jonisa Padernos, Aldie’s mother, she has always felt that her son was unique ever since he began speaking in complete sentences at 20 months old.
The mother shares that she always seeks Aldie’s opinion or emotions on various matters and never hurries him to respond. She takes time to listen to what he has to say, and in turn, expresses her own feelings and explains them to him.
“I’d always ask his opinion or feelings towards something and I don’t rush him to answer,” Jonisa said.
She believes that children tend to emulate their parents’ behavior and that by encouraging them to express themselves with words and helping them process their emotions, they learn that it’s okay to feel different emotions.
The mom suggests that for parents seeking guidance on how to help children connect with their emotions, it is crucial to set an example as adults.
According to Dr. John Gottman, a world-renowned psychologist and author, “Teaching kids how to identify their emotions, read the emotions of others, regulate their own emotions, and communicate their emotions clearly and effectively is critical to their success in life.”
Dr. Gottman has developed several resources and programs to help parents and educators teach children about emotional intelligence, including the “Emotion Coaching” approach.
Have a look at the bedtime conversation between Aldie and Padernos as he recounts his emotions from the day, which has accumulated over 17 million views on TikTok. And be sure to follow their page for more adorable and intelligent videos from this amazing family!
@mom_aldie Bedtime conversation. The last part made me ❤️🥹 #fyp #momlife ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design