Posts tagged with child.
Nice people finish ... richer?
Graduating with high marks and a spot on the Dean's list might not be enough. If you really want to boost your salary later in life, you'll also need to get some friends.
Lots of friends.
According to research from Essex University in Britain, the number of friends someone has in school can be a strong indicator of how wealthy they'll be later in life. The study claims that for each friend a student has in school, their salary after graduation gets a boost of 2%.
Maybe Facebook isn't such a waste of time after all?
The idea that popularity could have a serious impact on one's earning potential shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. These aren't the 'cool' kids in high school that we're talking about, whose reign and rule over others is often through simple intimidation or social bullying.
No, we're talking about the popular types who have a high level of 'emotional intelligence,' also known as "EQ."
EQ has to do with a person's empathy and social skills. A high EQ means the ability to get along with others in all kinds of different situations and under all kinds of different circumstances.
In other words, the Mensa equivalent for the ultimate 'people person.' Those who know how to play nice are off the scale when it comes to their EQ level.
Of course, IQ also plays a crucial role in helping one to earn more. There's no doubt that post-secondary education can contribute significantly to one's earning potential later in life. The study acknowledges the research that suggests every extra year of education can boost earnings by 5%.
But in addition to that 2% boost to your income just from having extra friends, those with a higher level of emotional intelligence have also been linked with better management skills when it comes to dealing with stress. They also tend to have more extensive social networks to lean on in times of need, and have lower rates of depression.
The good news: empathy is something that can actually be taught and learned. So what, if anything, can we do as parents to help our children improve their EQ levels?
Apparently, quite a bit.
Parents need to model empathy and respect, but schools can also play a crucial role in helping children develop their EQ. At my son David's school, for example, there is a huge emphasis placed on self-respect, personal responsibility and respect for others.
The Child Center Study at NYU agrees that it isn't enough to feed only the mind. Interpersonal skills are at least as important as that post-secondary education for our children's success later in life.
"Studies show that EQ is the best predictor of a child's future achievement; better than any other single factor. EQ is a better predictor of success than IQ and technical skills combined."
By the time our children get to university, hopefully they've already learned the value and importance of sharing, taking turns, and not kicking sand in anyone's face.
Because if they haven't, they'll pay for it.
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KATHY DOBSON 
