Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Early Academics (And How Parents Can Build It Naturally at Home)

If you ask teachers, counselors, or parents today what truly shapes a child’s success, the answers rarely begin with alphabets and numbers. Instead, the focus has shifted toward something deeper and far more impactful: Emotional Intelligence. 

According to Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, children who build strong emotional intelligence (EQ) in the early years do far better in school, and life than those who start academics early.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” ~Albert Einstein

And imagination is a core part of emotional intelligence: understanding feelings, expressing thoughts, reading social cues, and learning to manage behaviour. When children learn to recognise emotions, express themselves, show empathy, and make thoughtful choices, academic learning becomes easier, not harder.

Discover why EQ matters and how Sam & Mi books help parents strengthen it effortlessly at home.

1. Help Children Identify Their Feelings

Children understand the world first through feelings, then through words. Helping children name and identify emotions (“You seem upset,” “Are you worried?”) reduces frustration and builds self-awareness.

Sam & Mi’s “Things I Can’t See” is created exactly for this stage. Through gentle storytelling, it helps children recognise emotions they cannot see feelings that live inside them. This book supports emotional vocabulary and teaches children to express what they feel.

2. Empathy Helps Children Build Strong Relationships

Empathy is more powerful than memorising facts. It helps children cooperate, share, resolve conflicts, and form healthy friendships. Through gentle and relatable moments, Rules/No Rules by Sam & Mi highlights this contrast beautifully by showing how too much chaos affects children and how gentle structure helps them feel calmer, more aware, and more considerate.  show children how small acts helping, listening, noticing others shape relationships.

Children today experience constant stimulation screens flashing, toys everywhere, fast music, loud surroundings. An overstimulated child cannot process emotions calmly. A quieter environment, fewer toys, and slower activities help their mind settle and observe how they feel. Emotional clarity begins where overstimulation ends.

3. Stories Build EQ Better Than Instructions

Children absorb emotional intelligence through experiences not explanations.
And stories provide those experiences safely.
They let children:

• understand cause and effect
• practice empathy
• see different perspectives
• relate to characters
• learn how choices shape outcomes
  
  

This is why the Sam & Mi collection is built around simple, relatable, emotional moments from a child’s everyday world.

4. Imagination and Emotional Comfort

Imagination is a key part of emotional intelligence. It helps children manage stress, problem-solve, and explore feelings safely.

The Cat who came to lunch is designed exactly for this purpose. makes daily routines especially mealtime feel warm, calm, and enjoyable for toddlers. Through a playful cat character and gentle storytelling, the book helps children slow down, stay engaged, and enjoy their meals without pressure. Its simple language, familiar routine, and bright visuals support early vocabulary, imagination, empathy, and smoother emotional regulation during everyday tasks.

 A calm imagination becomes the foundation of a calm emotional life.

Books That Support Emotional Growth

For parents who wish to strengthen their child’s emotional intelligence, these Sam & Mi books are created exactly for early EQ learning.

• Things I Can’t See - Helps children recognise and express invisible emotions.
• Rules / No Rules - Makes boundaries, behaviour, and self-control easy to understand.
•The Hippo Who Came To Swim  - Encourages imagination, empathy, cognitive, and sensory development.

These Sam & Mi titles are crafted with care, child psychology, and storytelling expertise to support emotional intelligence in the early years. Parents can explore the collection anytime at www.samandmi.com.

Final Thought

Emotional intelligence is not an “extra skill.” It is the foundation of everything a child becomes how they learn, behave, communicate, make friends, solve problems, and express themselves.
With simple daily storytelling and meaningful books, parents can nurture calm, confident, emotionally strong children.

EQ isn’t just important. It is the foundation for everything a child becomes.