Growing Big Hearts: emotional intelligence for families

By Leonard R Stewart

My name is Leonard Stewart, and I was born in the vibrant city of Jacksonville, Florida, where the St. Johns River flows gently into the Atlantic Ocean. Growing up in a city that breathed life through its warm Southern air and diverse communities, I never imagined that my greatest challenge would not stem from the outside world but from within-the complex landscape of emotions.

As a father of five-two boys and three girls-and the proud grandfather of two energetic little girls, I have come to appreciate the beauty and chaos that family life brings. Each child is a reflection of their upbringing, a unique constellation of experiences and emotions. It was only after the birth of my grandchildren that I began to deeply contemplate how well I had equipped my children to navigate the emotional terrain of life.

For the past several years, I have immersed myself in a journey toward emotional intelligence. This journey was born out of personal necessity; I wanted to better understand my own feelings before I could guide my children through theirs. The realization hit me with poignant clarity: if our children cannot understand their own emotions, how can they grow into well-rounded adults capable of navigating the complexities of life?

This understanding became a passionate mission. As a father, I often witnessed my children grappling with feelings of sadness, anger, and joy-emotions that sometimes overwhelmed them. I recognized that these moments needed to be more than mere reactions; they required reflection. I started observing how each child expressed themselves differently, each just needing a gentle nudge towards emotional awareness.

Fueled by this insight, I began writing a book aimed at parents like myself. I envisioned a guide that would equip them with tools to help their children identify and manage their emotions-an informal roadmap for navigating the sometimes turbulent waters of emotional growth. My book features engaging stories, worksheets, and games designed to cultivate emotional awareness skills.

In one of the stories, I recount a day at the beach that spiraled into an emotional rollercoaster. My youngest daughter, Cathryn, wanted to build the tallest sandcastle. When it collapsed, chaos erupted-tears transformed her small face and led to a cascade of emotions. As I knelt beside her, we turned her sorrow into a lesson on resilience. We talked about how every wave that crashes can build strength, not just break our creations. It was through stories like these that I found a way to help my children articulate their feelings.

The worksheets provide practical exercises that reinforce this learning by allowing children to identify emotions through colors and drawings. Just as a painter chooses hues for their canvas, kids learn to recognize the colors of their feelings and how to express them. The games are simple yet effective, fostering teamwork and communication while allowing children to engage with their emotions in fun and creative ways.

The feedback from parents has been heartwarming. I've heard stories of transformed family dinners where conversations move from surface-level small talk to deeper discussions about feelings. Parents have shared how the dialogue about emotions has fostered a connection among family members, and how they now see the world through their children's vantage points.

Writing this book was more than just an act of creation; it was an act of love, birthed from my desire to improve not only the emotional landscape of my own family but also to reach out to other families seeking similar enlightenment.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0DWDR1DR3
• ISBN13: 9798309662128
• Release Date: February 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 154 Pages
• Weight: 0.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"