In this chapter, the focus shifts to the impact of parenting on a child’s emotional development and the subsequent lifelong implications. Goleman illustrates this by recounting an episode involving a family playing a video game where the parents’ conflicting instructions and lack of empathy lead to a young girl, Leslie, feeling ignored and unimportant. The author emphasizes that such moments in childhood shape fundamental emotional messages and influence how children perceive themselves and others.

Goleman draws on studies led by Carole Hooven and John Gottman, which revealed a correlation between parents’ emotional competence in their marriage and their effectiveness in helping children overcome emotional challenges. The chapter identifies three common emotionally inept parenting styles: ignoring feelings, being too laissez-faire, and being contemptuous. Goleman highlights the importance of parents acting as emotional coaches and how they can help their children understand and manage their feelings.

The author explores the impact of emotionally adept parenting, referring to outcomes such as children getting along better with their parents, displaying more affection, experiencing lower tension, and exhibiting enhanced emotional regulation. Goleman stresses that emotionally intelligent parents contribute significantly to their children’s well-being, not just through direct interactions but also by modeling effective emotional management in their marriage.