Mi reseña del libro: Las 3 inteligencias: Intelectual, emocional y moral de Diana Rodríguez de Ibarra [ESP-ENG]

Today, I want to share with you some comments today about 'The 3 Intelligences: Intellectual, Emotional, and Moral,' a guide for the comprehensive development of our children, written by Diana Rodríguez de Ibarra, a Mexican psychologist from the University of Nuevo León. The book consists of 5 chapters and 144 pages. In this guide, the author provides us with some insights into how the world is currently educating its children, the challenges, and some advice that parents can consider when raising their children.

Next, I will summarize some of the most important points covered in this book regarding the integration of the three intelligences, starting with intellectual intelligence

Did you know that reading to children from a very young age stimulates their brains and increases their intellectual intelligence?

It turns out that reading is the most advanced brain process that humans possess, so reading to children from birth develops their processes of perception, memory, attention, and understanding. Waiting for them to start their learning in elementary school might be too late. Furthermore, children who are not spoken to, sung to, or read aloud to frequently from birth may have difficulties in formal learning, especially in reading and writing.

Another important point for stimulating intellectual intelligence is toys. These should be selected appropriately based on the level of interest and psychological maturity. For example, up to the age of 5 or 6, simpler toys are suitable as they promote imagination.

Something noteworthy in this chapter is that many parents do well in focusing on the development of their children's intellectual intelligence by providing them with tablets and computers. However, they forget to stimulate emotional and moral intelligence. Here, the author emphasizes the importance of providing an integrated education to their children.

What is Emotional Intelligence?

It is the ability to control emotional impulses and is responsible for helping us to resolve problems peacefully and providing us with well-being. It is important to know that emotional intelligence is learned and developed. In other words, children will learn it from what they see and receive from their parents.

Babies are born with only one way to express their emotions, and that is through crying. It can be crying due to hunger, frustration, anger, or pain. However, it is also known that babies whose mothers respond immediately to their crying on a regular basis are more stable and cry less. But when a baby is left to cry for more than 10 minutes, feelings of abandonment and anger can emerge in them.

The text also explains the topic of managing painful feelings in children, such as fear and anxiety. Fear is the response to a stimulus or situation, for example, a child's fear of the dark. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension with an unknown origin, for example, starting classes at a new school. Here, the author provides some advice on what activities to do to address their fears, reduce their anxiety, and manage their anger.

How is moral intelligence acquired?

Moral intelligence is acquired through assimilated learning, that is, from what we see and hear, primarily from the family. This intelligence relates to conscience. It is the capacity that gradually develops to make decisions and act in a correct or incorrect manner. According to the book, “It is expected that by the age of 6 or 7, children should be aware that everything they do will have good or bad consequences. They can recognize that lying, stealing, offending, and hitting are bad, and telling the truth and showing respect are good.”

This book provides examples in each of the chapters to explain how you can avoid behaviors that you do not want your children to develop, in addition to giving you advice and activity charts that you can work on to develop their three intelligences. At the end of chapters 1, 2, and 3, there are skills questionnaires that you can apply to your children if you wish.

The last two chapters are about the integration of the three intelligences and smart sexuality. The first is a summary of the identification and management of intelligences; teaching children to have responsibilities is a way to integrate and develop intelligences. The final chapter provides you with some advice on how you can educate, guide, and inform your children about sexuality.

This guide is quick to read and contains substantial information that, if you desire, you can expand upon with other texts or sources of information.