Raising Boys & Girls Episode 344: How To Raise Emotionally Intelligent Kids with Dr. Marc Brackett
Jan 27, 2026
Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of Permission to Feel, explains why feelings are information. He outlines the RULER framework and simple routines parents can use. He contrasts being an emotional scientist with being a judge and shares practical tools for managing overwhelm and building emotional literacy.
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Early Trauma Turned Into Emotional Mission
- Marc Brackett shared that as a child he suffered sexual abuse and kept it secret for years.
- His uncle taught him about emotions and that guidance transformed his life and career.
All Emotions Are Valuable Data
- "All emotions are information" reframes feelings as messages rather than problems to erase.
- Brackett urges curiosity about feelings to learn needs behind big emotions.
Teach RULER Skills Daily
- Teach the RULER skills: Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, Regulate emotions with precise vocabulary.
- Use tools like the Mood Meter and Metamoment to practice these skills across development.
