By Sharika Mubarack

I began teaching while I was still in school.

The very year I completed my A/Ls, I earned my teaching qualification. While my friends rushed home after classes, I would change out of my uniform and run to evening sessions, eager to teach children.

That early start taught me something priceless. Children don’t just need knowledge. Rather, they are in need of understanding. Beyond grades and achievements, what shapes their lives most deeply is their emotional awareness and their ability to recognise what they feel, express it safely, and relate to others with empathy.

Over the years, from classrooms to lecture halls, and later through workshops for parents and children, I’ve seen how emotional intelligence transforms lives. Children who can name their feelings often navigate challenges with more confidence and calm. Those who can’t, sometimes express distress through behavior we misread.

One parent workshop still stays with me.

Many parents were concerned that their children were “always on screens” and “not paying attention.”

However, when we spoke with the children, one voice stood out,

“My parents are always so busy. Do they even know what I do during the day? Do they know my hobbies? That I do other things too?”

That moment shifted the entire conversation. What seemed like a “screen-time issue” was really a connection issue. The child wasn’t addicted to devices. Instead, he was craving attention, belonging, and recognition.

When parents began listening without judgement and engaging with curiosity, the behavior naturally changed because the emotional need was finally seen.

This is why emotional awareness is not optional, it’s essential.

In today’s world, full of academic pressure, digital distractions, and silent struggles our children need the tools to navigate their inner world.

Emotional awareness helps children to:

• Recognise what they’re feeling and why

• Regulate emotions rather than reacting impulsively

• Relate with empathy to others

• Recover from challenges with resilience

Research consistently show that emotionally intelligent children perform better academically, build stronger relationships, and grow into confident, compassionate adults.

Even as my career evolved from corporate roles to becoming a Master Coach in  Relationships and Emotions, I’ve never let go of this calling. For over 11 years, I’ve worked with children and parents, helping them bridge the gap between behavior and emotion, reaction and understanding.

Through Meta Soul Transformation, my workshops and coaching sessions are designed to build this awareness because when we raise emotionally aware children, we raise future leaders who are grounded, kind, and self-assured.

On a final note, while academic success may open doors, but emotional intelligence builds the courage to walk through them.

When we help children name their feelings, we give them the language to build a life of clarity, connection, and confidence.

Author Note :

Sharika Mubarack is a Master Coach in Emotional Regulation and Relationships, and the creator of the ‘Meta Soul Mastery Framework‘, a signature method helping individuals and families build emotional awareness and deeper connection.

With over 18 years of experience across corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and coaching, she conducts workshops for parents and children to nurture emotionally resilient, confident young minds.