Posts by Mica Gonzalez, PhD
Runaway Toddler: When Children Bolt
Glynn Washington, host of Snap Judgment, tells a compelling story about a time when his young son took off during a Chinese New Year celebration. Washington feared the worst and nearly soiled himself searching frantically. Luckily, he found his little absconder before a change of underwear was necessary.
Read MoreThe Wait of the World: Helping Children Flex Their Emotional Muscles
Waiting is rubbish, especially when you’re a kid. Very few young children respond well when adults answer their demands with, “Not now. Just be patient.” Infants and toddlers are notorious for being lousy waiters, but by the time they enter the preschool and kindergarten years, many show more consistent frustration tolerance and commensurate waiting power.
Read MoreInsider Training: How Mindfulness and Self-Reflection Increase Your Stock as a Parent
Jaime Jr. woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. It’s been about a week since the two-and-a-half-year-old moved out of his parents’ bed in preparation for the arrival of his new baby brother. Usually, the child takes pride in choosing his clothes and putting them on with a little help before school. But today is not like that.
Read MoreThe Way of the Trickster Parent
The coyote is a powerful symbol in many Native American traditions, representing, among other things, the wisdom of the trickster. But I can’t pretend to have any real knowledge of or any specific connection to Native culture. Rather, this post is born out of a single, brief experience I had several years ago while training in a form of group work known as Council.
Read MoreIs It ADHD, or Is My Child Just a Ninja?
This one is actually pretty easy to answer: Yes, your child is most certainly a ninja, or at least a ninja-in-training. By ninja I mean someone whose movement is practiced, who feels confident in her skillset, and whose intense activity can be leveraged to reach terrific heights.
Read MoreStrike While the Iron Is Cold: The Art of Disciplining Your Young Child
Parents often find discipline to be one of the most troubling parts of child-rearing. For most, it evokes uncomfortable or even painful memories of being disciplined when they were young. These old thoughts and feelings usually pop up at the worst moments, for example, when your child reaches maximum cry volume in line at the grocery store.
Read MoreWhy Your Child Gets Scared and How to Respond
This is one of my favorite secrets to share with parents. It’s this weird thing that no one seems to know about but can have such a profound impact on family life. Why do well-adjusted, well-loved kids seem like such scaredy-cats sometimes? The short answer is, they’re supposed to.
Read More