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Control freaks 101

When I get up, brush my teeth, and look in the mirror – there she is. The control freak. Just staring back at me, probably criticizing my technique. Do you know a control freak? Related… Control freaks 101

Dog training for humans

Most dog trainers say dogs aren’t hard to teach. Their humans, however, are a different story. Almost any dog can be persuaded with the right reward and repetition. But we humans – with our stubbornness,… Dog training for humans

Letter to my fellow parents

I have good news on this rainy Monday morning. This parenting thing so many of us are grappling with and trying to do well? Sometimes, it works. Let me explain. When my three kids were… Letter to my fellow parents

One nostalgia to go, please

For decades, we’ve known that sex sells – products, movies, just about anything. But now nostalgia is gaining ground. Yesterday my 15-year-old daughter asked if we could go through the drive-through to get her an… One nostalgia to go, please

Three rules to ignore

I’m almost 21 years into this motherhood gig, and time is a great teacher. Here are three “rules” I’d ditch if I were a new parent. Make your bed: I always liked the idea behind… Three rules to ignore

Backyard behavior analysis

The next time I get on a plane, I hope I sit next to an animal behaviorist. Because I have questions. When I watch our three dogs plus my parents’ dog play together in our… Backyard behavior analysis

Therapy in the hair chair

You know how people say you shouldn’t make big decisions after highly emotional events? Because you might not be thinking clearly? Or it might be a knee-jerk reaction you’re hoping will distract you from the… Therapy in the hair chair

All-weather friends

When Tom and I were newly married more than 20 years ago, we became friends with a couple named Jim and Barbara. They were older than us and had two teenagers about to leave the… All-weather friends

Skipping into new lives

When I was a kid, one of my favorite summer outings was to a swim park called Willow Springs. It was a man-made lake full of things to play on – springy diving boards, a… Skipping into new lives