Hello my fellow Parenting is a Jokesters! Did you join my parent friends in Dryanuary? It turns out I’m doing something called Damp-anuary. That’s where you think about cutting back… but really don’t. I mean it’s January! What else do I have??!
I love this week’s episode of Parenting is a Joke as my conversation with Liz Glazer blends the light with the darkness. We all go through so much and as we’ve learned as parents and as people, it’s all about how you deal with it. Take a listen HERE.
I will admit that I am in the middle of a resolution right now. Isn’t that funny that I’m almost ashamed I fell into the basic trap of a New Year’s resolution?! I decided to try to do 40 pushups a day. I was inspired by my niece Tamar who has been doing daily pushups for years now, so I started! I’m on Day 10 as you read this and I’m up to 12 pushups! If you want to tune in and see how I’m doing, and if and when I’ll quit, follow my stories on IG (@ophirae)
My husband and I have resumed our bi-weekly conversation about how our apartment is too small. BUT I will say this, it has two bathrooms. Game changer! Never again will I live with one bathroom. And the way we divvy it up is my son and my husband share the small one off of the kitchen, and I have the big one off of the bedroom. Because it’s fair. While showering, my husband often watches his iPad: some guilty-pleasure series, usually a dog/animal reality series. He used to love Cesar Millan’s Dog Whisperer, but as you might know, Cesar’s old techniques have been canceled and strongly criticized for being aggressive and all about dominating the dog. He’s the dog-training equivalent of a '70s parent – like that guy would spank his kids.
I grew up with dogs and the only training technique I remember is that when I would play that game where you offer a dog a toy and then take it away, my mom would stop me and say, “Don’t ever tease a dog. It makes them mean.”
Right now, we don’t have a dog and I was asking a friend what the current dog training trend was, and OH MY GOD the unthinkable happened! Gentle Parenting has crossed over to animals. Oh, we’re so fucked.
I don’t completely write off Gentle Parenting as a technique with children. As the youngest of 6, I think I was raised with Gentle Parenting - back then, it was called: We’re Tired and After 5 Kids, We Assume You’ll Turn Out Fine Parenting. In all seriousness, I think some ways Gentle Parenting advises acknowledging your kid's feelings, especially if they’re sensitive, are far better than endless yelling and useless punishing.
But applying it to the animal kingdom? C’mon now.
Biscuit, you peed on the living room rug. I can see that you are angry right now because I went out for 15 minutes without you. You are allowed to feel angry and it’s okay to struggle with bladder control, it does not make you a bad dog. You’re a good dog. A good dog. But I can see you’re having a hard time. And it’s not okay to pee on the rug. You’re also having a hard time not destroying the expensive Jonathan Adler squeaky toy I bought you. I’m going to put Squeaks McGee away to set a boundary. When you’re calm, I’ll bring it back. I’m going to take a deep breath right now to calm my body. Why don’t you take a deep breath to calm your fur body, Biscuit? So let’s take some deep breaths together…
How long before Biscuit remembers that she CAN EAT US? Like in our sleep.
Sorry, but dogs will ignore everything you’re saying if jerky is waved in front of their noses. And if you don’t take them outside enough, they will pee on the floor! Then again, I guess the same can be said for toddlers, so WHO KNOWS??
Don’t miss this week’s episode with Liz Glazer! Coming up, we have comedian Seth Herzog, who you might recognize from sketches on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and if you haven’t listened to our recent one with Tom Papa, it’s waiting for you!
Back to my pushups. See you next week friends!
Ophira, check out this link, re your apt is too small: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/430-Green-Ln-Belvidere-Twp.-NJ-07823-1236/40096595_zpid/?utm_campaign=iosappmessage&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=txtshare