What I learnt from a Dog

Tricks My Dog Taught Me.

If you love and own a dog or have owned one at some point in time then you will know how very beautiful there is a relationship that can assist between the dog and yourself. There were always dogs in my family. I recall there being a dog around the house from the time I was about 4 or 5 years old. Many tragedies have occurred over the years with the dogs but that did not stop us from owning a dog, so special is the relationship.

After I got married, had kids, subsequently divorced and moved into my own home, almost in that order, I bought my five-year-old son a dog for his birthday and then I got the same dog for my second child who was turning one year old at the time. Their birthdays are one week apart so there was one party. The household felt complete. That dog was so much a part of the family.

One day as I took my breakfast outside on the porch my dog ran up to me wagging his tail. At that very moment I had a thought. What if we as women could be this happy to see our spouses, our other half, wouldn’t this lead to a better relationship?

I explored this theory and wrote a book. Included in the book is an experiment I conducted as well as interviews that I did with men. My book is entitled Tricks My Dog Taught Me – A Smart Woman’s Thoughts on Saving a Relationship.

You can find an extract from the first chapter and get an opportunity to buy the book at www.tricksmydogtaughtme.com . It will enhance your relationship and it has done for hundreds of persons already.

Life without Television or Video Games

So the New Year has opened. One of those critical examinations that we have to do in life is looming and my kids are spending time staring at the television. I speak, I instruct, I give good reasoning explanations but they turn deaf ears to me. “Just until this program finishes or we just started the game or I cannot pause this game” are the replies that I hear. These replies went for everything that I had asked them to do and I was unable to get them to really setting and do homework, housework, to get dress or even to eat. I felt that I was fighting an unforeseen demon which was strong, powerful and had control of my children.

In total frustration I declared no television or video games until the summer holidays. My youngest (age 6) went through withdrawal symptoms. He begged, pleaded and even cried for days. I am not a cruel mother so I allowed the television on Friday nights, which is our family night and we do what we want just as long as we do it together. Then I started to see changes in ways that I did not expect. My youngest brought out a puzzle and because it was a 200 piece he asked for help. It turned into an extraordinary family time together. Then one morning he picked up a book that I had to force him to read the night before and started to read it. That was a miracle!!! He NEVER volunteered to read, ever! My oldest even helped me to hang out clothes without the urgency of returning inside that resulted in a poor job.

For me, the lack of constant blaring noises, the fact that the children actually hears me now and responds, that they are not so antagonistic about performing duties and the quality time that we actually spent together is God sent. They are forced to become more creative and to entertain themselves.

The only draw back is that they constantly want me to play with them now.

Earlier Morning Sound in Barbados

Hello, On one of my morning walks I recorded the beautiful sounds of birds in the morning. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.