School has started. Youth sports are in full swing. Work is crazy. Food has become more about necessity than enjoyment. All of this can only mean one thing: Fall has begun. The crazy schedules this time of year can make it tough for parents to keep their heads on straight; making it through the insanity sometimes feels more like survival than life. But there are tactics you can employ to turn the tide and find more time for yourself. Tag Team There’s no reason to try to do everything on your own. The phrase “It takes a village to raise a child” exists because managing the stressors of life requires help. A great place to start is by establishing car pools with a parent group you trust. You can alternate drivers weekly, which provides the opportunity for you to focus your attention on other priorities — or if you’re lucky, have some freedom. The Right Tool for the Job Technology makes organization easier and more accessible than ever. By using a tool like a shared calendar, you can coordinate the entire family’s schedule so you never miss a beat. And apps like Mealime and MealBoard give you the ability to whip up food that is cost-effective and delicious. Need a Personal Assistant to Manage Your Kids’ Crazy Schedules? Dogs are everyone’s best friend. Just take a peek at Jack this month. How can you not love that face? Dogs provide love and an outlet for compassion, and they bind many families together. Unfortunately, our furry friends don’t always show the affection we know they’re capable of. A dog acts out for many reasons, and we want to help. We deal with dog-bite victims all the time, and the one common denominator we find in these cases is that most could have been prevented. While these three suggestions are not guaranteed to limit dog bites completely, they will help instill some proper behavioral practices for your furry friend. Structure and Boundaries Dogs are creatures of conditioning. They respond directly to their training and the boundaries their owners create. Too often, a dog is blamed for lashing out because of their breed or “natural inclinations” when the truth is that the owner is to blame. If you find your dog running rampant at a dog park or being disobedient, try creating a system of distinct limitations — and enforce them. Positive Reinforcement The days of smacking your dog to train them are long gone. Dogs crave your positive reinforcement — they
Teamwork Makes the DreamWork While you’re busy trying to rally the troops at soccer practice, the scene at home resembles a horror movie. Laundry is piling up, food is spoiling in the fridge, and the dust bunnies around the house now have names. Housecleaning is a part-time job in its own right. The only way to stay on top of duties around the house is to work together. A chore chart with clear responsibilities is a great place to start. Whether you have one child or eight, everyone is capable of pitching in. You can have all the organizational abilities in the world, but the best way to manage life’s madness isn’t by directing day-to-day tasks; it’s by managing stress. Instead of using these tools to control life, look at them as a way to free up time so you can decompress and enjoy the things you love.
3 TIPS TO PREVENT YOUR DOG FROM ACTING OUT Dog Bites Are a Crime in More Ways Than One
are natural-born pleasers. Dogs want to know they are loved, and they want to obey your wishes. If you’re trying to teach a dog a trick or proper behavior, the best way to do it is to praise the good
things they do. It may require a little extra work, but leveraging a dog’s desire to please is one of the best ways to eliminate bad behavior.
Cadence Tone, inflection, and emotion are all ways you communicate with your dog, even if you don’t know it. The studies about dogs’ intuition and interpretation of human emotion offer differing opinions, but any dog owner will agree that a dog understands you. In human interaction, nonverbal communication can be 16 times more powerful than verbal. Try using a firm but loving cadence to develop a nonverbal connection with your dog and see if you notice a difference. These are just a few simple guidelines to help socialize your dog and potentially limit dog bites. For more information, we encourage you to reach out to your local dog trainer. We know of a couple great ones, so reach out to us today for recommendations.
Attorneys Paul Levin & Kelly Kasheta
2 • (860) 560-7226
www.connecticutinjuryhelp.com
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