Planning Chores for Kids: When to Start

I grew up on a farm and chores were not something to be assigned, but rather, an every day part of life. Children in a farm family learn very early on, as my mother says, see what needs to be done and do it. The success or failure of the farm, and ultimately, the survival of the family, depends on everyone working together.

As a mom living in suburbia, though, I’m not always sure at what age to assign chores and which assignments to give. However, I’m learning that even very young children can contribute. I’ve noticed that my young kids, more than anything else, just want to be near me. If I’m dusting the furniture, all I have to do is give them a dust cloth and they’ll “help.” I finally bought a small, functional …

Why You Should Consider Adopting a Rescue Dog

I have a dear friend in Connecticut that was with me on my last scuba diving trip. It was the first time I had seen her in several years, and we enjoyed catching up. Since I am such an animal lover, she knew the first thing I would want to know about were her dogs. I asked her if I could share her story, because it represents so much of what we all go through when we have pets: joy, routine, heartbreak, and the decision to go through it all again!

Lily’s Story

I had Max, my Shih-Tzu/Maltese mix, for almost 16 years when he passed away. Life felt empty without him following me around the house, barking at people walking down the street, even sleeping next to me on the bed. I was sad.

Initially, I thought I …

Stop Bad Pet Behavior — Comfort Zone with Feliway Review

I have written about our younger cat Vincent here before, and about the behavioral issues we experienced with him from the time he first came to us when he was just 8 weeks old, up until fairly recently. Vincent was the second cat to come into our home. We also have Devin, a female cat who is significantly older than Vincent, so I really didn’t know what I was getting into when my partner and I were asked if we would be willing to take in a kitten who was very different than the exceptionally-behaved, low maintenance cat we had for years.

Vincent had energy like I had never seen before; he climbed up curtains, scratched our furniture obsessively, was afraid of the lid on his litter box, and would urinate where he slept, whether it …

Choosing a Pet: The 5 Best Pets for Children

“The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic.”
-Henry Warren

When I was a child, I put “puppy, kitten and small zoo” on every birthday and Christmas list I ever made. Children love animals, and many of them spend months and even years pleading with their parent for a pet. For their part, parents are often unconvinced that their children will be able to properly care for a pet. Choosing the right pet for your child can be challenging, and the truth is that there’s no universal perfect pet. Instead, it’s important to take into account your child’s age, responsibility level, and unique personality. There are good pet choices for almost every child, and here are five of the best.

Small Furry Animals

Small animals like guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits …

How I Taught My 10 Year Old to Manage Animal Hair and Odors

I have worked in animal rescue a long time. One thing that I’ve learned is how to effectively minimize animal hair and odors on my own. You see I have a system, and it works. The only flaw in my system is that I’m the only one who does it. The kids, well they tend to make themselves scarce when animal needs arise. That was until my youngest daughter came to me and asked if she could rescue a little of homeless kittens.

To her helping homeless animals is a natural part of life so when she saw five little babies heading to the local animal shelter she knew right away what fate they had in store. She also knew that mommy doesn’t offer to help too many kitties and so she offered to take full responsibility …

How to Effectively Clean Cat “Accidents” and Odors Out of Pretty Much Anything

About a year ago my partner and I took in an 8-week-old kitten that we named Vincent; he is one of the cutest and most affectionate cats I have ever met, but for as snuggly and super cute as he is, he has also been just as frustrating. In the first month we had Vincent, I realized how well-behaved and low maintenance our older cat Devin is. We have it good with her, which could be due to two things; either because of the different breeds they are or because Devin is female and Vincent is male. Since adding Vincent to our household, I have been told numerous times that male cats are more difficult and higher maintenance than females; isn’t that odd considering how it is mostly the opposite in our human world?

The …