Dear Emily: I have a very intelligence-challenged mutt, who likes to roll around outside in dirty things, like excrement. How do I get him to stop this behavior, other than limiting the time he is allowed to play outdoors? – Dirty doggie
Read more...Dear Emily: I have two young children, a part-time job, and no time to myself! I am about to go crazy if I don’t get some “me” time, but every time I suggest doing something on my own, away from the kids, my husband freaks out about watching the kids on his own. That, in turn, makes me feel guilty about asking for this time. So should I just accept that I’m doomed never to get a break? – Mayhem for mom
Read more...Dear Emily: Every night when it’s time to put my 3-year-old to sleep, there is a huge uproar in my house. She fights tooth and nail about going to bed, and I’m at the end of my rope to think of ways to get this behavior to stop. Please tell me I am overlooking an easy solution to make bedtime a pleasant experience? – Bedtime is a nightmare
Read more...Dear Emily: Please help! My sister asked me to go shopping with her to help her find a formal dress she needs for a holiday party. The things she picked out were all really tight, low-cut and inappropriate. And did I mention that she is seven months pregnant? How do I tell my hormonal sister that what she plans to wear is extremely distasteful for someone in her condition? – In bad taste
Read more...Dear Emily: My girlfriend and I live in a small apartment in a rural area. We have a problem with mice, but I’m writing because of my problem with my girlfriend. She refuses to let me call the landlord to take care of this problem because she is afraid he’ll buy the “non-humane” traps to kill the mice. I tried to tell her that these “humane” traps don’t always work, especially in the country where if you let the mice go, they find there way back into your house! Please help me talk some sense into her. – Mouse in the house
Read more...Dear Emily: I am really excited that my boyfriend, “Tom,” of seven months asked me to move in with him. I immediately said yes without thinking some of the details through. And there is one very important detail I overlooked—Tom is not exactly divorced yet from his wife. They are in the middle of the whole legal process, and this is definitely something both Tom and his ex want, but there just doesn’t seem to be an end in sight as far as when the divorce will be official. Can you think of any good reason why I shouldn’t move in with him anyway?
– Deliberating over details
What to tell kids about impact of loss of income
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