So often the reason we complain is that family members don't do what we want them to do. We want them to be robots who follow our commands exactly. And then they don't. Those suckers have free will smile. So what do we do?

There are many solutions, of course, depending on the situation. If a child keeps running into the street, maybe it's time for a fenced-in yard. Some things you just can't take chances on. Maybe the child's brain just isn't ready to be loose.

If your husband simply doesn't understand about rinsing plates, maybe you take over rinsing plates and have him do something else he's more in tune with. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Some of us notice dirt. Some are oblivious to it.

If you keep "nagging" about something, think outside the box. Apparently the nagging isn't working. One solution is the training method. Say the trash is his job. Ignore it completely when he doesn't do it (even though it bothers you). When he DOES do it, be sure to honestly thank him. Show him how much it matters to you. And then maybe do something that he wants done, that you normally don't give that much importance to. Maybe to him that thing is as important as the trash is to you. People do react well to positive encouragement. They tend to react poorly to punishment. So the more you can build positive encouragement into the situation, the better.

Add in your thoughts and we'll help out!


Lisa Shea, Owner