6 Secrets to Getting Your Kids to Help with the Dog

November 6, 2015

1. Set the rules early. Before your familia adds a dog to your brood, lay out the rules with your kids regarding their responsibilities, and stick by them. The latter can be difficult. Kids procrastinate and whine, and parents often end up doing things themselves (I know I do). But if you commit to the plan, caring for the dog will become second nature to…

Ana Connery is an accomplished storyteller whose writing has appeared in a variety of magazines and websites, including Yahoo! Parenting, Parade, and the Huffington Post. Formerly the content director of Parenting, Babytalk, Pregnancy Planner, and Conceive magazines as well as parenting.com, she’s also held senior positions at some of the country’s most celebrated magazines, including Cooking Light, Latina, and Fitness. Ana frequently appears on "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," and CNN as a parenting expert. She has interviewed the country’s top pediatricians, psychologists, and educators, including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as celebrity moms including Jessica Alba and Bethenny Frankel. You can find her on Twitter (@apconnery) and Instagram (@apconnery).