Furry Friday

It’s Furry Friday! Yay! Beth Reeder Johnson and Maura Davies are here, so stick around!

Maura Davies

SPCA Texas

Maura Davies is the Vice President for Marketing & Communications at the SPCA of Texas.

How to Go Green with your Pets

Did you know the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies dog waste in the same category as oil spills? That means that the EPA considers it a pollutant. Pet waste carries bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can threaten the health of humans and wildlife,” the EPA website says. “Pet waste also contains nutrients that promote weed and algae growth (eutrophication).  Cloudy and green, Eutrophic water makes swimming and recreation unappealing or even unhealthy.” Pick it up! It’s the law!

If you leave your dog’s waste behind, it can get mingled into storm water runoff, into storm drains, or nearby bodies of water. According to the EPA, “untreated animal feces often ends up in lakes and streams, causing significant water pollution.” Once in the water, the poop breaks down, releasing ammonia and the bacteria uses up the oxygen in the water. Both low oxygen and high ammonia can be harmful to the fish and plants that live in the water. In addition, pet waste contains “bacteria, viruses and parasites that can make water unsafe for swimming or drinking.”

Beth Reeder Johnson

Beth Reeder Johnson, MSW, LCSW is a licensed Psychiatric Social Worker and Individual, Family & Couples Therapist with over 18 years of experience working with adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. She is also a Certified Imago Therapist trained to help couples communicate, resolve conflict, and reconnect. Before she started her private practice in 2008, Beth was an Individual and Family Therapist at Children’s Medical Center, Center for Pediatric Psychiatry.  She also worked as a therapist and the Program Manager for Dallas MetroCare Services’ Westside Family Clinic. Beth is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, Imago Relationships International (IRI), and the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas.

The Benefits of Starting or Joining a “Mom’s Group”

Each of us has a desire to belong to a community filled with other people who share our interests, and new moms and moms who have recently relocated are no exception. Here are some reasons why building a network of supportive mom group friends is very important for moms and some tips to help you begin constructing one.

When you need advice, your friends who are not moms may try to help, but they don’t have that hands on, ‘in the field’ experience that is so valuable. Add a mom in your neighborhood or your church who has kids a few years older than yours to your network, and you will have that priceless, first hand advice next door or a just a short distance away. This mom’s advice is likely to be up to date, since she just recently experienced your current stage in the motherhood journey.

Motherhood is not a simple thing, and Beth Reeder Johnson just wanted to bring women together. We can all learn from other mothers, all around the world. Bernadette brings up teenagers and how hard it really is to raise teenagers. From a neurological standpoint, teenagers are going through a second surge. Beth says that we need to teach our teenagers that it is okay to disagree with us, but to do it respectfully. We need to learn how to package conversation respectfully. Bernadette says that when you let your child talk to you disrespectfully, you let them cross boundaries. But, remember, our children learn from the parents. So if you yell, they’ll yell. Finally, be open to including a mom who has a different parenting style from yours in your network. She may just have a creative solution to the parenting problem you are currently experiencing. You may not agree with all of her parenting methods, but having her as a friend might help you ‘think outside the box’.

A Big Thank You!

Thank you to todays guests, Maura Davies and Beth Reeder Johnson!

Thank you to all of our One Life Radio listeners. We truly appreciate each and every one of you, so If you’d like to hear more from One Life Radio, please subscribe to our podcast.

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