Dear Doctors: I have Type 1 diabetes. I try to stay healthy and keep my blood sugar under control, but it feels like a fight every day. I read there’s a study using stem cells for a cure.
CLINTON’S HISTORY 10, 20, 30 AND 40 YEARS AGO
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have some friends who recently celebrated a big anniversary. They went all out for each other, hosting a renewal of vows and everything, but just for the two of them. I thought this was so sweet. Meanwhile, my spouse and I barely said happy anniversary to each other this year. It was also a milestone for us, but these days, it feels more like drudgery. I don’t know what to do to rekindle any kind of romance between us, but watching what our friends did gave me a flicker of hope.
• It’s time to stop buying tennis balls to play fetch with your dog. Turns out the fuzzy exterior isn’t good for them or the environment: The soft coating is made of plastic, and when its threads are shed from the ball, they become microplastics that can end up in waterways and/or ingested by your dog. Plenty of alternatives are available, but among the best are plastic-free tennis balls, which have the same bounce, shape and feel of regular tennis balls but are totally free of microplastics.
In 1870, the U.S.
DEAR HARRIETTE: Another manager within my firm told me a few weeks ago that she wants me to come work for her full-time. I have been temporarily supporting her because she recently lost her executive assistant, and we work together well. This switch could have me working in the human resources department, which I have been trying to transition into. My current manager is not aware of this potential full-time switch, though, which makes this a delicate situation. I haven’t seen much progress toward my permanent switch to the new team since the first few conversations I had with that manager. Should I bring it up again? Or would that put me in an awkward position with my current manager? – Being Poached DEAR BEING POACHED: Since you have been working for this other manager temporarily, it suggests that your manager is aware of the relationship. You can reach out to the human resources manager to find out the status of the offer. Let that manager know you are interested, but out of respect for your current boss, you would want to talk to them about it before making a move.
ASK THE DOCTORS
DEAR HARRIETTE: Retired licensed psychotherapist specializing in children and families here. With regard to “Out-of-Control Toddler,” the parent struggling with a toddler who has started hitting, there is now much empirical evidence to suggest that the “gentle parenting” that your advice reflects is ineffectual, especially for toddlers and especially with regard to hitting others. The goal is not only to extinguish these behaviors but to concurrently teach conscience development, personal accountability and responsibility for one’s actions, which in turn develops empathy for others and aids in emotional regulation.
One of the crucial services the Rev. Tony Marr provides as the leader of the Higher Ministries consulting firm is to connect young pastors – fresh out of seminaries and Bible colleges – with churches that need new leaders.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 12-year-old daughter is going through a phase where she feels like she has to match everything her friends do, what they wear, what they eat, the shows they watch, the hobbies they’re into, etc. She constantly compares herself to them and puts so much pressure on herself to fit in, to the point where she won’t even try something new unless she knows it’s already popular with her friend group. If her friends wear a certain brand, she wants the exact same thing. If they don’t like something, suddenly she doesn’t either, even if she used to love it.