Too many audits use intimidation tactics to manufacture "gotcha" moments. They post their results online with scathing commentary, leaving their video subjects--open to nasty (& personal) invective. Everyone involved emerges feeling unsafe & taken advantage of. The "lesson" diminished.

"Secret shopper" methods of testing customer service are nothing new and can be hugely beneficial, particularly to spotlight areas where there could be bias/inequity. The point of those though, is to get a sense of "normal" procedure during unguarded moments.

We were a tight 3-person unit. Especially them. It was very much "it's us against the world" feeling. So when you hear lines like, "I like you better as a sister than a mother" or "This is my family... It's little, and broken, but still good." I felt that in my *bones*.

Once so close, we fought bitterly. More than once she found a way to lock me out of the apartment during a fight. Our family was investigated by Child and Family Protective Services because one of my sister's well-meaning teachers reported us. It was scary. And yet, with all that

Because after care or any kind of daycare or camp wasn't anything we could afford, at 12 I was that for my younger sister after school and every day, all day for breaks and summers. We were prohibited from leaving the house so no one would know we were on our own. We both resented each other for it

Sadly, MySpace was no FB, and I'm not enough of a music person to have appreciated that part of it when it was popular.

I also had that happen once. I wonder how many of us have? I'm almost afraid to wonder.

Neither my sis or her dog got much sleep yesterday. He's low energy and not himself. I'm not a dog owner (yet) but what I've seen with her behind the scenes has been really eye opening for me about dog training

Luckily he didn't get hurt but the crate was *done* and now the dog has a full on panic attack at bedtime when he needs to go in his crate. Shaking all over, crying, panting. He also will now only eat kibble if he's fed by hand and is eating maybe 2/3 of his usual portion. It's a mess.

The discarding of all routines when the friend was house-sitting has been a disaster. Apparently when he finally did crate the dog it was without his toys and his blanket and all his usual trappings so it felt like a punishment. The dog freaked the hell out and busted out of his cage

But this poor dog (a rescue) had been showing signs of anxiety over the last few weeks with my sis obviously unwell and then in the hospital for a week. His appetite was already off.

Now I know some people have strong feelings about crates but this dog has a whole adorable tuck in routine and goes in willingly. It's not a punishment.

While my sis was in the hospital the "friend" watching her dog gave him table food and treats instead of his kibble and kept him entirely uncrated (he is crated for bedtime).

You may think you are being kindhearted in the moment but it's not worth the cost. At the end of the day, the owner knows their pet better than you do. You gotta trust the process if you sign on to sit, just like if you are babysitting.