Tag Archives: complaints

When My Friends Complain About How Much Their Partners Work

I live my life straddling several different “camps,” at least that seems to be how it appears to others. For me, I feel pretty comfortable right where I’m at: a long-time single parent who runs her own home business, works for herself much of the time and does some work projects for others too. While I have been a wife and I spent a couple unsettling years as a SAHM unwillingly, mostly I have worked while raising my family, and it has been years since I was NOT the sole support for my family and household. With both male and … Continue reading →

Do You Need to Hear Compliments?

I tend to subscribe to the “no news is good news” club—I do not necessarily need to hear positive feedback and compliments, but I would rather not hear complaints and negative feedback. In our small home businesses, we may not be getting the compliments that we might be used to in the more traditional work environment, however, and for some of us, we might really miss it! Without a boss or coworkers, our business relationships might be heavy on the business and not nearly as cordial as we might be used to and this can be tough. For others of … Continue reading →

When Kids Call Complaining from the Ex’s House

It is not uncommon for kids from divorced or separated homes to try to play one parent (one household, family, etc.) against the other. As parents, however, it can be hard to figure out what is fiction and what is fact. Also for parents, it can be extremely upsetting and disconcerting to have to hear the complaints and issues that arise at the “other house” and wonder what one is supposed to do from a distance… I generally subscribe to the philosophy that each parent should be allowed autonomy of his or her house and that things that happen at … Continue reading →

When Complaints Come

We cannot please everyone all of the time and even the most careful, dilligent home business owner who is known for fabulous customer service is bound to get a complaint now and then. How we handle complaints says as much about our integrity and our businesses as how we avoid them. Sometimes, the complaints are justified–we really have slacked off, or provided poor customer service; or there is an actual problem with the product or service delivery. Taking the time to fix these problems and make apology may be all that is necessary. Other times, the complaints seem completely unjustified–it … Continue reading →

Expect Complaints About Chores and Rules

I think the first reality parents should expect when it comes to setting boundaries and limits, and dishing out the chores is that you should NOT expect your kids to be happy about it. They will complain and balk and generally be disagreeable and you should expect it. That doesn’t mean you need to get all wrapped up in the drama of a push-pull, but you should expect that they are not going to like having rules, regulations, and chores! My mother used to say “I’m not here to win a popularity contest!” and while I don’t say the same … Continue reading →

Don’t Take It Personally

Rule number 853 of parenting: Don’t Take Things Personally! Okay, maybe it should be in the top ten of rules for parents, but learning how to not take the things your child says and does personally is one of the major challenges that I’ve wrestled with over the years. After all, it’s pretty darn hard not to take something like “I hate you!” to heart… The fact is, as soon as children are able to talk, they will start complaining and saying unpleasant things and it often feels like they are taking all of their frustrations out on the closest … Continue reading →

How To Deal With Air Travel Complaints

I have heard horror stories about travelers being groped during random security screenings at various airports post 9-11. I have also been chosen at random and experienced “pat-downs” that have left me a bit uneasy, but nothing that would prompt me to file a formal compliant. My business-traveling friend who flies three times a week says I should consider myself lucky. She has been groped in ways that have made for terse conversations with workers at the Transportation Security Administration. So what do you do when questionable practices occur on your flight or during your security screening process? I found … Continue reading →