Examples:Why won't he pick up the dog shit?
What is so hard about picking up the dog shit?
No one will pick up the dog shit.
All you have to do is pick up the dog shit, I screamed!
Should I just pick up the dog shit myself?
Is the dog shit worth fighting over?
No one else is bothered by the dog shit.
The dog shit is gross.
I can't enjoy my yard because of the dog shit.
Is it too much to ask that they pick up the dog shit?
Is he old enough to pick up the dog shit?
If we can't manage the dog shit...
But with a dog comes dog shit.
The bigger the dog, the bigger the shit.
The more dogs, the more dog shit.
You get the gist.
We all know that 'dog shit' is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, yet, getting by on a daily basis, working as a cooperative team - a partnership - with fair domestic distribution, is a common challenge to co-existing for all of us. The struggle is real and these bickering squabbles are normal.
Swap out "dog shit' and replace it with ... initiates sex, folds the laundry, pays the bills on time, comes home on time, stops spending money.
Rules of engagement, who does what, (or, who does more?) and established expectations become entrenched arguments.
Communicating, regulating our reactivity to the kids, partners, and housemates, sharing concerns and frustrations about perceived slights, all dictate how harmonious we feel with one another.
I'm sharing this anecdote so that we can all laugh at our funny, small selves. Metaphorically, it's never the dramatic clash that takes us down; it's the tooth paste cap.
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