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personality

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The Case for Helicopter-Parenting

I’m a bit of a “helicopter mom” with my dog. A friend very gently introduced me to the term after a chat about the antics of my, then, year-old puppy. I hovered over him at the dog park ready to intervene at a moment’s notice.  At the time, I laughed, because it was true, but it’s not a term meant to inspire pride. That style of parenting sounds overbearing.

But the thing is, while my dog is my furry, four-legged child, he’s not human. Helicopter parenting may be bad for kids who eventually have to become independent members of society, but my dog will never be independent of me. He will rely on me until his muzzle greys. Constant supervision isn’t going to hurt his ability to ‘mature’ and does a lot to keep him safe and out of trouble. This week, a newly-released study validated my pet-parenting style and found some interesting links between personality and pet affection. Continue Reading

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Our Online Personality

It’s no secret that potential employers may have a gander at your social media profiles while flipping through your application. I’ve heard dozens of stories about how near-successful candidates were overlooked for jobs because their Facebook profile contained a photo of them drinking from a plastic cup. Online presence is such a big thing now a days. I chatted with a friend in IT this past weekend about how to navigate my own concerns about hire-ability and my desire for self-expression. Her attitude was not to delete my Facebook albums from undergrad, but to make sure they’re only visible to friends. Take control of your public image. It makes sense. I might be comfortable schlepping about the house in a hoodie, yoga pants and flip-flops, but I would never wear that to an interview. It’s all about putting your best self out there.

So, I had mixed reactions to this study about a computer programme able to predict personality based on a person’s Facebook profile.  Continue Reading