Blog Assignment
CD 6165-7 Communication ~ Week: 5
The "ants" are everywhere. We have brought everything on the market to kill those little pest. I have an allergy to the sprays so it is hard to fumigate.
The owner came over to spray outdoors because inside would mess with my allergies. She even wanted to leave the spray and I said “no” my son with Autism may get hold of the bottle and cause harm.
I have to keep everything cleaned and washed. They seem to respond to the spray for a few hours and then they are back. Worst than anything, the owner thinks it is my fault that the “Ants” are here. I told her when I first moved in my neighbor came and asked if I had an “Ant” problem and I told her “no” because I had no “Ants” upon first moving here. My house is in the middle of these two homes and they have animals, birds, dogs and I don’t know what else. I need help; this is “bugging” me and my family.
Two Strategies:
Find outside professional help or assistance. I could Goggle the Environmental Protection Agency and see if they can help. Perhaps it is an infestation in the area and everyone needs to know how to get rid of “Ants”. I believe the owner is not being forthright with me regarding these “Ants” especially if my neighbor came over and said that she too has “Ants”. Learn about how to go forward with mediation.
Managing emotions is a second strategy. Ask myself questions like:
I would like to know how my colleagues would handle what seems like a small problem, but very annoying. What is your input and advice regarding this problem? How have you learned to be effective communicators as it relates to conflict resolution skills?
CD 6165-7 Communication ~ Week: 5
Ants! Ants! and More Ants!
The conflict I am having personally is with my property owner of the house where I live. We are having a strange problem with "ANTS". The "ants" are everywhere. We have brought everything on the market to kill those little pest. I have an allergy to the sprays so it is hard to fumigate.
The owner came over to spray outdoors because inside would mess with my allergies. She even wanted to leave the spray and I said “no” my son with Autism may get hold of the bottle and cause harm.
I have to keep everything cleaned and washed. They seem to respond to the spray for a few hours and then they are back. Worst than anything, the owner thinks it is my fault that the “Ants” are here. I told her when I first moved in my neighbor came and asked if I had an “Ant” problem and I told her “no” because I had no “Ants” upon first moving here. My house is in the middle of these two homes and they have animals, birds, dogs and I don’t know what else. I need help; this is “bugging” me and my family.
Two Strategies:
Find outside professional help or assistance. I could Goggle the Environmental Protection Agency and see if they can help. Perhaps it is an infestation in the area and everyone needs to know how to get rid of “Ants”. I believe the owner is not being forthright with me regarding these “Ants” especially if my neighbor came over and said that she too has “Ants”. Learn about how to go forward with mediation.
Managing emotions is a second strategy. Ask myself questions like:
·
What do I want to
change
·
Whose problem is
this, how much is mine, how much is theirs?
·
Aim to improve
the situation ( I cleaned my entire kitchen)
·
Increase communication
·
Aim the desire to
blame
I would like to know how my colleagues would handle what seems like a small problem, but very annoying. What is your input and advice regarding this problem? How have you learned to be effective communicators as it relates to conflict resolution skills?
References:
ACResolution.org. (2011). Association for conflict
resolution. Retrieved from http://www.acrnet.org/
Conflict Resolution
Network. (n.d.). CR kit. Retrieved from http://www.crnhq.org/pages.php?pID=12#skill_3 
Hi Nancy! What a mess; I was itchy just reading about the ants... I have allergies too, so I understand what you are going through with your son. We, also, had a problem with ants, and here's my suggestion... we called an exterminator who uses only non-evasive, environmentally safe stuff with no odor. I checked it out totally. He had to come twice, but our ant problem is gone. I later found out that I could have bought the same stuff from the health food store and pumped it myself.
ReplyDeleteBUT... for your challenge... first of all, what did you tell your owner when she said it was your fault. I might have used active listening at this point, because I don't believe blame is an issue here. Next, who is responsible for the ants... you or your owner? Finally, you won't solve anything if you put up barriers between yourself and the owner. Afterall, you live in her building, so I would take baby steps, discussing this ant issue with empathy. Get rid of them; I don't like ants!
Nancy, because this issue is so personal and your son’s wellbeing is a concern, you have to be careful how you approach the problem. Maybe you should look at from the owner’s perspective the cost of a professional exterminator, the time period you were there before the ant problems begin and that she did try to fix the problem then with a different or calmer approach talk to her. Provide her with information about produces that can be use that would be safe for you and your son. This is a opportunity to use the Platinum Rule and NVC. I have had ant problems in my home that I rent and I learned that bay leaves keep ants away. They love to attack my pantry and I don’t care how many times I cleaned it out, wiped it down, and sprayed it they would come back. I found on the internet that ants don’t like bay leaves so I tried it. And it works. I leave the leaves in the bag and I make small holes in the bag so they can smell the bay leaves. I haven’t seen one ant. Try it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lois and Katrice,
ReplyDeleteANTS are so gross, you know they are the only insects that crawl on feces and dead bodies. Flies do too but not crawl. And, I heard they are much dirtier than "roaches" and the number one cause for home decomposition, worst than termites. My mother used to use bay leaves, I will try this and go to the health food store for Lois solution. I don't have anything in my pantry but can food, the ANTS eat everything else.