Let's All Be Honest: Raising a Baby Isn't That Different From Puppy Training

Around the time one of my friends had a baby, I adopted a puppy. Whenever I'd check in with her on how things were going, she'd tell me about sleepless nights, messy diaper changes, and constant feeding sessions. Man, I could relate. "It's like how with my dog . . . " She stopped me right there. "It's not the same thing."

"You can leave your dog at home alone." I can? Last time I did that, I had to throw out three bras, two decorative pillows, and a nice pair of heels.

"You can't put your kid on a leash." Oh, really? Then why do they sell these?

"Well, babies grow up." Sure, but when they do, they'll benefit from the same disciplinary tactics we learned in our dog's obedience school. (Making your pet face a wall, preferably a corner, when it's overstimulated sounds a lot like "time-out" to me.)

Alright, alright. Of course I know it's not the same thing. But if you'd just hear me out, there are a lot of similarities that both moms of baby humans and moms of baby dogs can relate to. And isn't it better to focus not on what makes us different but what brings us together?