One of the most hotly contested parenting issues is spanking. The vast majority of parents around the world admit to spanking their children, despite the fact that the majority of pediatricians and parenting authorities do not advise it.

Many parents believe that spanking is the quickest and most efficient approach to alter their child's behavior. And it frequently has short-term success. However, research indicates that slapping children has negative long-term effects.

Here are eight alternatives to spanking your child if you're seeking for a non-physical way to discipline them.

1. Time Out

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It sends a confusing message to hit children for acting out, especially if they are being aggressive. Your kid will be perplexed as to why hitting them is acceptable from you but not from them hitting their sibling. A far better option may be to put a child in time-out. When used properly, time-out teaches children how to control their emotions, which is a valuable life skill.

However, children must spend a lot of quality time inside with their parents for a time-out to be beneficial. Once they are taken out of a scenario, kids will start to learn how to control their emotions, express them appropriately, and make different decisions in the future.

2. Losing Privileges

The idea is not to beat your child into submission, but to teach them how to make better decisions in the future. This, however, takes practice. If they make a poor decision, tell them that the penalty is the loss of a privilege. The loss must be linked to the behavior.

Make it obvious when privileges can be reclaimed. Typically, 24 hours is sufficient time to teach your youngster to learn from their mistakes. "You've lost TV for the rest of the day, but you can earn it back tomorrow by picking up your toys the first time I ask," you might remark.

3. Ignoring Mild Misbehavior

In some cases, selective ignoring is more efficient than spanking. This does not imply that you should ignore anything your child is doing that is risky or improper. However, you can disregard attention-seeking conduct.

Don't give in to your child's attempts to attract your attention by whining or moaning. Avoid eye contact, act as if you can't hear them, and remain silent. Then, when they behave themselves or make polite requests, turn back to them. They will eventually understand that acting politely is the greatest approach to acquire what they want.

4. Teaching New Skills

The fact that spanking doesn't teach your child how to behave better is one of its key drawbacks. The next time your child is unhappy, spanking them won't help them learn how to control their emotions.

Learning to handle problems, control one's emotions, and compromise benefits children. Parental instruction of these skills can significantly lower behavioral issues. Use discipline that is intended to teach rather than to punish.

5. Logical Consequences

Using logical consequences is a terrific strategy to support children who are having particular behavioral issues. The misconduct is explicitly linked to the logical implications.

For instance, if your child skips supper, don't let them have a snack before bed. Alternatively, if they won't put their trucks away, don't let them play with them the remainder of the day. Children are more likely to understand that their actions have direct consequences when the consequence is linked to the behavior issue.

6. Natural Consequences

Children are able to learn from their own mistakes thanks to natural consequences. Let your child go outside and feel cold, for instance, if they insist they won't wear a jacket—as long as it's safe to do so. When you believe that your child will learn from a mistake they made, use natural consequences. Make sure that your child won't be in any genuine risk by keeping an eye on the situation.

7. Reward for Good Behavior

Reward a youngster for good behavior rather than spanking them for disobedience. For instance, if your child frequently clashes with their siblings, implement an incentive system to encourage improved communication.

Giving someone a reward for being good can quickly stop misbehavior. Instead of emphasizing the inappropriate behavior that they should try to avoid, rewards let kids concentrate on what they need to accomplish to obtain privileges.

8. Praise for Good Behavior

Prevent behavior problems by capturing your child doing something positive. Point out when they are playing well with their siblings, for example. "You're doing such a terrific job sharing and taking turns today," you say.

Give the most attention and praise to the children who are following the rules and acting properly when there are multiple youngsters in the room. When the other child starts behaving well, give them praise and attention as well.

Is it not the case that we encounter challenging individuals in practically every aspect of our lives?

Throughout my career, I've dealt with challenging individuals on a regular basis at work. My supervisor, my coworkers, and even individuals from different departments have all been involved at various points.

In addition, we have our families. I am aware that dealing with family members may be incredibly challenging for many people. I've heard enough tales from friends to know that many people's families occasionally push them to the breaking point.

And let's not even begin to discuss the countless individuals that we must deal with at the businesses that we work with. Whether it was the cell phone provider or the individual who was supposed to replace my roof last year. Before they eventually came and rectified something that should have been done in the first place, I had to follow up every week for about 4 months.

Why was that so difficult?

There is probably no simple explanation for why some people are challenging to work with. As diverse as the people are, so are the causes. We are all unique, therefore it's often surprising that we get along so well.

Let's concentrate on what we can manage, which is our reactions, rather than trying to understand why some people can be so challenging. Let's examine 10 professional strategies for handling challenging individuals.

1. Use Lots of Kindness

See, I understand. The instinctive response when dealing with tough people is to be harsh yourself. Your initial instinct is to defend yourself if you feel like someone is attacking you. I've been there and, if I don't calm down and take a break, I still find myself caught up in it.

What I have discovered in almost every challenging circumstance is that kindness goes a lot further than being challenging. When two people are being tough to each other, the problem frequently worsens until it becomes impossible to resolve.

On the other side, when you repeatedly show compassion to a challenging individual, the situation becomes less tense and you end up having more of what you desire. One of the best methods for handling challenging individuals is this.

2. Be Compassionate

Have you ever heard the proverb about solving your own problems? that if a group of individuals put all their issues into a circle, once everyone saw the other people's, you would probably start taking your own back? I adore it.

The fact is, none of us truly understands what other people experience. When dealing with a difficult person, it's possible that they are going through a terrible situation or are facing a significant issue that you don't want to be involved in.

When you have compassion for someone who is being difficult, you'll often discover that they respond well. We all have a tendency to become so engrossed in our own thoughts and lives that we fail to see the times when others may use some kindness. The next time you consider it, try it.

3. Find Something in Common

Have you ever noticed how striking up a conversation with someone for the first time might be facilitated by discovering a point of commonality? We all enjoy having a sense of community and belonging. This is a fantastic skilled strategy to use when dealing with challenging individuals, and you ought to keep it in mind.

Finding out that we attended the same university as someone always makes us feel more connected. The two of my daughters are now adolescents, but when I learned that my daughters attended the same school as their children, I used to feel a connection with them as parents.

Finding a point of connection with a challenging person can make for a later interaction that goes more smoothly.

4. Stay Calm

Have you ever gotten an email from a coworker that made you immediately angry? More often than I want to recall, this has happened to me.

It might be frustrating to collaborate on a project with a challenging person. I've received an email from a tough person whose main goal seems to be making things more difficult and confused during my less sensible moments. When I don't take a moment to think before answering, what generally occurs is that I send an email that will only make matters worse.

Usually, the outcomes are much better if I am able to maintain my composure and wait a while before answering. When dealing with a challenging person, it will be really helpful for you to maintain your composure.

5. Share Your Side

It can sometimes make a great difference to be able to explain your perspective to someone who is tough to work with.

For instance, it can make a difference if the tough person is your last hope for success after hitting brick wall after brick wall.

Some people become mired in a predetermined script on how to respond to certain circumstances or questions. It can sometimes make a significant impact if you can give some background information on your particular circumstance.

You might explain to them that you've been working on finding a solution to your issue for months and have done X, Y, and Z without success. Sometimes, all it takes to partially unlock the empathy gates and obtain assistance is this. Have a go at it.

6. Treat with Respect

Nobody I know like being made to feel foolish or inept, in my experience. Always remember to respect difficult people when interacting with them. If you attack someone and treat them like an idiot, you might as well just slam the door on your ability to accomplish anything.

Disrespecting someone will almost always make matters worse and, at the very least, make them unwilling to help you in any manner. The golden rule, "treat people as you would like to be treated," applies here. Most of the time, our mothers are correct.

7. Ignore Them

I'm a major advocate of avoiding unpleasant interactions in my life. And why should I? They appear to only offer unfavorable feedback, and I don't need any of that.

In the same vein, sometimes avoiding or ignoring a difficult individual is the best course of action. Naturally, how well you can ignore them will determine this.

For instance, if this is a coworker with whom you don't frequently interact, it could be wise to ignore them.

The same is true for nearby neighbors, specific store patrons, or even potential consumers. Sometimes dealing with tough consumers is simply not worth it. It's not always a terrible idea to let them know they could probably find someone else who could help them in the way they are asking because their requirements might be better met elsewhere.

8. Control What You Can

In life, there are many things we can and cannot control. Always try to concentrate on the things we can influence.

Consider what you can manage while dealing with a challenging person. Perhaps there is another individual you can deal with instead of the challenging one. They might just be the initial link in the chain.

I recently tried to collaborate with the marketing division on a new endeavor I was organizing. I was instructed to seek assistance from a specific individual since that is how it had always been done. I never heard back from the person after contacting them. I left numerous voicemails and emailed this person numerous emails, but I never received a response. I just started contacting other marketing professionals after becoming quite annoyed with never receiving a response.

I was surprised to discover that I could find several folks who were happy to assist me with my project. I essentially avoided the challenging individual. what you can manage.

9. Look at Yourself

Examining oneself is one of the 10 expert strategies for handling challenging people. As you take your attention within. Are you doing anything that makes dealing with someone more difficult than it needs to be?

For example, I'm generally in a pleasant mood. Every day, I engage with people all day long, and things run generally without a hitch.

Even when I'm speaking to other people, there are times when I have a lot on my mind and am mentally working on a solution. I've been told that when I spend a lot of time thinking about myself and also talking with others, I might come off as short, abrupt, and condescending.

Therefore, in this situation, my succinct, dismissive comments can aggravate someone who is already irritated. In essence, my response only serves to fuel the flames.

Examine your interactions with challenging people to make sure you aren't aggravating the situation.

10. Overcome Your Fear of Conflict

Overcoming your fear of disagreement is one of the most effective strategies for working with challenging individuals. Due to their fear of conflict, many people let tough people treat them badly.

Dealing with a problematic individual is stressful enough, but if you don't set limits and advocate for yourself, it gets even harder. Each and every person deserves to be respected. Don't allow a challenging individual to treat you poorly.

I don't support inciting strife on purpose. What I'm advocating is that you shouldn't be afraid of conflict if a difficult individual is mistreating you. Too many people don't defend themselves when necessary, which allows others to control them.

Conflict is not always a negative thing. In many cases, it's beneficial because it can help a resolution materialize.

The Bottom Line

We encounter difficult people in every sphere of our existence. Over the years, I've had numerous challenging coworkers and daily interactions with people in a number of contexts. I'm hoping that these 10 tried-and-true methods for dealing with challenging people may be useful to you in the future.

The ability to communicate with others is essential to living our lives. To make our lives happier and to aid those around us, it is highly worth learning how to cope with challenging people.

The time is here. You've made the decision to stop receiving diapers, restock on sweets (buy some for yourself! ), and purchase big kid underwear. Potty training has begun.

But hold on, is your child actually prepared? Have you made a plan yet? Will you need to persuade a rebellious child to cooperate every 20 minutes?

Read on to make sure you've done the preparation to position yourself for a (mostly) pleasant potty training experience before you decide to give away all the diapers and recycle your diaper bag.

Is it now a good time to start potty training?

It's vital to stop and think about whether your child is truly ready to be potty trained before you begin scheduling your toilet training program. The following are signs that your child may be prepared to stop wearing diapers:

• Indicating a desire to use the restroom. (Is your kid requesting to use the restroom with you or talking about going?)
• Wishing to change a dirty diaper. (Does your child let you know when they need to use the restroom while wearing diapers?)
• Being able to hold one's bladder for longer. (Does your child's diaper frequently go from dry to full in a small window after staying dry for a while?)
• Ability to independently pull their pants up and down.
• A capacity for multi-step directions.

Most kids are prepared to work on potty training between the ages of 18 and 24 months, but other kids aren't until they're 3 years old. Potty training typically begins at 27 months of age.

It's crucial that you recognize key readiness signals if you decide to start toilet training your child as soon as possible. If you're certain that it's the proper moment for everyone, including your child, you'll avoid a lot of frustration.

How can a schedule be made?

It's time to choose a method after you're certain that you and your child are prepared, both physically and mentally, to start the potty training process.

The three-day strategy, a time-based method, or a schedule-based method are a few of the most popular approaches. It is advisable to select the approach that complements both your child's needs and your lifestyle because there isn't any evidence to imply that one approach is superior to another.

The Three-day Method

There are several ways to accomplish this, but the three-day method calls for you to completely give up your regular schedule for three days in order to concentrate solely on your child's potty training.

The three days will be spent with your child by your side as you learn to recognize all the signs that they might need to use the restroom. You should always be around if your child starts to urinate, especially if they haven't requested to use the bathroom yet.

Since underwear is substituted for diapers at the start of the three days, it is reasonable to anticipate some accidents during the potty training period.

Time-based Method

Some parents opt to toilet train their kids over a somewhat longer period of time than the recommended three days. This enables the family to keep up a more regular schedule of outings even as the child learns to use the toilet.

Have your child use the toilet for at least a few minutes every hour or so from the time they wake up until they go to bed if you want to potty train them using a time interval-based method. For frequent reminders, think about setting a timer.

You can stop using diapers or choose a middle ground like pull-up training pants.

Schedule-based Method

A schedule-based method of potty training is a third choice made by some parents. A child's restroom trips are dependent on their regular daily schedule rather than being planned around a timer.

Attempts to use the restroom upon waking, before/after meals, before/after being outside, and in between various playing activities are examples of this. When their child frequently urinates or defecates in their diaper, parents can also schedule trips to the restroom during such times.

A child should always be encouraged and taken to the bathroom if they request to do so while using any of these potty training techniques because the objective is for a child to learn to recognize their body's signals.

Getting started

It's time to start toilet training your child once you've determined that he or she is ready and you have a general notion of the procedure that works best for you and your child. To encourage your kid and get potty training off to a good start:

• Pick up a couple potty training books from the library or bookstore to read together.
• Visit the store with your kid to look for a kid-sized potty or some eagerly anticipated underpants.
• Talk with your child about items they might like to try to acquire during the potty training process if you intend to utilize rewards.

Supplies

Make sure you have everything you'll need in order to make things simple for both you and your potty-training child. Think about whether it would be appropriate to use a step stool or a timer, as well as whether you would want to use a toilet ring or a little potty for your child. Purchase a lot of underwear so you'll have enough to cover any mishaps.

You could also wish to spend money on a chart and some stickers or small rewards if you want to employ a reward system.

It could be beneficial to have a visual reminder of their schedule if you're employing one of the long-term techniques. They may be better able to see their objectives and enjoy their successes if they can check off successful potty visits. You can learn how to make a behavior chart by reading some advice.

First days

No matter which toilet training strategy you choose, you should prepare for many restroom breaks in the beginning.

Even though you've determined that your child is ready to stop wearing diapers based on their cues, resistance to the transition may still exist. Back off and try again a few weeks or even months later if the pushback is severe and one of you is becoming upset.

Make potty training fun for your child by remaining composed throughout the process. Baby steps! At initially, any praise or awards should be given for sitting on the toilet rather than actually using it.

If your child does have an accident, they should be praised for trying again rather than being disciplined. The goal is to stay joyful and optimistic.

Leaving the house

Try to start with short outings (with known toilets along your route!) if you plan to travel around town while potty training. Remember that your child might not feel entirely at ease in public facilities, and that some kids may find auto-flush toilets to be frightening.

Maintain a diaper bag that is packed to the brim with extra clothing, wipes, diapers, and, if practical, even spare pairs of shoes.

The following factors

It's critical to take a few more factors into account now that you have a potty training strategy in mind.

First, you might want to hold off on throwing away those overnight diapers. Long after they stop having accidents during the day, many kids will still need to wear diapers at night.

Continued usage of a nighttime diaper might lessen the amount of wet sheets you eventually have to wash and allow your child to sleep soundly without worrying about using the restroom in time.

A good sign that your child might be prepared for this last phase is a string of dry nocturnal diapers. The best chance of success for your child is if you encourage them to use the restroom just before night and to drink as little fluids as possible just before bed.

Even when you believe the potty training process is over, regressions or outright refusals to use the restroom are not uncommon. When this happens, it's crucial to maintain your composure.

Avoid reprimanding or punishing your child during the potty training process. Instead, encourage your youngsters and continue to provide opportunities for restroom use on a regular basis.

Don't forget that teaching children good hygiene practices can be accomplished during the potty training process. Incorporating hand washing into the stages taught and making it a condition for any potty training rewards will help to guarantee that your child develops healthy habits as an adult.

Although it hurts, rejection is an inevitable aspect of the dating process. And an even bigger part of it is knowing how to handle and accept rejection. Just because you think people will find you attractive doesn't guarantee that they will. As observed on Reddit, even if you are the beautiful peach, someone will still despise you. Therefore, there is a proper way to handle rejection (and unquestionably a wrong way), and we are here to inform you of all the dos and don'ts of hearing "no."

1. DO NOT INSULT THEM

Sounds rather apparent, doesn't it? Evidently, no. We are aware that not everyone engages in it, but a select few unfortunately do so when they don't get the response they were hoping for. You can't be complimenting the person you like one second and then abruptly decide against them after hearing them say "no thanks." All they've said is "no," which doesn't necessarily indicate it's personal or that you did anything wrong. Sometimes it's something you have absolutely no control over.

2. DO ACCEPT THE REJECTION

Accepting rejection is the only way you'll be able to get past it. When you hear the news, it might hurt or make you angry, and those are all acceptable emotions. If you need to, pause for a moment, but make sure your response is mature and composed. Try to reassure them that they shouldn't worry because it's likely that they were hesitant to inform you. Being sincere with them about how much you appreciate spending time with them will help us move on to the next phase.

3. DO BE HONEST

Simply be honest with yourself on your feelings. Recognize such emotions and make sure you deal with them appropriately. Don't allow them to become angry over such a small matter. If you do decide to express your feelings to them, do it gently and honestly. Nobody wants their texts to appear on Bye, Felipe or in an article on Buzzfeed on how to behave when someone rejects them. We understand that sometimes it hurts, but keep in mind that it's not their fault and that you shouldn't be venting your anger on them.

4. DO NOT TRY TO CHANGE THEIR MIND

Unfortunately, a well-considered and forceful statement pleading with them to change their minds won't advance your cause. Although we've all been in that position and thought, "This text to the ex is a really excellent idea," in reality, we all know better. In the long term, you'll realize that even though they may be the only one you want to be with right now, nobody deserves to be with someone who doesn't want to be with them. You too should receive better than that.

5. DO NOT RULE OUT FRIENDSHIP

There is no reason why you shouldn't continue if you ask the question before continuing. This individual can still be in your life if they want to be as long as you don't make a big deal out of it and handle the rejection maturely. Don't go severing any relationships just because things didn't work out romantically because sometimes it can be the beginning of a really nice friendship.

6. DO REMEMBER THAT THEY DO NOT OWE YOU ANYTHING

If you want to know why you were rejected, there is a proper method to approach the subject. Accept the "no," ask in a polite and mature manner, and try not to press them for an answer if they don't want to; they are under no obligation to do so.

7. DO NOT OVERTHINK IT

Rejection is a very natural occurrence, and everyone experiences it. absolutely everyone. It can occasionally seem like a major deal. Try to keep in mind that there can be a million different reasons why they don't want to leave the house again. It might have to do with their own fears, those of their families, their careers, or just the fact that they wouldn't want to endanger the friendship. Only a small percentage of the causes are attributable to or caused by you. Do not criticize or shame oneself for making a mistake. Failure teaches you more than success does. Rejection doesn't make you who you are, and you are not at fault.

8. DO UNDERSTAND IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE

Focus on the other things you are working on in your life and allow yourself to get excited about them if it doesn't work. If it doesn't work, it doesn't work. You would have occurred if you had been truly intended to. Even if it may not be what you desire now, there will be something out there that is meant to happen; this does not imply that when it happens, it will not be the appropriate thing for you. There are plenty of fascinating things to focus on in life that have nothing to do with romance.

9. DO REALISE THAT REJECTION IS NORMAL

You probably don't need us to remind you that rejection is common. It happens to everyone and is very natural. We swear that was the last time we said it. as long as you agree to keep that in mind.

10. DO REMEMBER THAT NOT ALL REJECTION IS ROMANTIC

Rejection is a common occurrence in life, and it can be difficult to understand that not everyone will like you. We all experience rejection—from lovers, from employers, from sports teams, from the musical you tried out for. Although it's a difficult pill to take, we must all experience it in life. Just keep in mind that the more you concentrate on treating it correctly, the better you will get at handling it. Rejection at work will be simpler to handle if you can handle it from a romantic partner. Particularly useful when you try out for Elsa in Frozen but wind up playing "Snowball #3." Keep quiet; it still hurts.

Success includes both actual success and rejection in equal measure. You wouldn't understand how fantastic the highs felt if you hadn't experienced the lows. Therefore, try not to let this tiny failure demoralize you too much because something bigger might be on the horizon. It's possible that they didn't perceive in you what you had hoped they would this time, but it doesn't imply that someone else won't.

Walk Cautiously

1. Utilize crosswalks and traffic signals to cross the street at intersections. When crossing, look left, right, left again, and keep looking as you cross.
2. Put your phone down, keep your eyes on the road, and cross the street by walking, not running.
3. Teach kids to look drivers in the eye before crossing in front of them.
4. Always stay on the paths or sidewalks. If there are no sidewalks, move as far to the left of the flow of traffic as you can. The fewest number of roadway crossings should be avoided when children are walking.
5. Keep an eye out for turning or reversing vehicles. Teach kids never to cross between parked cars or run out into the street.
6. Join the younger children for trick-or-treating. Tell children who are old enough to be left alone to stay in well-lit, familiar areas and trick-or-treat in groups.

Halloween Attire for Safety

1. Use reflective tape or stickers to adorn outfits and bags, and if you can, go with bright colors.
2. When possible, go for face paint and makeup rather than masks, which can restrict a child's vision.
3. Kids should carry flashlights or glow sticks so they can see and be seen by vehicles.
4. Make sure the costume you choose fits properly to avoid falls and trips.

Driving More Cautiously on Halloween

1. When driving through residential areas, take it slow and pay close attention. On Halloween, kids are often thrilled and may act erratically.
2. Spend more time keeping an eye out for children at crossroads, in medians, and on curbs.
3. Driveways and alleys should be used cautiously and gently.
4. To focus on the road and your surroundings, remove all distractions from your automobile, including your phone.
5. To see youngsters from farther away, turn on your headlights earlier in the day.
6. The most well-liked trick-or-treating hours are from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. During those times, keep a sharp eye out for children.

Many students are unsure if they should study for the PSAT, which is a "preliminary" or practice test by definition. Yes, getting a feel for the test and a rough idea of how you might do on the SAT is the major objective if you take it in your freshman or sophomore year. These "baseline" scores can assist you in determining your goals for college entrance and show you how much additional preparation you may need for the SAT or ACT. The PSAT/NMSQ, however, is more important in the junior year because it is the best indicator of your junior SAT score. Furthermore, your achievement can get you a National Merit Scholarship, a college scholarship, and help you stand out on college applications.

The PSAT is made to be a little simpler than the SAT because you'll probably take it in 9th or 10th grade and because it's meant to be SAT practice. You get more time per question than on the SAT because it is a shorter test (On the reading and math without calculator sections).

The best benefit of investing time in your PSAT preparation is that the ideas, tactics, and techniques you acquire will transfer to the SAT as well. Additionally, performing well on the PSAT often predicts success on the SAT. We'll discuss some of the top strategies for PSAT preparation in this article from our team of specialists. Remember that these also apply to the SAT.

The following advice will position you for success if you're prepared to start preparing for the PSAT:

1. Assemble your team and materials

Remembering that you're not traveling alone on this adventure is crucial when you first set out. You have a number of resources at your disposal, including teachers, tutors, PSAT prep courses, classmates, and online assistance. Reviewing official PSAT tests, which you can get on CollegeBoard, is a wonderful place to start. You'll get a sense of the kinds of inquiries you'll encounter. The level of assistance you might require can then be decided.

Be truthful to yourself. Many students may require a tutor to help them stay on task while others may be self-motivated and devote the necessary time and effort to studying and practicing on their own. If you fall somewhere in the middle, consider starting a prep group with friends who frequently get together to keep each other on track. Or maybe you decide to combine home study with attending a prep class.

As you get started, make sure you have access to a number of official practice exams as well as resources that can aid in your understanding of topics and tactics. There are many free materials available online or at your local library. Here, CollegeBoard provides PSAT assistance. You can practice and prepare with the fantastic tools that Khan Academy has created. We advise using the Official SAT Study Guide and then taking authentic PSAT tests for practice if you decide to buy a study guide.

2. Strengthen your base

Like other standardized tests, the PSAT was developed to assess your mastery of material you have already studied in school. Therefore, going through previous notes from math, reading, and English classes can be helpful. Here are some more useful hints. We advise you to:

• Spending time reading is one of the best strategies to increase vocabulary and reading comprehension. Look for books that will interest and amuse you, and read as much as you can outside of your allocated academics.
• Develop your reading speed. You might uncover several strategies to improve your reading speed by performing a fast Google search. For instance, you can get used to scanning, focusing on key words, and using your finger as a compass. In order to comprehend what you're reading more fully, you should also see whether making notes in the form of circles, underlines, and scribbles helps. Finding what works for you and honing your timing while taking the test will be much easier with practice.
• Learn Greek and Latin Roots to Expand Your Vocabulary. Long-term, this can save you a ton of time. Greek and Latin words make up a sizable portion of the English language, and once you grasp their origins, your vocabulary expands on its own. For instance, you can infer that amicable means friendly if you know that amic is the Latin word for friend.

3. Develop Your Talents Through Practice

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell explains his belief that it takes 10,000 hours of effort to become a master at something like playing the violin. Not to worry! Although we don't recommend you spend that much time studying for the PSAT, the high number supports our claim that practicing is the best method to get ready for the test. It all comes down to becoming accustomed to the time and testing methodology. Therefore, to make your practice test as similar as feasible to the actual test, be sure to imitate the testing atmosphere. You ought to:

• Don't take the test digitally; there is a difference, so print it out instead.
• Use bubble wrap
• Time yourself using the exact amount of time provided for each area of the test.
• Try to complete it all at once.

4. Finishing Touches: Advice and Techniques

It's possible that our PSAT/SAT tutors have assisted students with tests after tests for close to 10,000 hours. As a result, they have developed test-taking techniques that go beyond your conceptual understanding. Here are some of their useful advice that you can use while you get ready:

• Put the simple questions first. Even if you have to move around a bit while taking the test, concentrate on responding to the questions that are simple or quick for you. Since all of the questions are equally important, you should move on to all of the ones you believe you can answer without spending time on the more challenging ones. After that, you'll go back and respond to those you missed.
• VERY CAREFULLY read the questions and answers. Understanding what the PSAT and SAT examiners are searching for is a difficulty in and of itself. A simple word in a question can occasionally cause you to veer off course. Make sure you comprehend the question's specific requirements. If required, read it three times. Repeat with the solutions. These frequently have parts of truth while omitting a word or phrase to render the response choice false.
• Use the same letter selection each time you guess the answer if you are. The odds are greater if you continuously stick with one letter rather than guessing randomly because history shows that each right response option gets selected around the same number of times.

Despite disappointing economic signs, you can still treat yourself to a spa day in the comfort of your own home. Beyond the money you'll save over splurging at the day spa, there are some very lovely benefits to giving or receiving a massage in the quiet of your own home. Nothing prevents you from transforming a private massage into, er, a sensual occasion. It's enjoyable to get to know his (or her) body all over again. Both the delicate area behind her ear and the seductive dimple at the base of his spine could use some care. Even an afternoon deserving of a "Dear Diary" post may result from a little tender loving care in the proper place.

There are additional advantages for the lucky recipient of a massage at home. Cortisol levels can be lowered by receiving a massage that is hard enough to leave a light pressure impression. Cortisol is a stress-related hormone that has been linked to anything from weight gain to a compromised immune system. By inducing minor chemical changes in the body, a relaxing massage can also lower blood pressure and possibly aid in the management of pain.

The best aspect is that you don't have to be an expert in reflexology to give a massage that has positive effects on your health. Since many of the best effects of massage are a direct result of simple touching, a general massage with long, gentle strokes can be surprisingly helpful. Numerous beneficial compounds are released when you touch, and they continue to operate for hours after you put the scented oils away. Therefore, you can still give a nice massage even if you are unable to distinguish between shiatsu (a pressure point massage technique) and a Lhasa Apso (a cute puppy dog).

A 10-minute massage can relax his tense muscles, lower his stress level, and perhaps even lessen muscle pain in other parts of his body like his lower back, legs, and feet if he enjoys having his neck massaged, and let's face it, who doesn't? That is a remarkable return for such a brief investment.

Let's look at a few recommendations for home massage techniques. A soft touch and a few quiet minutes are really all you need for a nice massage. But a few embellishments will assist set the atmosphere and alert him to a kind of "bodywork" that has nothing to do with car upkeep.

We've already stated how little equipment and aids are actually needed for a basic massage. However, there are several things that might make providing and receiving a massage easier and more pleasurable when you want to indulge in home massage on a regular basis:

• Massage oil -- Massage oil helps to lessen friction. This benefits both the recipient and the masseuse (you and your magic fingers). Yes, massage is a hands-on activity. But your fingers and wrists will begin to burn after a few tense minutes of releasing his shoulder muscles. Your wonderful digits will work more comfortably and for longer if there is no friction. Few drops should be sufficient. Not an oil slick, but a smooth sheen is what you're going for.
• Scented oils -- You can still provide a nice massage using baby oil, but by looking into a few aromatherapy oil choices, you may improve the advantages of massage without doing any extra work. The distilled plant essences used in aromatherapy, known as essential oils, have a variety of effects on the chemistry of the brain and body. Massage is an effective method for delivering the health benefits of aromatherapy since they are both breathed and absorbed via the skin while being massaged. Aromatherapy essences like lavender seem to be unexpectedly helpful at lowering tension and anxiety, relaxing stiff muscles, and fending off moderate sleeplessness, according to ongoing research into how aromatherapy affects the body. Any essential oils you use should be diluted.
• Massage tables and chairs -- Scaled-down, portable massage devices are now more reasonably priced for usage at home. Additionally, massage chairs and tables are lightweight, frequently collapsible, and simple to store in a utility closet. The process will be more convenient if there is a designated area for soothing massages, which might even inspire weekly (mutual) massage sessions. Choose furniture that can be adjusted (up and down), is well-padded, and is simple to clean with a moist cloth. Entry-level home massage tables costing approximately $100 and chairs costing up to $200 are readily available.
• Massage accessories -- There are many efficient massage techniques available because it is an age-old skill. The ones you decide to investigate will be based on your particular preferences and potentially advice from a doctor or massage therapist. Others use tools like handheld massagers, while some massage techniques make use of heat or steam. The lesson learned from this is that there is a lot to learn if you want to employ a formal massage method, but there are also some entertaining tools that can assist. However, the effectiveness of a tool depends on how securely and skillfully you use it. It's unlikely that giving your partner a gentle massage can hurt them. On the other side, if you don't have the right training, using accessories or harsh massage techniques could end up hurting you more than helping. Although your hands aren't deadly weapons, you should refrain from trying out novel massage methods if your spouse has a pre-existing medical problem that should be handled by a licensed massage therapist.

Be ready with at least a fluffy towel and massage oil to deliver a fantastic massage. Additionally, you should operate on a smooth, soft surface that is simple to clean if the oil spills on you. Oh, and if your back, neck, or shoulders are prone to breakouts, you might also want to use a little rubbing alcohol to remove extra oil from those areas after the massage.

In addition to being therapeutic, massage may also be a way to unwind and have a good time. If you want to achieve a little of both, setting the environment is almost as crucial as having strong, flexible fingers to massage his back and other areas.

Dim the lights -- This is a soothing, sensible, and overtly romantic strategy. Even if it makes it simpler for you to examine the mole on his shoulder while he is lying on his back, having the overhead fixture on will be painful for him. Here's a middle ground: Make massage time a "feel as you go" exercise and inspect the mole another time.

Use candles -- If you believe you need a lot of lighting to complete the task, you are not required to only use candles. However, candles do offer a flickering, golden glow that contributes to a nice atmosphere. Additionally romantic, joyful, therapeutic, and enlightening, aromatherapy candles can be used in conjunction with the aromatherapy oil of your choice. For a small amount of wax and a wick, that's a lot. If you can set up a fire in a nearby fireplace as well, you gain extra points.

Adjust the thermostat -- Even if you are starting to warm up from all the rubbing and kneading, he may look fantastic without his customary tattered T-shirt on, but all that exposed skin can feel chilly. Keep the space warm enough to safeguard his delicate hide.

Put on some mood music -- Yes, music has the ability to enhance your massage experience together. Be calm, slow, and low-key. In the future, every time you hear those eerie riffs, you'll both think of your massage routine, so choose the music carefully. This is the main idea behind soundtracks.

Relate: How Long Does It Take to Become a Massage Therapist