Preparing for a test can be a stressful experience for your teenager when the expectations set by the middle school or high school, the school district, No Child Left Behind, and the teachers are very high. Even the parents of teens sometimes set high standards for their child to maintain a certain grade point average, to be in the top 10 to 20 percent of their class. Those factors, along with the competitiveness of peers, add to the stress. In order to help your teen find a way to get over their pre-test stress, you need to know how to recognize what some of those signs are.

Instructions

1. The first thing you should do is have your teen write the dates of upcoming tests and what subject the test will be in, on a calendar or line sheet of paper and post it on the refrigerator. This way you will know when to start looking for the beginning signs of pre-test stress.
2. If you notice that your teen is beginning to daydream or doesn't seem to hear when you speak to him, it could a sign that his mind is becoming too focused on the approaching test and he is feeling stressed. Ask if he is feeling okay, as the lack of focus you see him exhibiting could also be that he is only going over information that will be on the test in his head.
3. When the family sits down for breakfast or dinner, watch to see if your teen exhibits any changes in her eating habits, like leaving a nearly full plate of food when she gets up from the table or if she only picks lethargically at her food. Stress may make her feel physically ill.
4. Other signs of possible pre-test stress you may notice are sudden and inexplicable mood swings, sharp retorts when you ask your teen a question or ask him to do something, or sudden agitation over minor things that normally wouldn't bother him.
5. If you observe your teen slamming textbooks shut after studying, giving up on studying after only 5 or 10 minutes, or rubbing her temples, chances are she is beginning to feel more severely stressed over the upcoming exam and could be working up a panic attack.

Tips & Warnings

• When and if your teen begins to exhibit signs of pre-test stress or panic, you may want to sit down and talk to him and teach him some deep breathing or other relaxation techniques.
• Let your teen know that stress can potentially make her mind go blank during a test and that she should focus on simply doing the best she can and not on "perfection."
• Find things for your teen to do around the house or outdoors that are relaxing and entertaining. This will help take his mind off of the approaching test.

Source: eHow

Dating is an opportunity for socializing, for learning about the opposite gender and for gaining experience in relating, so that someday when a teen becomes an adult, he or she can make a good decision about choosing a partner. Here are ways to talk with teens about dating.

Instructions

1. Prepare in advance. Educate yourself. Dating protocols and expectations change from decade to decade. Just as dating in the '60s and '70s was different from dating in the '80s and '90s, dating in the 21st century has changed since you were a teen. Do your research by listening to what the teens are interested in and talking about. Know the information they are getting by watching the shows they watch and reading the magazines they read. Mostly teens are interested in having fun, being with friends and gaining confidence around the opposite gender.

2. State the purpose. The purpose of dating is socializing, having fun, and learning about each other. Not all girls think alike and act alike; not all boys think and act alike. Dating and socializing gives teens the opportunity to experience the differences. State this over and over again. Dating is not about choosing a partner; it's about learning what kind of a partner you would like someday.

3. Emphasize group activities. Teens often like to hang out in groups with peers. The advantages of group outings are that teens have the opportunity to develop a variety of friendships. On group outings the focus is friendship, not romance.

4. Talk about the downside of group activities. Peer pressure can be stronger when kids are hanging out together. It may be harder to say "no" if everyone is participating. On the other hand, the group norm may keep everyone in line. Be informed about what type of group your teen is hanging out with. Suggest they team up with a friend who they can leave with if they don't feel comfortable in the group.

5. Share experiences. By telling stories both positive and negative about your own dating experiences, you are opening up the subject in a non-threatening way. Teens like hearing about the ups and downs that parents dealt with. Did you go to the prom? What was the worst date? How about blind dates? Do you wish you would have dated more?

6. Be aware of the differences between boys and girls. Girls often worry about not having a boyfriend. Reassure them in a round about way, "Honey, the more boys you know as friends, the better you'll recognize the right one when he comes along later." Encourage girls to make friends with boys rather than picking just one boyfriend. Boys often worry that they are not tall enough or strong enough. Assure them that they are great. Encourage them to make friends. Don't push or tease about romance. This is a sensitive subject, so be respectful.

7. Tell teens: It is OK to change your mind about a person as you get to know him or her. The "nice" guy might turn out to be a total jerk, or the "quiet" girl might be the one who is so much fun to be with. Kids feel lots of rejection when it comes to dating. Let them know that rejection is part of dating, but it doesn't mean that something is wrong with them.

8. Hold talks over hamburgers. Talks about sensitive subjects go smoother when taking place out of the house and over food. Remember, both boys and girls need good information and good food. Do not poke fun or criticize. Teen feelings are delicate.

9. Turn off lectures. Strive for open, exciting, ongoing conversations. Inquire. If you make the conversations upbeat, the kids will keep listening. If you scold and warn, they will roll their eyes and dismiss you as old fashioned.

10. Be subtle. Ask how they will handle possible scenarios, but be subtle about it. "Honey, I was wondering how you and your friends might handle a party with older kids drinking?" The purpose of these conversations is to gather information about what the kids need to know.

11. Teach the power of "no" and "yes." "No" and "yes" are the two most important words. We want to empower our teens to say "no" to what they don't want so that they can say "yes" to what they do want. Give them opportunities for saying "yes" and "no" as often as possible, even if it means practicing saying "no" to you.

Tips & Warnings

• Compromising is key
• If this topic is too much to talk about all at once, you could break it up into multiple small talks, however, it's nice to get it all over with at once.
• Ask your teen if he/she has any other questions/concerns
• Be firm yet open-minded; accept your teen's ideas and thoughts, but be firm if they go against your family's values

Source: eHow

Expectant parents would love to know exactly when their newest bundle of joy will make his entrance into the world. Having an exact date would help with planning when to finish the nursery, making child-care arrangements for older siblings and simply knowing when the last uncomfortable days of pregnancy will end. But unless you have a planned cesarean section, predicting your baby's precise birth date isn't possible. You can estimate your baby's approximate birthday, though, with some basic information about your pregnancy.

Instructions

1. Identify the date your last menstrual period (LMP) began. Most doctors base a baby's due date on this date, predicting 280 days after the start of Mom's LMP. This date isn't totally reliable, though, since not all women have textbook 28-day cycles, where they ovulate on day 14 of their cycle. If you ovulated later than average, your baby won't start growing as quickly as the doctor assumes, and your due date estimate will be too early.


2. Determine when you ovulated for the most accurate due-date prediction. Methods for identifying ovulation include tracking patterns in your cervical mucus, using ovulation predictor kits, charting your basal body temperature, checking cervix position and noticing cramps or pains on one side of your body that suggest when the ovary released an egg. If you used any of these methods, review any notes you took on your ovulation signs to see which day you likely ovulated. Your estimated due date will be 266 days after you ovulated.


3. Enter the date of your LMP, or the date you think you ovulated, into a pregnancy due-date predictor, such as the one in the Resources section. This calculator allows a more accurate due-date estimate based on LMP, since you can include your average cycle length if you know it. If your cycle is normally longer than 28 days, the calculator will give you a later due date, since you likely ovulated after day 14 of your cycle.


4. Confirm your baby's gestational age with an early first trimester ultrasound. Measuring a baby's crown-to-rump length at seven weeks has an accuracy of plus-or-minus three days. If the ultrasound measurement of your baby agrees with your LMP or suspected ovulation date, your due date is likely accurate. If the ultrasound measurement is very different, you should base your due date on the ultrasound, since it provides an actual measurement of your baby's development.


5. Recognize that due dates can only estimate a baby's likely birthday. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, while most babies arrive between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy, only 5 percent make their grand appearance on their actual due date. When preparing for your baby's birth, remember childbirth educator Janelle Durham's advice to "be ready for the baby after 38 weeks, but don't be surprised if it doesn't come till 42 weeks."

Source: eHow 

Marriages are made in Heaven.It takes time and effort for a long and satisfying marriage - on the part of both spouses. Your reward is happiness of the highest order.

Instructions

1. Cherish compatibility. Seek out the things that interest, please and delight both of you.

2. Respect and treasure your differences. Learn from one another. Appreciate and understand your spouse's distinctive style, approach and personality - especially when it diverges from yours. Differences can often turn into delight.

3. Cultivate patience. Give your spouse enough time to reach a comfortable middle ground in his or her own way.

4. Learn how to be understanding, and develop the ability to see through your spouse's eyes.

5. Share your feelings in regular talk sessions. A nice atmosphere in a good restaurant helps open the doors to intimacy and sharing. Really listen to your partner. Be sure to look directly into the eyes of your loved one.

6. Strive for a high ratio of positive to negative in comments and actions.

7. Allow time to pass when you're surprised by a disappointment. Solutions will become evident when there is patience. A good night's sleep will help additional insights to surface.

8. Resolve the inevitable differences in a way that strengthens and deepens your love. Strive to communicate your feelings without being aggressive or defensive. Listen to each other with an open mind and seek resolutions that you both can be happy with.

9. Learn to express thankfulness for the smallest things. This gratitude can be brief and must be genuine.

Source: eHow