Q: Respect your spouse’s relationship with their mother, but explain your needs for personal space and autonomy. Make your needs clear, and name specific issues that need to be addressed. Keep your tone positive, and remind your spouse that you don’t blame them for their mother’s actions.  For example, say, “I understand you’re close with your mother, and I don’t want to get in the way of that. However, I need boundaries. It’s not okay for her to come over unannounced or criticize my parenting skills.” Bring up your feelings as soon as possible. You’ll have an easier time handling issues without conflict if you address them sooner rather than later. Let your spouse know that you get how rough it is being in the middle of the conflict. Emphasize that the relationship between you and your spouse is separate from the conflict between you and your mother-in-law. Say, “I get that you’re in a tough position. I don’t want you to feel like you have to choose between me and your family. I love you, and these issues shouldn’t drive a wedge between us.” In addition to explaining your needs, ask your spouse how they envision their mother’s role in your lives and how best to deal with the issues you are facing with them. Work with them to find middle ground that satisfies you both.  For example, your spouse might not mind if she pops in unannounced, and wants her to be a close part of your lives. You could have her over for weekly dinners to satisfy your spouse’s needs, and require her to call ahead before visiting. Compromise with your partner, but make your needs clear. Tell them, “I’m happy that you’re so close with your parents, and I want to support that. But I’m your partner, and I need your support, too. Maintaining our privacy doesn’t mean you can’t have a close relationship with your mother.” Once you’ve come up with solutions, your spouse should have a talk with their mother alone. Bear in mind it’s your partner’s responsibility to address problems with their parents. If they’re hesitant, explain that they need to take the lead, just as you would if there were an issue with your parents. Say, “You need to be the one to tell your mother to give us some space. If you ever have an issue with my parents, then I’d need to take the lead. Be assertive but respectful. Tell her that we’re not shutting her out, but we need to set boundaries.” From establishing boundaries to handling criticism or disrespect in the moment, your spouse should defend you. Married partners' primary loyalties are to each other.  Make sure that your spouse takes the lead in enforcing boundaries and responds to their mother before you have to. This may be more effective than you saying something. If your mother-in-law puts you down, your spouse should calmly say, “Please don’t insult Sam like that. When you disrespect my spouse, you disrespect me, and it’s not okay.” If your partner doesn't have your back, tell them, “We’re a team, and I’m hurt that you didn’t defend me when your mother insulted me. I don’t want to put you in the middle, but you need to stick up for me.”
A: Explain your feelings to your partner. Tell your spouse you understand they’re in a tough position. Work with your spouse to come up with clear boundaries. Ask your spouse to have a conversation with their mother on their own. Remind your spouse that they need to have your back.

Q: Having a strong support system is one of the primary factors for successful treatment of schizophrenia. A good support team may consist of mental health professionals, family members, and personal friends and peers who share the diagnosis.  Talk to trusted friends and family members about your symptoms. They may help you navigate mental health care systems to get the treatment you need. Many times, maintaining stable, consistent housing is difficult for people with schizophrenia. If staying with your family is an option during stressful times, consider allowing your family to care for you until your symptoms improve. Housing options, such as group homes or supported living apartments, support people with schizophrenia. The availability of such homes varies widely from state to state. Check with your local National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) chapter or other mental health professionals to learn more about these services. Having good, honest communication with a mental health professional will allow you to receive the best level of treatment they can provide. Being honest with your doctor about your symptoms will ensure that you're getting the right dosage of medication, neither too much nor too little.  You can always seek out a second opinion, if you feel that your doctor isn't responsive to your needs. Never discontinue medical treatment without having a back-up plan. Check in with your doctor regarding any questions you may have regarding treatment issues, medication side-effects, persistent symptoms, or other concerns. Your participation is essential towards most effective treatment of your symptoms. Treatment works best when you're working together with your treatment team. The stigma from schizophrenia can be more uncomfortable than the symptoms. In a peer support group, your experience is shared by other members. Attending a group for support has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to minimize the difficulties of living with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.  Peer support groups are offered through local mental health organizations, Schizophrenics Anonymous (SA) and NAMI  throughout the United States. For more information, do an online search for groups in your area. Peer support groups are also offered online. SA offers conference call support groups as well. Find a support group option that works for you.
A: Talk to your doctor honestly. Communicate with your doctor or treatment provider. Attend a support group.

Q: Dump in 1 tablespoon (14.3 grams) of salt for every cup (250 milliliters) of water you use. Make sure the caramel is completely submerged under water. Do not dump the water out beforehand, no matter how murky or dingy it may look. By now, the salt should have weakened the stuck-on caramel, causing it to lift off the sides of the pot as soon as the water heats up. Gently scrub the sides of the pot with a dish sponge. Any remaining caramel should lift off without much difficulty. Use running water to remove any residual flakes of caramel.
A: Fill an enamel pot or pan with salt water. Allow the salt water to sit in the pot overnight. Boil the salt water inside the pot the following day. Dump the water. Rinse the pot.

Q: Within a week or so after planting, use clean shears to prune the vine back to one stem. Choose the healthiest, strongest stem for best results. You must also cut this stem back to two or three buds. As new growth begins to develop, determine which shoot is the most vigorous and remove the others. Use paper-covered wire ties or twine to loosely attach the growing vine to your training system.  Since the vine is still small, it may not be tall enough to reach the wire of your trellis system. For this reason, consider installing a bamboo training stake directly beside the plant. Tie the fresh vine onto this stake, then remove the stake once the vine is tall enough to reach the trellis wires. You may need to tie the vine on a weekly basis. Continue to remove any side shoots that develop during this time. Once the vine is tall enough to reach the wire of your trellis system, cut the growing tip back to the top bud.  Doing this forces lateral buds to form. Lateral buds will form cordons that need to be trained down along the wires of your trellis system. Tie them onto the wire loosely. After the cordons reach their full length, you can let side shoots develop. These side shoots will need to be cut back to two or three buds each dormant season, though. These buds will develop into shoots that produce both flowers and fruit.
A:
Prune to one stem after planting. Remove weak growth. Loosely tie the growing vine. Cut the growing tip once the vine is tall enough. Maintenance prune during the dormant season.