Get to know your stepchildren by spending one-on-one time with each child. Ask them about their day, their interests, or their hobbies. Show you value them and their ideas by listening attentively.  If you live with your stepchildren, try to find some one-on-one time every day. You might want to start a project together, like a rock collection or a craft. If you do not live with your stepchildren, try playing online games together, or taking them to their favorite store or restaurant. Family traditions are important, and you should respect those that were in place before your arrival. However, you shouldn't be afraid to create new ones. Family routines and rituals can be effective tools for bonding. Create at least one new family ritual. Choose something everyone in the family can enjoy. You might plan a weekly trip to the beach, a game night, or bi-weekly family dinners. Maybe one stepchild has a soccer game, and another is starring in the school play. Attend these activities with enthusiasm—it will show you care. If you have biological children, be certain not to show favoritism. Do your best to show that you value each child, biological or step. At the same time, beware of overcompensating by showing more affection to your stepchildren than to your biological children. Try to spend one-on-one time with your biological children each day.
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One-sentence summary -- Spend time alone with your stepchildren. Respect family traditions while creating new ones. Attend your stepchildren's events or activities. Don't play favorites.


When you or the person you want to kiss first get braces, you shouldn't rush to start making out the second you walk out of the dentist's office. Your braces will hurt at first, and you'll need some time to get comfortable to the metal in your mouth, and to learn how to manage your braces when you eat, brush your teeth, and complete any other tasks that are made more difficult by your braces. You can still kiss your special someone on the lips in the meantime, but don't take it further than that. Hastily introducing teeth to metal is not a good way to get things started. Though you may be longing for some French kissing, you should take things slow and kiss only using your lips at first -- you can work your way up to French kissing as you get more comfortable. In the meantime, you can even take care to soften your lips with gloss an hour or two before the pecks on the lips begin so you feel more comfortable. This is especially true if this is your first time. Start off very gently so you can get a feel for the terrain. As you get more practice, you'll learn where and when to apply pressure (soft at first), and where to avoid it. As you kiss your partner, explore his or her closed lips and see how comfortable you feel before you make the next move. And if you don't even feel comfortable enough to kiss yet, then take a step back.
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One-sentence summary -- Wait at least two weeks before you begin the serious kissing. Start the close-lipped kisses. Take things slow.


Mix 2 tsp (10 ml) of isabgol in 8 oz (240 ml) of warm water, along with 1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. Prepare the mixture before a meal and drink it immediately.  Similarly, you can drink the same mixture as soon as you wake up in the morning. The bulk produced by isabgol makes you feel fuller, so it is easier to eat less during a meal. Isabgol is also a colon cleanser, so it can help clean out any waste products clogging up your digestive system and slowing down your metabolism. Eat an isabgol wafer once a day immediately after a meal to help your heart health.  Alternatively, you could take the isabgol as soon as you wake up in the morning for similar results. The fiber content in isabgol is believed t help reduce cholesterol in your system. Since the supplement is also low in fat, it does not contribute anything harmful to cholesterol problems. Theoretically, isabgol coats the walls of your intestines and helps prevent the blood from absorbing cholesterol from other foods you eat. As a result, the cholesterol levels in your blood drop. Dissolve 1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 ml) of powdered isabgol into 8 oz (240 ml) of milk or water after every meal. Do this on a regular basis.  When your digestive system processes isabgol, a thick, gel-like substance forms and coats the walls of your intestines. This coating slows down the breakdown and absorption rate of glucose. Since your body will be absorbing glucose more evenly and slowly, your blood sugar is less likely to spike.  When you have diabetes, you should avoid having isabgol with curds. Due to the imbalances in your body, the isabgol is more likely to cause constipation when taken with curds if you have diabetes.
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One-sentence summary --
Lose weight by drinking it with lemon water. Keep your heart healthy. Battle diabetes by regularly consuming isabgol.