Summarize the following:
When you feel that your parent has wronged you in some way, you might be tempted to lash out in anger.  For instance, if your parent has recently taken away your car or phone, you might feel anger towards them.  However, you might find that you tend to say things that you don’t mean when frustrated or mad.  Step away from the situation or conversation that is affecting you and take a few moments to breathe and calm down.  Breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Say to your parent “Do you mind if I take a 5 minute break from this conversation to clear my head?” Quiet moments alone tend to provide greater clarity. Your feelings for your parents may feel chaotic in your head.  Writing them down is a great way to process your thoughts, remain calm, and begin developing what you will say to them.  Get out a notepad and write down exactly what you are thinking and feeling. It might be helpful to write a poem or a song if you are feeling creative. Sometimes, you might find that you lash out in anger at the wrong person due to stressful circumstances that are outside of their control.  For instance, maybe you were bullied at school all day and then you came home to your mom asking you to clean your room.  Though your anger has been building all day, you should not take it out on an innocent party. Consider also any behaviors or comments your parents have made that have built towards this moment, as hate does not typically come about all of a sudden, but usually builds over time. After some reflection on the circumstances, you may feel that hate is not appropriate and that what you want to say is “I am angry with you” instead.  Other times, you may feel that your hate is justified. Perhaps your parent has been abusing you or neglecting you for years.  In these instances, hate is understandable.  However, if your parent has grounded you for a few weeks because you got in trouble in school, this action probably does not justify you hating them. Keep in mind that you cannot take back what you say.  Consider if telling your parent that you hate them will make you feel better or truly depict how you feel. Think about the circumstances that have led you to hate your parent and consider why they have acted as they have.  Perhaps your parent has a mental health disorder or has been a victim of abuse.  Though this is no excuse for mistreating you, it can help you to at least make sense of the situation.  Begin breaking negative family patterns through open and honest communication. Oftentimes, developing sympathy will dissipate some of the hate you might feel. Before you tell a parent that you hate them, you should discuss your feelings with family or friends who you trust.  Perhaps a friend of yours has gone through a similar period; vent to them.  Your siblings can be particularly helpful through this as they may feel the same or have some advice on how to move forward. Say something like “Do you remember when you and your dad were fighting a lot?  Whatever happened to end that?”

summary: Calm down. Journal your thoughts. Consider the source of your feelings. Determine if ‘hate’ is an appropriate descriptor. Consider their perspective. Talk to friends or siblings.


Summarize the following:
Change the sounds of vowels during higher notes to put less pressure on your vocal cords. Try rounding your mouth into a loose oval shape as you speak a word such as “time.” Let your jaw drop and your tongue loosen. The “i” will take on an “ah” sound. This isn’t useful at the lower end of your range because your vocal cords are already shortened. Use scale practice exercises to reach those notes. At first you can try singing individual words at the top of your range. Sing the word out loud, keeping the vowel sound rounded. At the end of the word, allow your throat to open so the vowel sound ends in the normal pronunciation. For example, transition back from an “ah” sound in “time” to the normal long “i” sound. As long as the normal sound returns before the next consonant, the word will still sound right to listeners. As you practice singing songs, incorporate this vowel modification into words on high notes until it becomes second nature. When you stumble over a certain word at a tough note in the middle of a song, substitute it for a simpler word such as “noo.” Practice the song again with the substitution until you are comfortable enough hitting the note to put the original word back in. Vowel modification can be used in conjunction with word substitution, such as when substituting “thet” for “that.”

summary: Round vowel sounds. Transition to normal vowel sounds. Substitute words.


Summarize the following:
Hold your cat in your lap with the head facing away from you. Hold the cat’s head with one hand, and use the arm to keep the cat wrapped in the bath towel. Using the thumb of that hand, gently fold back the cat’s ear so the ear canal is easily accessible. Gently tilt the cat’s head to the side, and place the medication in your other hand. Holding both the ear flap and the cat’s head in place, gently place the appropriate amount of medication in the ear or ears. Make sure not to let the loose end go so the cat doesn’t get out of the towel burrito. After placing the drops in the ear, gently massage the base of the ear to help the ear drops move down the ear canal. Try rubbing in a gently, slow circular motion.  If your cat has an infection, this may be painful, so remember to be gentle so as not to cause your cat any additional pain. Do not do this aggressively or you can rupture the eardrum. After administering the medication, quickly place a small hand towel over the cat’s head. You cat will shake his head, so this will keep the medication from splattering onto you or the table. Remove the hand towel when the cat is done shaking his ears. Use a cotton ball to gently wipe any medication that has run out of the cat’s ear onto its fur. Then release the cat from the towel. Make sure to re-cap the medication and throw away any used cotton balls.
summary: Fold the ear flap back. Place the medication in the cat’s ear. Gently massage the ear base. Place a small towel over the cat’s head. Wipe away any excess.