If you've just found out your girlfriend is cheating, you are probably very emotional. Give each other some space in wake of the revelation so you both have some alone time to think.  Your impulse may be to keep your girlfriend close by to make sure she does not cheat again. However, it's difficult to work through your emotions about a relationship when you're seeing your girlfriend every day.  Use this time to reflect on what you want. What are you absolutely not willing to give up in a romantic relationship? Where would you be willing to change? Figure out your own wants and needs so you can address these the next time you see your girlfriend. You need to discuss what happened with your girlfriend. Whether you decide to work things out or not, an open and honest talk is important for closure.  Listen when your girlfriend talks, even if it's hard. Use verbal and non-verbal cues to show her you're paying attention. Keep eye contact, lean forward, nod and occasionally make a comment when there is a pause. Avoid noise barriers, such as choosing a loud coffee shop to converse. This can make effective communication difficult.  Asking meaningful questions. What issues cause conflict between you and your girlfriend? What causes disappointment, pain? What kinds of things made you happy and helped you feel connected? How would you like communication to be different between you and your girlfriend?  Be respectful. This will be a painful discussion for both of you and you need to converse in a civil, productive manner. Speak politely. Begin sentences with "I" instead of "you" to avoid sounding accusatory. Take turns speaking and try not to dwell on a topic for too long. If you've been discussing one issue for more than 15 minutes, it might be time to move on and revisit that topic later. Depending on why your girlfriend cheated, there might be issues regarding your relationship that need work. While this does not mean infidelity was your fault, it does mean if you're interested in salvaging things you might need to make adjustments on your end.  You need to understand why your girlfriend cheated. Even it may be painful to confront, there might have been something wrong with the relationship itself. You and your girlfriend need to find certain shared goals for your relationship, and this might mean you always have to change the way you do things.  Change takes time. You have to realize, even if you're willing to make certain changes, things will feel different at first and it takes time and commitment to heal a damaged relationship. Ultimately, you need to decide whether or not you can forgive the cheating and move on.  Sometimes, needs or desires are mutually exclusive and cheating is often driven by this fact. If your girlfriend has different sexual desires or a different sexual appetite, the two of you may simply not be compatible. If you firmly believe in monogamy and your girlfriend wants an open relationship, it is also probably time to move on.  Boredom is another factor that leads to relationships ending. Discovering new things about your partner is vital to a long lasting relationship, but if you've both stopped growing during the course of your romance it's a sign things are simply not working anymore. Lack of continued interest and personal growth are both signs a relationship does not have a future.  Conversely, if you and your girlfriend are able to find a place where you both feel happy and comfortable, without compromising anyone's vital needs, you may be able to continue the relationship. However, move forward knowing that tension and lack of trust will be major issues after infidelity. It will take a long time for things to feel normal again.

Summary: Give each other space. Have an open, honest talk. Prepare to change yourself, if necessary. Make a decision about the relationship's future.


As a teen, you will likely start going to more semi-formal and formal events so it’s best to start figuring out some key articles of clothing that will help round out that part of your wardrobe. Most children are allowed to wear just about anything, but as you get older, having more than just casual clothing will be necessary for jobs, parties, and other important functions.  If you’re a boy, start looking into some clothing articles that you may not already have, such as ties, leather shoes, and nice belts. Ask an older male relative or friend for guidance. Your parents may also be willing to buy you some of these items. If you are a girl, consider whether you have some of these basics: sensible, low heeled shoes, blazers, or cocktail dresses. A little black dress is also a great option that’s appropriate for many semi-formal events. There are many stores that sell semi-formal attire for relatively cheap, such as Gap and Forever21. Feel free to ask the store employees for help and some stores may even have specific sections for semi-formal attire.  Knowing what you’re missing from your wardrobe ahead of time will help you while you’re shopping as you’ll have a specific goal instead of wandering around aimlessly. Always browse the sale section as you never know what you’ll find. These stores are often cheaper than malls and you can often find great, unique pieces at a low cost. Sometimes you can even find interesting items such as slacks and suspenders which are now worn less often but can really add a fashionable edge to your semi-formal wardrobe. Just be sure to buy clothes that are still in good condition and aren’t worn out or misshapen.

Summary: Figure out what you’re missing. Go to the mall. Check out vintage or secondhand stores.


Slowly place your hand in the cage (but not too close), until the bird is comfortable. Shy or nervous birds may require several sessions before they are comfortable with your hand. Be persistent, and always make sure to move slowly to avoid startling the bird. Stand just above the bird’s eye level in order to establish dominance. Standing too tall can frighten the bird, and crouching too low may display submission on your part. Make sure to move your hand slowly, and to hold your hand steady and with confidence. Birds will become nervous if their handler is nervous, and will become reluctant or scared to step onto your finger if your hand wobbles or you drop the bird during these early sessions. Apply gentle pressure so that the bird is put slightly off balance. The bird should lift a leg when it feels off-balance. When this occurs, place your finger under its foot and lift gently – the bird should step up on to your finger or hand.  If the bird is nervous or bites, you may have to begin training with a wood dowel until it becomes more comfortable. A bird may use its beak to steady itself, or even bite your finger or hand. If this occurs do not suddenly pull away or show fear, as the bird may be frightened or read this as a sign of submission. ”  Use the bird’s name when you say “step up,” and be generous with praise. Many birds, particularly if they are young, will step onto your finger with a little encouragement, as a finger resembles a perch.  When your bird steps-up, praise it and give it a special treat you prepared before beginning. Even if the bird only raises one foot to your hand you should praise and reward it. With repetition and encouragement the bird will learn to associate the command "step up" with perching on your hand or arm. Following the same steps, accustom the bird to your weaker hand. Animals of habit, birds may refuse to perch on your opposite hand unless you take the time to train them during this initial period. As your bird becomes comfortable, you can begin taking it out of the cage before repeating the step-up training. If your bird is shy or nervous and refuses to step on to your finger or hand, use a wooden dowel instead.  Once the bird steps up on to the dowel, move on to the "laddering" technique. Place your finger beside and slightly higher than the perched bird and encourage it to move to the new perch. Accompany each step with the "step up" command, and be generous with praise when the bird follows your command. Have the bird continue moving from dowel to finger and finger to dowel until the training session is over. Birds have unique temperaments and may be shy or nervous, and thus it is important to exercise patience as you train your bird every day.  Make a routine of the training sessions. Your bird will learn to anticipate your training sessions together. Reward even small amounts of progress with praise and treats. Encouragement is the best way to make your bird comfortable and teach it to follow your commands.
Summary: Familiarize the bird with your hand. Offer your hand to the bird. Slowly and gently push your finger against the bird's lower chest, right above his legs. Encourage the bird to “step up. Repeat the training with the other hand. Stick train your bird. Be persistent, but patient.