INPUT ARTICLE: Article: A backhanded compliment is an insincere compliment that is meant to be hurtful or insulting. If someone gives you a backhanded compliment, it is most likely due to their own sense of insecurity and rejection. Instead of hating the person for saying mean things to you, attempt to understand why this person might be so bitter.  Understanding that the backhanded compliments are not about you will help you to respond in ways that will put them to a stop. For example, someone might give you a backhanded compliment by saying, “I wish I was as relaxed as you are about all this clutter!” The comment is phrased as a compliment, but it is actually an insult about your living situation. This comment is based in the person’s need to say something rude about the current state of your home rather than ignoring it. Don’t allow back handed compliments to go by unnoticed. If someone gives you a backhanded compliment, let them know that you understand that it was not really a compliment. Say something like, “I know you might have meant that as a compliment, but it didn’t sound like one. Is there something you want to talk to me about?” This type of response can help you to address the backhanded compliment and open up a discussion about what is causing the person to say these things. If someone compliments you on being extraordinarily lucky when you accomplish something, don’t thank them. By thanking them for such a compliment, you are implicitly agreeing with them that you didn’t really work hard for your accomplishment. You don’t have to be rude or aggressive with your response, you can simply say something like, “Maybe I am lucky, but I think that my success on this project was more due to hard work than luck.”

SUMMARY: Remember that backhanded compliments are not about you. Address back handed compliments. Redirect compliments about intrinsic qualities that you do not feel are accurate.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Being too young for an hourly job limits the companies and locations you can work for; however, many family-ran businesses offer small jobs for young and eager workers. If your family doesn't have a business of its own, see if your parents have relatives or friends who need extra help in their offices or stores. House work is never complete, and offering help to your parents is a great way to open discussions on allowances. Start off by taking on your responsibilities and duties, regardless of getting paid. As you progress and find more time, ask for more responsibilities that your parents pay out-side help for such as cooking meals, yard work, cleaning the garage, washing the car, or taking care of siblings. As you get older, you develop a stronger awareness of your skill levels. Using these talents can come in handy for making money. Make sure to choose subjects and talents that you understand very well, and always ask for tutoring and coaching tips from teachers and coaches.  Offer tutoring in your spare time in subject areas you enjoy; you can help younger students if you feel your peers might be at a similar level as you. Coach during summer programs and camps. Instruct the elderly how to use unfamiliar computers and technology. Give music lessons. Child actors are always needed for several occasions such as movies, television, commercials, modeling, radio, and theater. If you and your parent decide this a good route, research and solicit to reputable agencies. Picking this option can be tough and competitive, so be prepared to face set-backs.

SUMMARY: Search for jobs at a family-owned business. Talk to parents about allowance-based work. Tutor or coach. Work in entertainment.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Find a place that is quiet, well-lit, and comfortable. You can even make a reading nook in your room. Constant distractions from the book in front of you can make it hard to concentrate, and no one likes reading the same passages over and over. Finding the proper environment in which to read can be just as important as finding the right book for many people.  Sometimes, people may suffer from light sensitivity, which can cause headaches when you read. Avoid high-contrast print, glossy paper, and fluorescent lighting. You don't have to read only at home, either. Check out the coffee shops, cafes, or bars in your area. Try to set aside time to read every day. Even if it just starts as ten minutes on a lunch break, twenty minutes on the bus, and fifteen minutes before bed at night, that's suddenly forty-five minutes that day you've spent reading. You can even turn this into a little game with yourself. Set a daily goal for reading time and give yourself a reward when you hit it. Eventually, you may come to find reading is its own reward. You never know when you might find a few extra minutes to read. Sitting in waiting rooms, commuting on public transportation, waiting at a restaurant for a friend to arrive, etc. are all situations where we tend to pull out our phones and send text messages or check Facebook. By having a book in your bag, you can help develop your love of reading. If you have an e-reader, you'll be able to carry an entire library around with you. The choices are endless. Whether it's in a pocket notebook, a memo on your phone, or someplace else, try to keep a reading list of books you hear about that you want to read. Remembering titles and authors is difficult and drawing a blank once you're at the bookstore or the library is frustrating. By having a list handy, you'll always remember what books sounded interesting. If you're at the library or bookstore and see a book that intrigues you, snap a photo of the cover. That way, you'll remember it for later. When you find an author whose style you love, try tracking down his or her other books. Even if the plot or subject of the author's other books doesn't necessarily grab you, loving a particular writing style can lead to enjoyment of books you might not expect. Try looking into the other books of an author you find yourself really enjoying. Look into book clubs or reading groups that specialize in the books you enjoy. Reading can be more of a solo activity than watching movies or television shows, but it doesn't have to be. Books can be just as fun to talk about with others as other media. Finding these groups locally isn't always easy, so remember to look online for reading communities as well. Sometimes school, work, or other obligations might not leave you as much time to read as you'd like. In these situations, try listening to audiobooks to still get your daily dose of books. Even having books read aloud to you will still keep you involved and enthralled with reading during the period where you cannot pick up the actual book. Your tax dollars pay for libraries, and you can try out as many books as you would like for free (as long as you remember to return or renew them on time). Many public libraries even loan out e-books so you can read them from home. Bookstores, whether the big chains or intimately used book shops, are also great places to browse if you prefer to own your books. Sometimes being surrounded by cases and cases of books is all it takes to reignite your passion for picking up a few new ones.

SUMMARY:
Create or find a good reading environment. Set times to read. Always carry a book with you. Keep a reading list. Track authors or series you enjoy. Socialize around reading. Try audiobooks. Visit your local library. Visit the bookstore.