Have a friend stand in front of you. Get on the board and stand with one foot in front of the other. Put the foot you think is dominant in the back and the other forward.  Once you're on, grab your friend's hands to steady yourself. Have them slowly roll you in the direction of your lead foot to see how it feels.  Then switch feet and try out your other foot as the lead. Do this several times until you're sure which stance is the most comfortable for you. Make sure to wear a helmet and protective gear. Find a nice, open space where you can work easily. Mount your board very carefully, putting what you think is your lead foot in its position at the back of the deck. Slowly lower your back foot to the ground. Use your back leg to push yourself forward slowly and cautiously. Roll a few inches and then stop. Then try it again.  How does it feel? Are you comfortable? Does it feel natural or awkward? Now switch the position of your feet and try it the other way. Does that feel more or less comfortable? Once you've figured out your stance, avoid switching back and forth during practice. Make that your official stance and start learning how to ride. After you've worked out your stance, the learning part can really begin because you are able to get comfortable.  Your stance for one board sport will most likely be your dominant stance for all other board sports, such as windsurfing, snowboarding, wakeboarding and so on.  If you already know your stance, it makes learning another board sport that much easier!

Summary: Stand on the board and have someone roll you. Test how your dominant foot performs. Stick to your confirmed stance.


While it is still unclear why children begin grinding their teeth, it is thought that bruxism could be caused by your child’s baby teeth coming in. When your child’s baby teeth come in, it might cause them to feel irritation, which may lead to teeth grinding. Intervention is not usually required when your child grinds his or her baby teeth. However, it may help to develop a relaxing routine before bed to keep your child from grinding (see Method 1 for more information). Your child’s dentist may recommend getting him a mouthguard, also known as an occasional splint or night guard, to protect your child’s teeth. When your child grinds his/her teeth, he can actually wear his teeth down and damage his/her enamel. The guard is made of silicon rubber, which acts as a shield to keep the upper and lower molars from grinding against each other. Submerge the mouthguard in water during the day to keep it clean. Try to clean it with a toothbrush every one to two days. Caffeine can alter your child’s sleep schedule because it blocks the formation of a chemical called adenosine. This chemical helps to make you feel relaxed, which in turn can help you sleep better. Avoid giving your child caffeinated products like:  Sodas. Energy drinks. Chocolate. Coffee. When your child grinds his teeth at night, it is important that he/she does not chew on anything that can damage his teeth further during the day. If you notice your child chewing on his/her nails, pencils, or pens, help him to break these habits. You can read about how to help your child get over these habits  here. Chewing gum causes your jaws to clench. This jaw clenching can become subconscious, which can make your child’s teeth grinding become worse. Help your child to stay away from gum while he/she works through his bruxism. If your child is old enough to be conscious of his/her jaw clenching and teeth grinding, show him how to stop doing those actions when he/she becomes aware of them. To do this, tell him to place the tip of his/her tongue between his/her teeth whenever he notices himself clenching his/her jaw or grinding his/her teeth. Having his/her tongue in between his teeth will help him to stop doing the action. If you are concerned that your child’s teeth grinding might be linked to a psychological condition, you may want to meet with a psychotherapist who will be able to help your child overcome his/her bruxism. There are a couple techniques that the therapist might teach your child, including:  Auto-suggestion: This technique involves telling yourself “I will wake up if I grind my teeth” so that you can break the habit. While the approach lacks scientific evidence, some therapists believe thinking thoughts like that will help the child to overcome the habit of teeth grinding. Guided meditation: This technique involves developing a sense of self esteem and a belief that you have control over your own body.

Summary: Be aware that grinding as a result of teething is not a large concern. Get a mouthguard for your child. Minimize the amount of caffeine that your child consumes. Try to keep your child from chewing on things other than food. Do not let your child chew gum. Teach your child how to avoid clenching his jaw when he notices it happening. Consider meeting with a therapist if you think your child’s teeth grinding might be psychological.


Mix the ingredients together until you make a nice, smooth dough. Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients together until they are fully incorporated. This recipe should make about 20 wrappers. This can help the ingredients settle together. As you wait for the dough to rest, you can cover the bowl with cling wrap. You can start to make the filling for the dumplings while you wait. A cutting board will work here. Then, cut the dough into about 20 or more equal pieces for the dumplings. Simply use your hand to pick up each piece of dough and pound it into the board to make a small circular disc. Then, use a rolling pin to smooth out each disc until it's about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter. They don't have to all be exactly the same size, but it can help to get them as close to the same size as possible. You can add some flour to the rolling pin to keep the wrappers from sticking. You should either fill the wrappers immediately, or you can store them in the fridge to keep them fresh while you make the filling. You can store them for a few days in the fridge, or you can even freeze them to store them long-term. Just make sure to coat them with flour so they don't stick to each other. If you don't have the time or energy to make your own wrappers, then you should know that two types of wrappers are readily available in supermarkets and Asian food stores. Wonton wrappers (also called skins) are delicate and paper-thin, usually about a thirty-second of an inch thick. They typically come in three-inch squares and are made from flour, eggs, and salt. These wrappers, which are Chinese in origin, are suitable for boiling, steaming, deep-frying, and pan-frying.
Summary: Mix the flour, salt, and water in a large bowl. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Place the dough on a flat surface. Make each circular wrapper. Store or use the wrappers immediately. Buy wrappers if you don't want to make your own.