Q: Stand with your feet together and your legs straight, then kick your leg as high as it will go. If you're kicking your left leg, catch it with your left hand. If you're kicking your right leg, catch it with your right hand. Most beginners won't be able to do this on the first try. Start by grabbing the heel that will be in the air, do a quick dip, and pull the leg up. This will help you practice the move until you get more advanced. It also helps to have a partner stand in front of you if you're a beginner. Then you can put your leg on your partner's shoulder, and when you're ready, have them move away until you're holding the pose on your own. Your hand should be on the bottom outside of your heel. Do not grab your toes. It will make you lean forward, which is not proper form. Your leg should be parallel to your torso, or at a 45 degree angle from your body. This requires some balance, so don't feel bad if you stumble or drop your leg. If your legs are long, this will require some extra flexibility. This will help you straighten your leg and remain stable. Do not turn your leg out from the knee, as this can cause serious injury.
A: Kick your leg up high. Catch your foot by the heel. Pull your leg to your torso. Point your toe and turn your leg out from the socket.

Q: Papaya can be hard to find in most places, especially unripe, the way it needs to be for som tam. If you have trouble finding papaya, simply swap it out for kohlrabi, cabbage mix, daikon radish or cucumber. Any of these mild root vegetables will have the right crunchy texture, and when shredded or julienned will be perfect for soaking up the tangy dressing. When substituting other vegetables for papaya, make sure you buy them before they're fully ripe so that they'll be firm. Mild melons like cantaloupe can also work as a tasty replacement. If you're a vegan, or just find fish sauce to be particularly unpalatable, just add a little extra salt to the dressing instead. A little white vinegar can also do the trick, and will provide the liquid you need to blend the dressing. The main purpose of the fish sauce is impart a salty, pungent flavor, so it's easy to achieve the same effect without having to work with an ingredient you can't stomach. Other salty condiments like soy sauce are not recommended, as they'll throw off the flavors of the salad. Palm sugar is the go-to sweetener for most Southeast Asian and Malaysian cuisine, but it's not available everywhere, and it might taste a bit strange to those who aren't used to it. Luckily, light brown sugar makes a perfect replacement. It's sweet and just a bit earthy, and it will dissolve and thicken well in the lime juice. Play around with the amount of sugar that goes into the dressing if you want to offset the spice of the chilies. Since the components of som tam are prepared individually and then assembled, it's an easy recipe to customize. Adjust the amounts of herbs and aromatics to taste, or substitute some of your other favorite vegetables instead. You might choose to crank up the heat from the chilies, or leave them out altogether. The choices are nearly endless! Top the salad with fresh grilled shrimp, beef or chicken rather than dried shrimp for a heartier meal version of som tam.
A: Substitute other root vegetables for papaya. Use salt in place of fish sauce. Add brown sugar for sweetness. Come up with your own variations.

Q: Sort through your ceramic goods one-by-one to appraise their quality. Keep an eye out for chipped, cracked, or broken pieces. Damaged items are less likely to be accepted. Some thrift shops and secondhand stores will take lightly chipped or worn items, but others may not. Taking a final inventory of your ceramics will also give you a chance to decide whether there's anything among them you want to keep. Wrap each piece individually in foam wrap or newsprint before boxing it up. If you think its necessary, you can also surround your items with packing peanuts to provide additional cushioning. Having a protective layer in place will reduce the likelihood of mishaps while you're en route. Keep like items together as much as possible so they'll be easier to unpack and organize once you get them to their new destination. Plastic milk crates are useful for transporting fragile items, as they're sturdier than ordinary cardboard boxes and features built-in handles for gripping. Most used goods stores are happy to stock their shelves with cookware, serving dishes, and other crockery, provided they're still in good condition. Even so, it's a good idea to phone beforehand and ask them about their specific donation criteria. You don't want to get there only to discover that they don't accept items like the ones you've brought in. Donating your unwanted ceramics is the next best thing to having them recycled commercially. The next person that comes along may be delighted to own a piece that you're no longer interested in keeping.
A: Perform a quick inspection of the items you want to consign. Pack up your ceramics safely. Take your items to a nearby thrift store.

Q: Your child should know that they can come to you at any time to talk. You might think your child already knows this, but reminding them on occasion may be helpful. This should be done with no pressure, not after a room search or questioning. Simply say "I understand that you may be going through things that are confusing or troubling. Growing up can be hard. You can always come and talk to me about anything no matter how small." When your child does open up, reinforce this behavior by affirming it: "I know that must have been hard for you to talk about. I really appreciate you trusting me to tell me about what's going on with you." Parents are often juggling a dozen tasks at once, which means you may miss opportunities to have meaningful conversations with your child. When your child decides to talk to you, aim to listen. Monitor your nonverbal body language to ensure that it is open (i.e. arms and legs uncrossed), that you are oriented towards them, that you make regular eye contact, and that you make expressions to show you are listening, such as nodding. When you fail to attend to your child when they are trying to talk to you, you send the message that what they to say isn't important. This may cause them to keep things to themselves in the future. When your child has the need to talk to you, try to make yourself available as soon as possible. You've learned that your body language can signal a disinterest in what your child has to say. This is also true when you miss conversation openers. Consider this scenario: Your teenage daughter comes home upset. You ask what's wrong and she starts talking about a fight with her best friend. You realize that she is only upset about "teenage drama" and you slowly tune her out or half-listen. If she notices that you are not engaging in the conversation, she will shut down. Use even the simplest conversations as a way to connect with and get closer to your child. If they feel like they can talk to you about the little things, they may be more confident that you'll listen to the big things.
A:
Keep your door open. Attend to your child. Look for conversation openers.