Get some space so you can gain perspective on your parent's behavior and your relationship with them. If you're around toxic or abusive behavior all the time, you may get used to it. Taking a break can help you get a clearer-eyed look at what's wrong. If you still live with your parents, creating some distance can be tough. Try joining extracurricular activities that keep you out of the house, spending time with friends who have healthier family dynamics, and arranging your sleep schedule to minimize the amount of toxic behavior you're exposed to. If you no longer live at home, try a time-out from contact with them, including texts, phone calls, and visits. Coming to terms with a parent's toxic behavior can be difficult emotionally. Allow yourself time to experience a range of feelings, and avoid judging yourself for those feelings. Anger, sadness, guilt, and relief are a few of the emotions you might experience. It's not uncommon for toxic people to be abusive as well. Remember that abusers are acting out their own pain. If you've been abused by your toxic parent, know that their behavior is not your fault and not a reflection on your own character, no matter what they may have told you. Growing up with a toxic parent can create emotional complications and relationship difficulties later in life. A mental health professional can help you unlearn negative thought patterns, adopt good coping strategies, and build stronger relationships.

Summary: Take a step back from your parents. Give yourself time to process your feelings. Remind yourself that emotional abuse is not your fault. See a therapist.

Use syrup you've made at home or check a store-bought product's label to make sure it's pure maple syrup. Don't use maple-flavored syrup or any product other than pure maple syrup. For best results, it should also be a lighter syrup with an invert sugar level less than 2 percent. Darker syrups with higher invert sugar levels tend to make runny sugar that doesn't completely granulate. You could test your syrup using a glucose tester, which is available at most drugstores. To test syrup, dilute 10 grams (0.35oz) of syrup in 90 grams (3.2oz) of water, then insert a test trip into the mixture. If you don't want to go through the hassle of testing your syrup's invert sugar level, just go with a lighter colored syrup. Darker syrups usually have invert sugar levels around 10 percent. Pour your syrup into the deepest pot you have on hand. When the syrup starts to boil, it'll foam up, and you won't want it to spill over the pot's sides. You can use as much syrup as you want, just make sure your pot is only one third to one half full. A quart (a liter) of syrup produces about 2 pounds (about a kilogram) of sugar. You can use that conversion to help you factor how much sugar to make. Place a candy thermometer into your pot so you can keep an eye on the syrup's temperature as you boil it. Set your burner to medium-high, and watch the thermometer closely so you don't burn the syrup. Don't walk away from your syrup while it's on the stove. The amount of time it takes for it to boil will depend on your stove (for instance, gas heats faster than electric), elevation, and other factors. It might take five to ten minutes or more to reach the right temperature, but you'll need to constantly monitor it to stay on the safe side.

Summary: Start with pure maple syrup. Use a lighter-colored syrup. Use a large pot with high sides. Fill the pot less than halfway with syrup. Heat the syrup to 262F (128C). Monitor your syrup constantly while you heat it.

The best way to not have stretch marks is to not get them in the first place. Try maintaining a healthy weight by exercising at least 150 minutes a week and eating a healthy diet full of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean protein. Being out in the sun can make stretch marks more noticeable. If you don't want to avoid the sun, simply cover up areas with stretch marks when you're outside. Hydrated skin is more elastic, so staying hydrated can help prevent you from getting new stretch marks. Drinking about 2 litres (68floz) of water a day can help keep you hydrated. You can prevent or minimize the development of new stretch marks by keeping your skin hydrated. This is especially important for pregnant women or people who are losing or gaining weight. Apply moisturizing oils and creams at least once a day, especially if you are pregnant. Apply moisturizers frequently enough that your skin does not begin to feel itchy or dry. These sensations are signs that your skin is dehydrated and might be starting to stretch. If you are pregnant, use safe products such as olive oil, cow udder cream, and shea oil or shea butter cream. Gently supportive undergarments that cover your belly and thighs can be helpful for preventing or reducing stretch marks, especially if you are overweight. This is also a good alternative to expensive cosmetic surgeries, especially if the stretch marks cover a large area of skin.

Summary: Maintain a healthy weight. Avoid sun exposure. Stay hydrated. Moisturize your skin daily. Wear supportive underwear.

If you don't need to do a full cleaning of your deck, but you see an excess buildup of algae or dirt, you can make a more concentrated paste with your bleach. Simply add a little water to some oxygen bleach powder and mix the solution together with a spoon until it forms a thick paste. Apply the paste to the dirty areas of your deck with a nylon brush and let it sit for 15 minutes before thoroughly rinsing it off. Pour one cup (200 g) of borax into the bucket with your bleach and water solution. Mix it together while wearing gloves and target specific areas on your deck where mildew has formed. Borax can typically be found in the laundry detergent aisle of the grocery store and is a mineral compound that won't destroy your nearby plants. Power washers can sometimes be too powerful and could damage the wood forever. Instead of using a power washer, use a pressurized adjustment on your hose or a lighter pressure spray machine. Never use chlorine bleach to wash your deck. Chlorine bleach is toxic to plant life, can discolor your wood, and reduces the integrity of the wood.
Summary: Create an oxygen bleach paste to spot clean your deck. Add borax to your deck cleaning mixture to remove mildew. Don't use power washers or chlorine bleach to wash your deck.