INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Children often mirror the same behaviors they see in their own parents. If you blow up, stomp, hit, or react inappropriately to a situation that angers or frustrates you, your child will likely do the same. Look at your child the next time he gets upset and determine if you react in the same way. After you have an episode, write down how you behaved. Pay attention to the way your child reacts the next time they are upset and consult your list to see if they behave the same way you did. If so, you likely know why your child acts the way they do. If you yell at a child who is angry, you're only going to make the situation worse because the child will respond with more anger. Instead, take a deep breath and think about what may really get them to calm down. The way you behave to their anger will teach them how to respond. Ask yourself how you can calm your child down while still displaying the values and behaviors that you hold dear and want to instill. Screaming at or spanking your child probably isn't what you want. So, take a moment and try to keep your cool while dealing with your child. This peaceful and calm behavior may eventually cause them to change theirs and act more like you. All too often parents tend to focus on what the child does wrong, instead of paying attention to what they do right. By only pointing out their flaws, your child may not know when they react appropriately. Pointing this out shows them this is the behavior you are looking for. If you notice that your child doesn't yell when they are upset or that they are using one of their coping skills, tell them how proud you are that they were able to control their emotions. Over time, they will crave this praise and continue to express behavior that you find pleasing. No one ever said parenting was easy. This is especially the case when you have an angry child. In order to be the best parent you can be, you need to find ways that recharge you and allow you to take care of yourself. Exercise, meditation, yoga, or even getting a break once a week from your child may be all it takes for you to be able to relax and find your inner peace. If you find it hard to find family or friends to watch your child so that you can take this time to yourself, consider hiring a babysitter. The money you spend will be well worth it to both you and your child.

SUMMARY: Watch how you respond to an angry situation. Think before you react to any situation, including their meltdowns. Praise good behavior. Take care of yourself.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Contact federal officials such as your United States Senator or member of Congress if you have an opinion on a national issue, such as Social Security, Medicare or defense. Get in touch with state and local officials for questions or problems specific to your region, or to share concerns about the local legislation. Most states have an assembly or a legislature as well as a state senate. You can also appeal directly to the governor, mayor, and city or town council. For example, if you are a farmer with an interest in promoting your organic farm, contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture rather than the president or your senator. This can be found online, by searching sites such as USA.gov and Congress.org, in your local printed directories and in government buildings such as post offices and libraries. Your U.S. Senator and member of Congress will have a local office as well as an office address in Washington, D.C. Be sure to sign your name and include your contact information. The government official you are contacting might need to get in touch with you for more information or to offer you assistance. Keep your letter brief, on point and professional. Rambling letters that go on for pages and pages are less likely to be taken seriously than succinct, well-written correspondence.

SUMMARY: Determine which government officials to contact. Work with federal, state and local agencies as well as elected officials. Locate the appropriate contact information. Find the address you will use to send a letter. Write a letter outlining the help you need or your opinion on a particular issue. Mail the letter to the correct address with the right amount of postage.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: To treat your IBS, talk to your doctor about taking acidophilus probiotic for 6 weeks. Choose a probiotic supplement, such as Proviva or Lacteol Fort, that contains viable lyophilized bacteria species including lactobacillus, bifidobacteria, and streptococcus. This can be taken in a drink or capsule form. When you are buying one, make sure the supplement contains 10 billion CFU of lactobacillus acidophilus. You should take this supplement twice per day. Some people find it beneficial to take digestive enzymes along with probiotics to really heal the gut and provide help with digestion. Acidophilus bacteria colonizes in the large intestine. It can help to repair damage due to IBS and help control diarrhea and constipation. Taking acidophilus can cause additional gas or diarrhea for the first few days of treatment. The diarrhea should go away and your gas should be reduced after your body adjusts. See a doctor if you have diarrhea for more than 2 days and discontinue use of the supplement. You can use acidophilus to help prepare your body for the issues it goes through when you take an antibiotic. Consult with your doctor about counteracting the side effects by taking an acidophilus supplement containing lactobacillus when going on a course of antibiotics. This is necessary because antibiotics kill both harmful and friendly bacteria. You can recolonize the good bacteria through the use of at least 20 billion CFU per day, which is available in a products such as Culturelle. Take the acidophilus 2 hours before or after you take an antibiotic pill. Antibiotics reduce the effectiveness of the active cultures, so staggering them with other pills will help. Sometimes when you go on trips, you suffer from traveler's diarrhea. To help prevent this, choose an acidophilus brand that does not break down under normal temperatures, as most acidophilus does, and one that doesn't need to be refrigerated. This will make it easier to take with you when traveling. Take 2 billion CFU of a Lactobacillus GG supplement, such as Culturelle, for every day of travel to prevent traveler's diarrhea. Buy capsules that can easily be tucked away in your luggage. Since the vagina naturally contains acidophilus, you may want to talk to a doctor about using a supplement to treat some bacterial based issues that occur in that region. For vaginal yeast infections, acidophilus can be taken orally or with suppositories. Take 1 to 2 tablets of oral medicines such as Gynoflor. These tablets should contain at least 10 million CFUs per tablet and 0.3 mg estriol. Take this dose for 6 days, or according to the doctor's or package's instructions. You can also use a vaginal suppository, such as Vivag, that contains 100 million to 1 billion CFUs. Insert it twice daily for 6 days. If you use vaginal suppositories, an increase in discharge most likely will occur.

SUMMARY:
Treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Prepare for antibiotic treatment. Use acidophilus for traveler's diarrhea. Fight a yeast infection.