INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you are wanting your parents to love you unconditionally, then try to show them the same love and support. While some families are more affectionate than others, it is important to express your love and caring in ways that work for you and your parents. Give hugs. Give kisses. Do what feels comfortable for you. Say, "I love you." Use other words of appreciation such as, "Thank you so much," or, "You're awesome." Help them with things that need to be done, such as chores or running errands. Try to do what you can to make them feel appreciated through your actions. Understand that some days your parents will reciprocate and other days they may not. Avoid feeling let down if they don't reciprocate sometimes. Avoid seeing yourself to blame. Treat others as you would like to be treated. While your parents may not always follow this, avoid becoming upset, mean, or resentful of them. Focus on being kind to yourself, and in turn being kind to them and others. The more kindness and love you show, the more likely they are to be appreciated and loved you. Accept that they cannot always show the love that you expect. Be open to different ways of receiving love and respect. For example, your dad may not seem to be loving, yet he attends your school events and makes dinner almost every night for you and your family. Think about how "kindness" and "love" are shown in different ways for different people. Ways to show caring include acts of service (fixing the car, doing the dishes); through touch (hugging, kissing, putting your arm around them); words of affirmation (giving compliments, telling them you appreciate them); spending quality time together; giving thoughtful gifts. While you may spend a lot of time in the same place, how much of this is quality, one-on-one time together with your parents? Think about how your parents are more likely to show they love and care about you if you find ways to connect rather than argue. Consider these activities as a way to spend more time: Board games, charades, or other social activities Interactive games on the computer or video games that you both can enjoy Playing outside in the backyard, at a park, or in nature

SUMMARY: Show you care. Be loving and kind. Spend time with your parents.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The easiest and safest way to soak crystals to remove stains is using a combination of water and laundry detergent. You can then soak the crystals in bleach overnight. If your crystals have minimal stains, it's best to soak them overnight in a combination of water and household dish soap or laundry detergent. Use a combination of warm water and laundry detergent to wash the crystals. You can use a soft rag to scrub any dirt and debris that comes off easily. From here, find a container you can cover easily, like a sturdy Tupperware container. Fill this container with warm water and 1/4 cup of bleach. Place the gems in the bleach, cover the container, and set aside in a safe place for two days. If your crystals have a lot of stains beyond regular dirt and grime, such as discolorations caused by iron, oxalic acid may be necessary to properly treat the gems. Oxalic acid is also known as wood bleach, and you can purchase it online or at a hardware store. Purchase a one pound bag of oxalic acid, and get a gallon container. Make sure the material the container is made out of will not corrode in response to acid. Metal containers cannot hold oxalic acid. Fill the container three fourths of the way full with distilled water. Then, pour in the oxalic acid. Wear an air mask to avoid inhaling the acid. You also want to make sure you work outside. Stir the acid, using a large rod or spoon, until the oxalic acid crystals are dissolved. Add the crystal quartz. There is no set time to soak quartz in oxalic acid. Depending on the staining, it can take a few days to a few hours. Check the quartz periodically and remove them when the stains are gone. You need to take extreme precaution if you choose to handle oxalic acid. Only do so if your quartz are very stained. It is always safer to use bleach and water. If you choose to use oxalic acid, adhere to the following safety precautions: Wear eye protection, gloves, and a face mask when handling oxalic acid. Always pour acid into water. It is very dangerous to pour water into acid. Get a friend or family member to help you. Make sure to protect your work area and go slowly to avoid spills. Baking soda can neutralize acid spills, so have some baking soda on-hand. Once you've soaked the crystals to remove the stains, you can now rinse the crystals. Make sure to use gloves for this process and, if you were working with oxalic acid, a face mask and eye protection. Wash away any excess bleach or acid with warm water. This should also help remove any remaining dirt.

SUMMARY: Use water, household cleaners, and bleach. Try oxalic acid for harshly stained crystals. Be careful when handling acid. Rinse the crystals.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Coat the base with approximately 4in (10cm) of sawdust. When you fire the kiln, the sawdust will give the pottery a polished finish. If your kiln includes multiple levels of shelving, go to the kiln's opening and place approximately 4in (10cm) of sawdust on each level of shelving. Lay each piece on the bricks and space them evenly from each other and the walls. Make sure there is at least 1in (2.5cm) between each piece for best results. Individual pottery pieces should not touch each other. If you are unable to load the pottery without some pieces touching, place half of them at the kiln for an initial firing. Fire the rest later. Place 1 to 2 clumps of newspaper around the pottery. Fill the remaining gaps between the newspaper and the kilns walls with firewood. Make sure there are no gaps between the walls, firewood, newspaper, and pottery. As you grow more experienced with your kiln, experiment with different types of sawdust shavings, as well as where you place the sawdust, which will result in different finished effects. Crumple up and light a sheet of newspaper and place it in the kiln. The fire may burn up to 72 hours. It will also take as many as 12 hours or longer to cool down, so be very careful when examining your pottery. When stoking the fire or otherwise approaching the kiln, use heat-resistant gloves and protective gear, such as goggles to protect your eyes from the smoke. As the fire consumes the sawdust, the upper half of the kiln will begin to cool. The slower the fire burns, the darker the pottery will be. To lighten the pottery, stoke the fire and add additional fuel newspaper and wood if the fire appears to be burning slowly. Clean the pottery with a soft cloth and then apply a layer of wax to make them shine. Your pottery may have glowing markings on it a result of resin from the sawdust. These can be removed using a kitchen scourer. You can then paint your pieces with glazes. If you'd like your pieces to have a matte or non-glossy finish, do not apply wax. Painting your pieces with oxide stains is the best approach to preserving your matte finish.

SUMMARY:
Put on a dust mask and coat the base of the kiln with sawdust. Load the kiln, starting with your pottery. Add newspaper and firewood to the kiln. Light the kiln and let the fire burn for at least 24 hours. Remove your pottery when all the sawdust has burned down.