To arrange the setup for drying the pretzels, line a baking sheet with foil, wax paper, or parchment paper. Next, place a wire cooling rack on top of it so the baking sheet will catch any yogurt that drips off. Lining the baking sheet makes it easier to clean after all of the pretzels have set. None of the yogurt will actually make it to the baking sheet, and you can just throw the liner away. Add 2 cups (250 g) of powdered sugar , cup (85 g) plain low fat yogurt, and 1 teaspoon (7 g) of seedless blackberry preserves to a medium size bowl. Mix the ingredients with a whisk until they are fully combined. It's best to use plain, unsweetened yogurt so the coating isn't overly sweet. You can substitute your favorite flavor of preserves for the blackberry. Use a seedless variety, though, and strain out any large pieces of fruit or skin before mixing it into the coating. When you've finished mixing up the yogurt coating, dip 36 thin pretzel twists in one at a time. Use a spoon or wooden skewer to turn them over in the coating so both sides are coated and then lift them out onto the wire cooling rack. Repeat the process with all of the pretzels. If you have a pair of tongs, you can use them to dip the pretzels into the yogurt coating. If you are making the pretzels for a gift or special occasion, you may want to garnish them. While the coating is still soft, add a light layer of colored sprinkles to the pretzels. Adding the sprinkles is optional. You can leave the pretzels plain if desired. You can substitute colored sugar for the sprinkles if you prefer. After you've added the sprinkles, leave the pretzels to dry on the rack for 3 to 4 hours. For the best results, serve the pretzels immediately. Store any leftover pretzels in an airtight container, but try to eat them within a day of making them.
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One-sentence summary -- Set a wire cooling rack on a lined baking sheet. Combine the powdered sugar, yogurt, and preserves. Dip the pretzels in the yogurt mixture and set on the cooling rack. Add sprinkles to the pretzels if desired. Let the yogurt coating harden for several hours before serving.

Before you're tempted to talk to your child about their bad influence friend, think about what's making you react to their friend in that way. You might be putting all the blame on your child's friend, when in fact there's something going on with your child that's pushing them toward that friend. Understand that it's normal during adolescence for your child to try to fit in and imitate their peers, so it might not be only about peer pressure or negative influence from the friend. Even if you don't like your child's friends or the way they treat your child, it's important to avoid only giving negative feedback about their friends. This will only push your child further toward those friends and push them away from you. They'll get angry and defensive and will be less likely to come to you about that friend in the future. Seek out positives. You can ask, "What do you like about your friend?" or "What do you get from this friendship?" Let them know they have choices. You can say, "You don't have to spend time with those friends. You don't have to be treated this way." When your child's friend does something you're not happy about, like talking back to you or stealing something from your home, be clear and direct with your child about the behavior you don't like. Don't judge the friend's personality or character. Be clear about what limits you'll have for your child and that friend from now on. You can say, "I'm sure your friend is a good person, and I don't know everything they're going through, but I don't like that your friend stole beer from our refrigerator. I don't want you to think it's okay to do that, here or at someone else's home. He isn't allowed to come back over until he apologizes to me." Sometimes you won't be able to keep your child or teen away from friends who are bad influences just by talking to them. Instead, you can keep your child busy with structured activities during the week. Control more of their schedule by setting limits on who they spend time with, when, where, and for how long. If you have a child 12 or under, you can plan visits to relatives, schedule doctors' appointments, or schedule time with other friends instead of allowing them time with bad influences. When they do spend time with the bad friend, make sure it's at your house or that you're nearby and can listen in on interactions. If you have a teenager, you can limit the nights they're allowed to go out and make sure you know what their plans are when they do go out. Let them know their activities with friends have to be approved by you first, and enforce consequences if you find out they did something other than what they first told you. Friendships come and go during adolescence. Once your kids reach high school, their brains and identities are developing even more. They'll start to feel more secure in who they are and what they believe, and they won't be as easily swayed by friends and peer pressure. Be patient with this process and trust that as long as you support their independence while providing them with some structure and limits, they'll make good choices in friends.
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One-sentence summary -- Take a step back. Avoid always criticizing. Be clear about inappropriate behavior. Set limits and structure. Be patient.

Almost all app-creation programs will require you to create an account and log in before you can get to work. You may need to download software, or apps may be created entirely through the website. After logging into the creation tools or downloading the creation software, you will need to start a new project. The process varies from program to program, but generally involves naming your app a name and description. Most app development programs will ask you to set a basic theme and color palette before you begin building the app. You will be able to change these choices later once the app is under construction. You may be able to add your own images for screen backgrounds. These images should typically be 1024 X 768 px. Most app creation programs work by letting you add prebuilt functions into your app. The combination of these functions and how they link together is what will make your app yours. There are a variety of different functions you can add to your app, including calendars, photo galleries, podcasts, Facebook integration, audio players, and more. Typically, each one of these functions will be its own screen on your app. As you add functions, you will be able to customize each screen with your own text and content. For example, if you add an RSS feed function, you can link to your blog's feed and automatically populate the app with your latest posts. After you've added a few functions to your app, spend some time organizing the layout of each screen so that you have a cohesive look for your app. Your title bars should all be in the same location, and content should appear in consistent parts of the screen. Different app creation programs will give you different levels of control over how everything is laid out. Some apps only let you add completely prebuilt functions, while others allow you to drag and rearrange each element on the screen. You will have the opportunity to assign icons to each of your app's functions. Many app creation programs have a library of icons you can choose from, or you can design and upload your own. Good icons will help set your app apart and contribute to the overall feel of the app.
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One-sentence summary --
Log in to the program you choose. Start a new project. Choose a theme. Add functions, or activities, to your app. Adjust the layout of each of your screens. Choose icons for your functions.