Problem: Article: You can treat head lice using products available without a prescription. Follow the directions closely, including any measures recommended for safety. This helps just in case the ingredients contained in the treatment damage the clothing. Also be sure the person has washed their hair, but has not applied conditioner. Your doctor or pharmacist can help guide you to best product choices. Once the person has been treated following the directions of the product, examine their hair again in about eight to 12 hours. If you still see lice, but they are moving slowly, then the treatment is still working. Continue with the process of removing as many dead lice and nits as possible by the combing technique. As you examine the hair, notice if the lice are still as active as they were, prior to treatment. If this occurs, follow the package directions to re-treat the person infested. Usually, you should re-treat the person's scalp after one week. Most available products outline how to proceed with a second treatment. Your doctor or pharmacist can help with advice on re-treatment, as well as treating additional family members. Unfortunately, lice have become more resistant to the usual treatments even some prescription treatments. Your doctor may have to prescribe stronger medications (sometimes to be taken orally) to get rid of the lice. Wash and dry all bedding, towels, and clothing that the person came in contact going back 2 days prior to treatment. Use hot water, and set the dryer temperature to a high heat setting. Items that cannot be washed can be dry cleaned, or put in a tightly sealed plastic bag for two weeks. Each time a comb or brush is used to remove lice and nits, soak the items for 5 to 10 minutes in hot water that is at least 130F. Head lice only live for about two days once they are not on a person. Nits are not able to hatch if they are removed from the normal temperature of a human body, and die within a week. Make sure you don't accidentally cause re-infestation. Wash all clothing and bedding in hot water. Store unwashable items in airtight plastic bags for two weeks. Soak combs and other hair accessories, such as bobby pins and clips, in hot water for at least five minutes. Make sure to wash any soft items, such as stuffed animals or pillows, in hot water. Lice are often spread to children when they share clothing, hats, scarves, or stuffed animals. Do not allow your child to share these things with others. Do not share soft items between family members until all signs of infestation have disappeared. Follow the combing procedure every two to three days, and for two to three weeks, to be sure the person has not been re-infested. After a successful treatment, your child can return to school the next day. Do not keep your child home from school for several days because of lice infestation. Make sure that your child does not make head-to-head contact with other children at school. Alert your school nurse that you have found lice or nits on your child and that it has been treated. The school may be required to tell other parents that an exposure has taken place so families can be on alert and the nurse can check the possibly exposed students. Do not feel embarrassed as this is extremely common.
Summary: Treat the infested person. Begin by asking the person to put on old clothing. Follow the product directions. Re-treat if lice are still active. Follow product instructions if re-treatment is needed. Treat the environment. Soak combs and brushes. Vacuum the floor and furniture. Wash clothes and soak combs. Avoid sharing soft items. Continue to closely examine the hair of the infested person. Allow your child to return to school.

Problem: Article: One way to lower your heating bill is by simply using less heat. Turning down your thermostat by even small amount for short periods of time can help you save on heating. One option is to turn the heat down by about three degrees whenever you use your heat. For every degree or so you turn your heat down, you are looking at between two and three percent savings on your monthly bill. Another option is to turn your heat down when you're not around. A seven to ten degree reduction in heat for eight hours a day can save you up to ten percent on your monthly bill. Turn your heat down when you are at work or out of the house to help save. Bundle up in warm clothes and blankets when you turn down the temperature to help keep you warm even when it is a bit colder in your home. Exhaust fans actively pull the hot air that rises to the ceiling out of the house. Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans sparingly. Shut them off immediately after use. For moments when exhaust fans are necessary, try not to run more than one at once. Use exhaust fans for the minimal amount of time it takes to ventilate the space. Do not leave them running for extended periods of time. Switch to regular fans or other forms of moving air as soon as possible. Heat rises, so an open damper allows the heated air to escape from the house. Keep the damper closed unless you have an active fire to prevent unnecessary drafts. Remember to extinguish a fire completely and let the smoke dissipate before closing the damper. Open the damper immediately before you light a fire in your fireplace. Forgetting to do so may cause smoke to build up in your home. Vents blocked by rugs or furniture prevent the heated air from circulating through the house. Remove any obstacles around heating vents, as well as those around radiators or baseboard heaters. Avoid putting large pieces of furniture in front of vents, as well as on top of them. This may still diminish the flow of warm air around the room. Since heat rises, the air around the ceilings in your home is warmer than the air closer to the floors. Set the ceiling fan to low so it gently pushes the hot air back down. If you run the fan too high, the air will cool as it circulates. If possible, put your fan in reverse mode to give it a clockwise rotation. This is a manufacturer-installed setting on some fans. Running your fan in reverse help push the warm air down from the ceiling and draw up cool air from the floor. Uncover your windows in your home during the day so the sun can warm your house. Close your curtains, blinds, or drapes at night to help prevent warm air from escaping. If you do not currently have window coverings, you can make temporary ones for the winter by hanging a blanket or sheet up in front of your window.
Summary: Turn down the thermostat. Minimize exhaust fans. Close the fireplace damper. Keep heating vents clear. Turn on ceiling fans. Use window covers.

Problem: Article: The first thing you should do before you discuss something important with your parents is figure out what you hope the gain from the conversation. Deciding on a goal you hope to achieve with the conversation can help guide the way you approach it with your parents. For example, the way you approach an important conversation is different if you're asking permission to do something than it would be if you needed advice or help with something. Write out what you want to say before you talk to your parents. You can bring your notes with you to make sure you don't forget anything when you're talking to your parents. Try to act out the conversation with a close friend or family member that can play the role of your parents and provide helpful input. It can be helpful to have someone provide feedback, and it can calm your nerves to know that you've prepared for the conversation as best as you can. Choose a friend, sibling, or family member that you know will be honest and give you feedback that can help you shape the conversation to be the most effective it can be. You may feel like approaching a certain parent could help you get what you want or make the conversation easier, but if it's really important, you should include both parents. Your parents will recognize that you wanted to get input from both of them and will appreciate it, which could help the conversation go easier. If your parents aren't together, try to include one of them on a phone or video call. Choose a time where both parents are more likely to be in a better mood or open to a conversation, like in the evening after work, or at dinner. Pick a place that is appropriate for an important conversation, like the dinner table, or living room. The car or at school isn't a great idea because there will be other distractions that could derail your conversation.
Summary:
Plan out what you want to say before you talk to your parents. Rehearse the conversation with a friend that you trust. Choose a time and place to talk to both parents at the same time.