Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Be respectful and assertive. Avoid depending on your parents as an adult. Step away from arguments that go nowhere. Establish boundaries when they disagree with who you're dating.

Answer: Disagreeing with your parents doesn't always have to be an uneasy or awkward experience. Focus on being respectful and polite, rather than angry and frustrated. As an adult, you have more rights to assert yourself. Say what you need to say, just be careful and thoughtful in how you do that. Keep in mind that you are not obligated to be accountable for other people's feelings, but responding with kindness and compassion is still a good idea. If you are not able to stay calm, excuse yourself until you're ready to talk in a more respectful way. When your parents say something that you disagree with, avoid being passive or aggressive in your approach. Show your parents that you have a difference of opinion in a direct and concise way. Let's say your mother is trying to tell you how to spend your money in a certain way, and you want to take a different approach. Consider saying, "I hear what you're saying, Mom, and I respect your thoughts on the matter. But I have learned another approach, and would like to try that instead." Or, "Thank you for your helpful information, it is appreciated and I will take it into consideration, but...." As an adult, independence allows you to make your own decisions, express your own opinions, and establish yourself. Independence also gives you greater freedom to disagree when you have arguments about money and career choices. The more self-reliant you are financially, the more at ease you'll feel with making your own choices and expressing a different opinion. Make small but clear steps towards self-sufficiency. That way, when you are arguing with them about life choices such as becoming an artist rather than an accountant, you'll have proof of your efforts towards independence. Use social and financial support from your parents for important turning points in your early adult life like college, but avoid depending on them each month to help you with your bills. The more they control your expenses, the easier it is for them to make arguments against your life choices. Your parents may have particular views about child-rearing or relationships. They may make this a point of conversation that ultimately leads to arguments. Try being the bigger person on hot-button issues like relationships and family roles. Respectfully move on from the argument that seems to go nowhere. If you and your parents have a fundamental difference, be willing to let go of changing them. Set boundaries about when they can step in and get involved, and when it's not okay. If they are trying to press you about how to discipline a child, remind them that you are an adult and have a right to choose how to discipline your own child. Consider saying, "I know that we have our differences. Please respect that I am an adult and a caring parent for my kid. I hope that we can move on from this, and respect each other's views." In addition to arguments over finances, career choices, and parenting, a common source of contention may be about your romantic relationships and dating. While it's important to be respectful of their input, make it clear your life and your relationships are yours, not theirs. Parents often want to give advice to prevent the same mistakes that they may have made. Hear them out, but make it clear that ultimately your romantic decisions are your own. For example, say, "I know that you want to provide advice, and I understand what you're saying. I hope that you can respect my decision and support who I'm dating."

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Collect your materials. Mix your ingredients. Pour onto your sponges or cotton balls. Leave out overnight.

Answer: You'll need a plastic container (a to-go dish works well) to hold your sponge pieces or cotton balls. To make the crystals you'll need salt, water, ammonia, and laundry bluing (one brand, "Mrs. Stewart's Laundry Bluing," is usually recommended). Food coloring can also be added, but is not necessary. The crystals that will be grown will be made from a solution of salt, water, ammonia, and laundry bluing. The ammonia is included to speed the evaporation of the solution and thus also the growth of the crystals. In a separate container, mix two tablespoons of salt with four tablespoons of water. Stir for two minutes to dissolve as much salt as you can. Then, add two tablespoons of ammonia and two tablespoons of laundry bluing; continue mixing. The mixture will now be fairly viscous and blue in color. Some salt may remain undissolved at the bottom of the mixture, be sure to include this when pouring over your sponges or cotton balls. The salt which is topmost on each piece may begin to turn back to a white color, but this is nothing to worry about. If using sponge pieces, wet them first and then ring them out so that the mixture sticks better. If using cotton balls, try not to drown any of the pieces to avoid deflating the balls; use enough on cotton balls to cover the top only. If using food coloring, place one drop on top of each sponge piece or cotton ball after the mixture has been poured on top. Have the container sit uncovered in a room temperature environment overnight. By the next day, your crystal garden should be fully formed. If you'd like to have it continue growing, you can re-make the mixture just described at a lower ratio. Add this mixture to the base of the crystals already formed (not on top to avoid damage) to encourage extra growth.

Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Be proud of yourself. Maintain your distance. Keep moving forward. Assess your growth. Meet someone new. Don't jump in too quickly.

Answer:
Look around your life you've got a full schedule, interesting hobbies, good friends, and maybe even a long-term project to work on. You've taken time to keep yourself balanced and work out your emotions, and you've acted firmly but ethically in dealing with the ties that bound you and your ex-girlfriend together. In short, you've taken a jumbled pile of feelings, thoughts, and hopes, and built yourself something beautiful with it. Be proud. If you're really beginning to feel good about yourself again, you should feel less and less of a need to contact your ex. Don't try to show her up or rub your new life in her face; she won't care, and you'll look like a jackass. Your achievements should be their own reward. It's a great feeling to finally be enjoying life again, but that's no excuse to stop improving it. Your life will only get better if you keep putting time and effort into making it better; if you don't, you'll end up languishing. Don't think of happiness as a peak to be attained before calling it a day and heading back down; think of it as a prize to be won and carried with you on the rest of your journey. Now that you're truly over your ex-girlfriend enough that you don't look at everything through breakup-colored glasses, you're probably beginning to notice other women again. This is the perfect time to think back on your past relationship one more time, and realize how you've grown. Examine how your values have shifted. Having gone through a breakup with one type of woman, you probably have a good idea of the things you didn't like about her personality. This means you're probably eying women who have a different personality in that regard, which in turn means that you've learned from your past a sure sign of personal growth. Realize that you know yourself better than ever before. You've looked into your own heart and sought to understand it. You've tallied your interests and goals, and made new friends without anyone there to affect your presence. In short, you know yourself now in a way that you didn't before. You're more poised, more possessed, and more confident as a result. Think about anything you spend your time on now that your ex would have scorned, laughed at, or not understood. You won't be hiding that part of yourself from the next girl who comes along and she'll like you more for your forthrightness and unselfconscious attitude. Once you've gotten to the point that you can go a week without getting upset about your breakup, the time has come to put yourself out on the dating market again, if you feel like it. Spending time with someone new can help distract you from thinking about your ex. Remember, if you're looking for a rebound, or the first willing woman who comes along, you're probably not over your ex quite yet. You shouldn't need a girlfriend to validate yourself. Put your best foot forward. You've learned a lot from getting through your breakup, but you'll be pleasantly surprised to see that you've also learned a lot from the time you spent with your ex-girlfriend, too: Once you've truly accepted your breakup, you'll find that your last relationship was a goldmine of useful information for wooing your next crush. Here are a few of the basic things that should come more naturally to you than ever before when trying to pick up a date: Good hygiene gets you past the first gate. Maintain it religiously. Smile and be animated when you talk to your crush. Take pride in your own life. Women like a man who seems complete even without a companion. Be witty. A quick wit will charm the pants off a woman who's interested enough to pay attention to you sometimes quite literally. Be good company. Don't be self-conscious in the company of other men; instead, be outgoing and enthusiastic. Show that you have nothing to be afraid of. In purely physical terms, if you and a date hit it off, however fast you want to go is entirely your business, but emotionally speaking, it's important that you ease into your next relationship. Ending a relationship always stings a little, but short relationships sting less if you've managed to keep a clear head. If you find yourself thinking things like "she might be the one," or constantly talking about her to everyone within earshot, you're probably in too deep especially if it's only been a few weeks or months. Take a step back and make sure you're actually happy with yourself in general, and not just with the fact that you've managed to get a new girlfriend. Girlfriends aren't just tools for validating your life. On the other hand, don't be afraid of commitment. If you've been dating a girl for a couple of months and you're beginning to feel more attached to her, don't hide it from her or yourself. There's nothing unusual about it.