Problem: Article: Try out this video for a short song version. If you like learning through pictures or stories as well as song, watch this video instead. Find a map of the United States that has the borders of the states drawn in, but not the names. Print out several copies from an online map if you don't have a paper handout. Try to write all the state names in order of their location on the map, or using the order you learned from a video or your teacher. Check how many you got right using an atlas or an online picture. Cross out the names you got wrong, and write in the correct ones. An online quiz can be great for helping you remember the position of each state separately, without having to repeat a long list every time. Try this quiz, which lets you choose the difficulty ("study", "test", or "strict test"). Read the question, then click on the part of the picture where you think that state is. If you keep forgetting the name of a state, try linking it to a state you do remember next to it. The more creative and ridiculous the "link" you invent, the more likely you are to remember it.For example: Think of "Washing dishes with oregano" to remember that Washington is next to Oregon. Repeat "The O.K. Llama pokes the textbook" to remember that Oklahoma looks like a finger jutting out to poke Texas. If there are groups of states you keep having trouble with, ignore the parts of the map you already know. Print out several copies of the blank map, and try to label only that difficult section of the map. Keep checking and correcting yourself, and repeat the task until you've got it. Do this for every difficult section, practice with the whole map a few more times, and you can get a great score on your geography test.
Summary: Watch a video listing all the states on a map. Test yourself on a blank map. Use an online quiz. Invent "links" between states when you're having trouble. Focus on a specific section of the map.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you have parents, siblings, or cousins nearby, they might be the easiest and most affordable babysitters you can find. The same goes for a friend or neighbor that you know very well. Whether you're asking a relative or hiring a teenager or a seasoned nanny, though, you should always use your best judgment and evaluate their credentials as a good babysitter. No matter who they are or what their background is, if they don't seem adequately prepared to watch your kid(s), keep looking. Even if you're not comfortable asking nearby friends or family to babysit, you can still rely on them as great resources for finding babysitters. The ideal people to consult have already found a great sitter, and either: a) don't require their services anymore; or b) are willing and able to share them with you. Otherwise, they might see you as a potential babysitter poacher! Even if they come with a glowing review from one of your friends, it's always smart to meet the potential babysitter yourself before deciding. If your child goes to daycare or preschool, you might find that their teachers or aides do some babysitting on the side. Or, they may instead be able to provide you with some solid leads on local babysitters. Using a teacher or aide means that your child already has an established relationship with their babysitter. It also means that they almost certainly have undergone a background check and have emergency training. As with preschools or daycares, you might find individuals who babysit as a side job. And, if they're employees or volunteers who work around kids, they almost certainly have passed a background check and undergone emergency training. If you have a friend with a kid or kids in a similar age range to yours, consider taking turns watching the entire brood of kids from both families. For instance, you watch their kids this Friday, and they watch yours next Saturday. If you have multiple friends with kids nearby, you can even start a multi-family babysitting co-op. This can be a great money-saving option for babysitting, since it's based on barter trading some of your time for some of theirs. With a bit of searching and asking around your neighborhood, you'll almost certainly find at least one retired teacher, caregiver, or homemaker or someone who simply loves and is great with kids who'd be happy to do some babysitting. Just make sure they have the stamina to keep up with your kid(s)!

SUMMARY: Ask a family member or close friend. Get referrals from people you know and trust. Check with your child's daycare or preschool. Ask around at your community center or place of worship. Start a babysitting swap or co-op. Consider active retirees in your neighborhood.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: Stress can lead to shallow breathing and increased heart rate. If your heart is racing right now, look for a quiet place where you can take a break for a few minutes. Ideally, get into a sitting position or lie down so you're as comfortable as possible. Close your eyes and try to tune everything else out. Slowly and deeply inhale through your nose until your abdomen swells. If it helps, place your hand on your abdomen so you can feel it expanding. Mentally count to 5 as you slowly inhale. People often take shallow breaths from the upper chest when they're stressed out. Deep abdominal breathing can slow your heart rate and make you feel less anxious. You can exhale through your nose and mouth simultaneously if that feels more comfortable for you. Keep your hand on your abdomen so you can feel it relax as you release your breath. Mentally count to 10 as you exhale. You can increase to 15 seconds as you get more comfortable with deep breathing. Try to focus on breathing and counting and be sure to count at a steady pace. Keep taking slow, deep inhalations through your nose for 5 seconds, followed by slow exhalations through your mouth for 10-15 seconds. You should feel your heart rate slow down within the first 1-2 minutes. Continue the exercise for 5 full minutes for the best results. Deep breathing can lower your heart rate in a moment of anxiety, but it's also important to practice it regularly to establish the habit and keep your heart rate low. Try to dedicate at least 5-10 minutes every day to deep breathing exercises to reap the most benefits. You can also break your exercises up and do 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening. Over time, increase your time to 15-20 minutes of deep breathing daily.
Summary: Find a quiet place to sit or lie down. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for 5 seconds. Exhale slowly through your mouth for 10-15 seconds. Continue deep breathing for 5 minutes to lower your heart rate. Repeat this process for 5 to 10 minutes every day to establish the habit.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: No child wants to feel weird or different from his friends. Help him realize that his allergy is not a big deal by making sure he will not have to read labels or talk about his allergy in front of his friends. Make a food plan for your child before he goes out with his friends and discuss it with him so that he knows what he will be eating in advance and won't have to think about it while he is out. For younger children that are not your own, speak with the parents who will be in charge of your child while he is out. Inform them of his food allergy and be very specific about what he can and cannot eat. Also make sure your child is well aware of what to do in case of an attack when he is out by himself. Food allergies can cause some children a great deal of anxiety. This is why it is important to always remain calm when talking about their allergy and to use a matter-of-fact tone when conveying information about the allergy.
Summary:
Help your child to feel that he is normal and that his food allergy does not make him different. Be mindful of how you speak about your child's allergy.