Problem: Article: Brainstorm all of the swear words you use, and make notes on when you use them (when joking with friends, when you are angry, when you stub your toe, etc.). Knowing how and when you swear is the first step in figuring out inoffensive replacements. For instance, you might be able to identify your number one swear word, and start by replacing just that one. Think about both when and why you swear. Do you swear to impress friends? Out of habit? Because other people around you do? You might be interested in limiting or eliminating your swearing in certain contexts, such as when you are at school or work. However, you might be fine with swearing in other contexts, such as when you are at home or hanging out with friends. When trying to replace swear words with inoffensive alternatives, you might first try to replace them in only one context, before moving on to others. You can help yourself consistently replace swear words with inoffensive alternatives if you reward yourself when you are successful. You can try a positive reward system. For instance, you can buy yourself a new pair of shoes if you make it through a week of replacing swear words. You could also try a negative motivator. For instance, you can make yourself put a dollar in a jar each time you use a swear word. Sometimes, swear words are used in ways that are far different that their actual meaning. Start thinking about what you are really trying to say when you swear, so that you can develop a list of good alternatives. For instance, the "B" word technically means "female dog," while the "A" word means donkey, and the "D" word means wishing one person to an evil place, yet all of these words convey very different meanings when used as swear words. Sometimes, swear words are used when a more precise word or phrase could be used to express a thought or feeling. For instance "This exam really f***ed me over" doesn't really say much, while "I didn't do well on this exam because I hadn't studied enough for the section on thermal dynamics" is much more specific.
Summary: Make notes on how you swear. Think about where you can and cannot swear. Consider using a reward system to motivate yourself. Think about what you are trying to say when you swear.

Problem: Article: Long and short-term goal setting are important skills to learn in order to achieve success in school and in your career. Help your teen to set daily, weekly, and semesterly goals to keep them on track with their school work. For example, a short-term academic goal may be to raise their history grade from a C to an B this grading period. A long-term goal may be to eliminating C's from their report card or getting a few A's in their strongest subjects. Have the teenager write them down and evaluate progress as the semester continues. Teenagers are often motivated by incentives. Brainstorm some possible daily, monthly, or semesterly incentives to help them stay on track with their schoolwork. Pay them for their report cards. Pay a set dollar amount per A on your teenager's report card. Offer them a weekly allowance for staying on track with their schoolwork. Treat their schoolwork as a real job. If they do their job, they get paid. Consider extending their weekend curfew as a reward for improved grades on their report card. It is hard for teenagers to understand why they need to learn all of the things that they learn in high school. Many of them can not understand how algebra will help them once they graduate from high school or college. Your job is to make the connections between the school work that they do today and their success in the future. Be prepared to answer questions like, "Why do I need to learn algebra? I don't want to be a math teacher and no one else uses algebra every day." Give them clear examples of the algebra that you use every day, like when you pay your bills or do your taxes. Praising your teenager's work and improvements is a natural response as a parent. However, offering them encouragement instead of praise can often motivate them to continue to do a great job. Offer them encouragement on things that went well and things that need improved upon. Instead of saying, "Great job on your science fair project!" say something like, "Look at that science project! I can tell that you spent a lot of time making it look so great. Doesn't it feel good to get such a good grade?"
Summary: Help your teen set goals. Give them incentives. Help your teenager see the bigger picture. Offer them encouragement.

Problem: Article: You can apply lemon juice to help lighten dark areas of your ringworm scar. Vitamin C is an important nutrient for normal wound healing, so it might help to minimize the appearance of a scar when applied to the skin as well. To apply lemon juice, soak a cotton swab in lemon juice and apply the lemon juice directly to the ringworm scar. Let the lemon juice dry and then rinse it away with some warm water. You can apply lemon juice to a ringworm scar once per day. You can also massage aloe vera gel into a ringworm scar to help soften the tissue. Aloe vera works well on burn scars, so it might help to improve other types of scars as well. To use aloe vera gel, smooth a small amount over your ringworm scar and leave it on. Do this a few times per day. Applying a steeped green tea bag to a scar may also help to minimize scarring and discoloration due to ringworm. Green tea may help with scars due to its antioxidant properties. To use green tea as a treatment for a ringworm scar, steep a bag of green tea in hot water for about three minutes. Remove the teabag from the water and squeeze some of the excess water from the bag. Then, apply the tea bag to the ringworm scar and hold it there for about 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat this process three to four times per day. You can also mix St John's wort oil with castor oil and massage it into a ringworm scar. St John's wort oil has been shown to promote C-section wound healing, so it may help with other types of scars as well. To use St. John's wort oil, place two to three drops of the oil in two tablespoons of castor oil and stir the oils together until they are combined. Then, use your fingers to massage the oil into the ringworm scar. Repeat this process two to three times daily. Honey may also help to reduce the size of scars and discolored areas because honey acts as a natural moisturizer. Manuka honey and Tualang honey are good choices for medicinal use, but you may have to go to a health food store or check online to find these types of honey. To use honey on a ringworm scar, apply a thin layer of honey and then massage it into your skin for about five to 10 minutes. Leave the honey on the scar for about one hour. Rinse away the honey with warm water after time is up. If desired, you can cover the area in a thin gauze pad while you leave the honey on. Vitamin D oil has anti-inflammatory properties that seem to improve the appearance of surgical scars. Vitamin D has also been found effective for treating psoriasis, which indicates that it may benefit a more minor skin condition such as a ringworm scar. Talk to your doctor or dermatologist before using vitamin D to see if this treatment is a good option for getting rid of your ringworm scars. If you decide to use vitamin D as a treatment for your ringworm scars, then break open one 2000 IU vitamin D capsule and mix it with four to five drops of castor oil. Then apply the mixture to your ringworm scar and massage it into your skin. Vitamin E is a well-known, popular treatment for scar healing, but some studies have indicated that vitamin E may not be an effective treatment for scars. In some cases, vitamin E has even caused the scar to look worse or resulted in negative skin reactions. To be safe, check with your doctor or dermatologist before using vitamin E for your ringworm scars. If you decide to use vitamin E oil, try breaking open one 400 IU vitamin E capsule and mix it with four to five drops of castor oil. Then, apply the mixture directly to your scar and massage it into your skin.
Summary:
Apply lemon juice. Smooth on some aloe vera gel. Hold a green tea bag against the ringworm scar. Try St John's wort oil. Massage in some honey. Look into vitamin D oil. Consider applying vitamin E oil.