One of the simplest ways to improve a relationship is to readjust your focus and reconnect with all the positive aspects that are already there.

Our innate instincts are programmed to pay more attention to negative things (pleasure is great, but discomfort and danger can be life-threatening). This makes us naturally a bit pessimistic and paranoid, jealous and controlling. A great survival strategy, sure, but not a plus for relationship contentment.

Here are some suggestions for homemade gifts that enhance relationships by focusing on the positive, expressing appreciation and enhancing self-esteem. And they’re inexpensive or free!:

Test preparation is big business these days, and I’m part of it.

I’ve been prepping kids for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SSAT, ISEE and other tests, for decades now.

Is test prep a plus? Or does it do more harm than good?

In my opinion, it depends on how the preparation is done.

Is the goal merely to achieve a higher score? One common approach is to teach tricks and shortcuts, which supposedly produces higher scores quickly. JenBee wrote about how harmful this sort of coaching was for her: