Young moms everywhere need this list! I found it at In the Corner. These are brilliant! I searched for a good way to bathe my kids when they were in that in-between stage. A laundry basket would be perfect, cheap, and easy! My other favorite is using the pool noodle ($1) as a door stopper. My kids were masters of smashing fingers in doors- this would have saved many tears. Great list!
McWane Science Center is proud to support military families by participating in Blue Star Museums this summer! This free admission program runs from now until Labor Day and is available to any active duty U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, as well as members of the National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps – and up to five family members.
The program is for general admission and does not include imax. Offer will end on Labor Day, September 2, 2013. Proof of ID will be required.
Summer Programming at your l
ocal library offers a ton of great free fun.. There are so many things going on we can’t possibly list them all here each week. Make sure to check with your local library and see what’s on tap each week. They have great storytimes, movies and shows for all ages!
Birmingham Museum of Art will be a hot spot this Saturday with lots of “Bart” activities.
Cheap summer movies are happening all over town, we caught 2 last week!
Don’t forget about Father’s Day on Sunday! Dads get in free at the Birmingham Zoo!
Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
vs JAX – Salute to Armed Forces
3:00pm
March of the Penguins – Hoover Public Library
The Hoover Public Library will show the documentary March of the Penguins. Free and open to the public.
3pm
Jazz in the Park – Avondale Park
We encourage everyone to bring blankets, coolers, food, small TV trays and votive candles to enjoy the concert. Food vendors are available.
Absolutely no Grills are allowed while attending Jazz in the Park®. Failure to abide by this rule will be enforced by concert organizer and police.
Seating: There is ample seating available in Avondale Park amphitheatre. Parking is located on streets near the venue. Please secure your vehicle as concert organizers and venue are not responsible for stolen property.
Smoking: Jazz in the Park® is promoting a smoke-free event this summer. Please be considerate of your non-smoking colleagues.
6pm – 9pm
Earth Fare’s 1 year Anniversary Celebration
Earth Fare, the healthy supermarket in Riverchase near the Galleria Mall, is turning one! Stop by 12-3 pm for great food, fun and festivities the whole family will enjoy. Enjoy free samples, giveaways and so much more, as well as special appearances by Steel City Pops and other local food trucks. Organic wine samples will be available from Sundown Wines.
Come hungry! We will have the grill ready with all natural antibiotic and hormone free burgers and sides. Because, you and your family are better than fast food. Like us on Facebook for more details – @EarthFareBirmingham.
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Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
vs JAX –
11:30am
We Dig Dinosaurs – Hoover Public Library
Summer storytime for children under four.
10:30am
Tot Time with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime for 2-4-year-olds with a caregiver. Includes stories, songs, and craft. 24-hour advance registration required.
10:30am
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Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
vs JAX –
7:05pm
Hippo Adventures – Birmingham Museum of Art
Meet at the Information Desk outside Bart’s ArtVenture! Join us for a new in-gallery family experience! Children aged 3 – 8 and their adult companions are invited to join Museum educators to explore Hip, Hippo, Hooray!, discover activities that make looking at art fun and exciting, and create new family memories about art and hippos.
No reservations required. Hippo Adventures are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am
Afternoon Movie and Popcorn – Emmet O’Neal Library
The Man in the Yellow Hat and his inquisitive pet monkey George embark on an adventure around New York and the world. (Rated G)
3:30pm
TomFoolerys Juggling Extravaganza – Emmet O’Neal Library
Juggling, unicycling, stilt walking, and balancing act – it’s a circus extravaganza with TomFoolery!
10:30am
Madcap Puppets presents Fantastic Fairtytales -Hoover Public Library
Madcap Puppets will present Fantastic Fairytales
10:30am, 1:30pm, 6:30pm
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Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us as we read I Love My Daddy by Giles Andreae. We will make something special for Dad in honor of Father’s Day, and have a treat from the Cafe.
11am
Family Story Time with Mr Mac – North Shelby Library
Storyteller Extraordinaire – Come join Mr Mac and his musical storytime complete with puppets! All Ages, no registration required.
10:45am
We Dig Magic with Larry Moore – Avondale Library
Oh the places you’ll go, the stories you’ll hear, and the magic you’ll see when Larry Moore is near. Join Magic Man Larry for a program filled with stories and tricks that are bound to leave you wanting Moore.
2pm
Madcap Puppets presents Fantastic Fairtytales -Hoover Public Library
Madcap Puppets will present Fantastic Fairytales
10:30am, and 1:30pm
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The Magic of Archie Wade and Co. – Barnes and Noble Summit
Imagination is our Summer Reading Theme and the Vestavia Children’s Library is helping us celebrate as they bring magician Archie Wade to our Children’s Department stage! Magicians love reading, too!
3pm
Madcap Puppets presents Fantastic Fairtytales -Hoover Public Library
Madcap Puppets will present Fantastic Fairytales
10:30am, and 1:30pm
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Mobile Dairy Classroom – Springville Road Library
Come to the library to meet a real cow. We’ll learn all about how milk gets from the farm to your fridge. We’ll even have a milking demonstration. This is a special extra-large bovine Grubdown!
10am
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Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
This drop-in art program for kids and families features a different theme from our galleries and art activity each month. Stop by to make art with Bart! June is for Animals // Hippo mania is still going on at the BMA!
11am
Bart’s Books – Birmingham Museum of Art
Bart’s Books is a storytelling program for children ages 4-7. Bart selects a new book and related work of art each month that he thinks kids will enjoy.
This month, Bart has selected Margaree King Mitchell’s Uncle Jed’s Barbershop.
11am
Hippo Adventures – Birmingham Museum of Art
Meet at the Information Desk outside Bart’s ArtVenture! Join us for a new in-gallery family experience! Children aged 3 – 8 and their adult companions are invited to join Museum educators to explore Hip, Hippo, Hooray!, discover activities that make looking at art fun and exciting, and create new family memories about art and hippos.
No reservations required. Hippo Adventures are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am
Family Storytime – Emmet O’Neal Library
Bring the entire family and join Mr. Mac for stories and music each Saturday morning.
10:30 a.m.
Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us as we read I Love My Daddy by Giles Andreae. We will make something special for Dad in honor of Father’s Day and have a treat from the Cafe.
11am
Phonics Fun with Leapfrog Letter Factory – Barnes and Noble Summit
We’re having fun with phonics at a Hands-On Learning event with the LeapFrog Letter Factory. Kids ages 3 to 6 are invited to create words and sing alphabet songs!
11:30am
Explore the Sky with Klutz – Barnes and Noble Summit
Explore the Sky with Klutz at a Hands-On Learning event for kids 7 and up. Learn fun facts and explore creativity while designing and coloring galactic stickers!
11:30am
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Happy Father’s Day!!
Father’s Day at the Birmingham Zoo
Spend this special day with your dad at the Zoo! In recognition of Father’s Day, dads get in free at the Zoo with the purchase of a full-price child’s admission ticket.
Bird House Extravaganza -Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
Bird houses are home tweet home for some birds. Other bird houses, however, are simply meant for decoration. Join us at Ruffner and decorate whatever kind of bird house suits you. You are welcome to bring your own bird house to decorate, or buy one. Paint and other art supplies will be provided. Judges will pick winners for: Most Creative Bird House and “Greenest” Bird House (Children and Adults categories). All houses will then be displayed in the large tree next to the Treehouse. Not only will your bird house be a piece of art work on its own, it will also be a part of a bigger collaborative piece!
1pm – 5pm Come and Go
Free
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McWane Science Center:
IMAX
McWane Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater puts you in the center of the action by projecting breathtaking quality images onto the 5-story-tall dome screen and delivering intense surround sound through almost 3 tons of speakers and subwoofers.
Now Showing: Flight of the Butterflies, Titians of the Ice Age
Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age – through December 31st, 2013
McWane Science Center is home to Alabama’s second largest natural history collection. Made up of over 500,000 specimens and objects pertaining to the natural history of the state, this important collection focuses on the preservation, education, and research of Alabama’s rich biodiversity and paleobiodiversity. One of the more significant subsets of the collection is Alabama’s largest collection of Late Pleistocene faunal remains – or Ice Age fossils.
Made up of nearly 10,000 cataloged specimens, the McWSC Pleistocene collection contains a unique diversity of fauna that not only includes those native to North America, but migrants to the state from both South America and the Old World. This collection includes mammals, both extant and extinct, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fishes, and botanical remains collected from both cave and stream localities in the state. Extinct mammals represented in the McWSC collection include mammoths, mastodons, giant beavers, saber-toothed cats, giant armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, and giant ground sloths.
This spring, visitors will have an opportunity to view some of the fossils in the collection with a new exhibit titled — “Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age.” This exhibit will not only highlight many of the Ice Age animals from the McWane Science Center Collection, but will highlight and dispel many of the common misconceptions surrounding the Ice Age in the state. The goal is for visitors to have a better understanding and appreciation for this time in Alabama. For example, guests might learn that Alabama was on average only five degrees colder than today, glaciers did not reach farther south than southern Illinois or that all the Ice Age animals did not go extinct at the end of the Ice Age. While the largest animals, such as mastodons, giant ground sloths, and saber-tooth cats died out, nearly all the animals that are living in Alabama today were also around in the Ice Age.
The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.
Birmingham Zoo:
Lorikeet Aviary – Our Lorikeet Aviary has more birds than ever! Zoo guests can feed these exotic birds every day. You and your family will see these birds’ behavior as they eat nectar out of your hand.
Weekends 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
PELICAN FEEDING – A great way to see our pelicans in action is to witness them eating their favorite treats near the pelican boardwalk.
RHINO ENCOUNTER – Embark on an African adventure and experience one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, the Southern White Rhino. Watch from only feet away as our zookeepers engage in hands-on interaction with the animals inside their African-themed exhibit. Don’t miss this exciting encounter with one of the largest mammals on the planet!
Weekdays: 3pm – 3:30pm
Weekends: 11:30am – Noon & 3pm – 3:30 pm
GIRAFFE FEEDING – This up close and personal animal encounter is a memory you and your family will have for a lifetime.
Weekday: 11am – Noon
Weekends: 10am – 11am & 2pm – 3pm
Vulcan Park and Museum:
Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue; made of 100,000 pounds of iron and 56 feet tall, he stands at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city of Birmingham. But, Vulcan is more than a statue. Vulcan Park and Museum features spectacular views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham’s story, and a beautiful public park for visitors and locals to enjoy. With an official information center that is operated by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Vulcan Park and Museum serves as the first stop for visitors to the Birmingham area!
Railroad Park:
Railroad Park is a 19 acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as “Birmingham’s Living Room,” Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.
Southern Museum of Flight:
Earn Your Wings – Bring your little pilot and soar above the clouds in our little pilots room. Kids enjoy building aircrafts, flying kites, and more.
Museum Open Tuesday – Thursday
9:30am – 4:30pm
Do you have or know of an event you would like to have added to our weekly calendar? Please email us at contact@birminghammommy.com, subject line “Events Calendar” – We would love to hear from you!
** All information listed on our calendar is subject to change without notice to us or you… We do our best to keep the information accurate and will always update as soon as we learn that something has changed. It’s always best to double check with the event via their website or a quick call, especially when weather can impact the event.
We came across this idea on Pinterest from Beneath the Rowan Tree, and while we haven’t tried it yet, we will soon. This would be cute to make ahead of time for your Summertime Playdates or use it as an activity to do with the kids when you have everyone over.
All you need is a watermelon and some cookie cutters.
Slice your watermelon into pieces about 1″ thick. Cut out with cookie cutter of your choice. That’s it, it’s that easy. Pieces should hold up in the fridge for about 6 hours before serving and will be fine outdoors while the kids play.
Follow us on Pinterest for more of our fun finds!
The percentage of overweight children and adolescents has more than doubled in the United States over the last 30 years. Television, Computer Games and easy access to movies is partly to blame for this sedentary lifestyle.
Many factors contribute to this trend. Fun foods like chips, soft drinks, and candy are readily available. Advertisers barrage us with visions of healthy, thin models and actors chowing down on fries, chips huge burgers, and pizzas constantly. It is doubtful that these models really eat any of this stuff. Most models closely watch what they eat and exercise daily. Serious athletes are careful to eat foods that build muscle, not empty calories like sugary sweets, sodas, and chips.
As parents it is our responsibility to educate our children on making healthy choices and to lead by example. Start by making healthy choices for yourself.
The harsh reality for overweight children and adults is that they are at risk for serious health problems, not to mention psychological stress, poor body image, and low self-esteem.
Read labels. Healthy foods can become a hazard when manufacturers add too much sugar or fat.
Buy some fruits and vegetables that can be easily snacked on. Most kids really like vegetables with ranch dressing or try some hummus with those veggies, you might be surprised when they gobble it up!
You can buy baby carrots, celery, and broccoli that are packaged for snacking. Keep fruit handy. Have some healthy snacks ready to serve. You don’t have to cut out “fun” foods entirely, but save them for special occasions.
Watch portion sizes. This may be the area that trips us up the most. A serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards. A serving size of butter or margarine is the size of a dice. Picture a light bulb as a serving size of fruit or vegetable. One piece of bread makes one serving. Pasta? One half of a cup. When eating out, skip the megasize and supersize options.
Watch the amounts of soda, milkshakes, and even juices that you drink. Sipping on drinks with sugar all day stretches your stomach and gives you a hungry feeling. Drink water when you are thirsty. This is also important in keeping their teeth healthy.
Serve some milk every day. It fills you up and gives you energy. Skim milk and zero fat milk have the same amount of calcium and vitamins and minerals as whole milk and is way less fattening than a soft drink.
Play ball or Frisbee, dance, swim, or just walk around the block with your kids every day. Dust off the bikes and take a ride. Just a 20 minute brisk walk will work wonders. You will look better, feel better, and get a chance to really talk with your children.
When all else fails.. Send them outside and lock the door behind them. It’s what my Mom used to do!
Summer Reading is in full swing! Make sure you stop by your local library to get signed up, it’s a great way to keep the kids busy this summer as well as keeping them fresh on what they learned this past school year!
The Barons will be back home this Friday for a weekend full of fun at the ball park, Summer Movies are going strong and one of our favorite stores, Earth Fare will be celebrating it’s 1 year Anniversary on Sunday!
Have a great week!
Vulcan’s Birthday Bash
Make plans to attend the BIGGEST birthday bash in Birmingham! Vulcan may be the world’s largest cast iron statue, but he still needs help blowing out his birthday candles! On Sunday, June 2, Vulcan Park and Museum will host a festive outdoor community celebration offering fun activities for the whole family! Admission will be charged and includes admission to the party, Vulcan’s Observation Tower, Museum and a special exhibition in the Linn-Henley Gallery. Log on to www.visitvulcan.com for additional party details.
$3 all ages 5+.
4 and under and Vulcan Members are FREE!
noon – 4pm
Summer Reading Kickoff – Vestavia Library
The “Dig Into Reading” program in the Children’s Department at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest will begin with a huge Kick-off party at the library. There will be face painting, ice cream, an Egyptian Mummy Tomb Mystery, digging for gold and gemstones, and Dr. Magical Balloons, a zany storyteller who uses balloon sculptures – and willing audience members – as his story props. Everyone who signs up for the summer reading program that day will get a special goodie bag filled with coupons and treats courtesy of the generous merchants in the area.
2pm – 4pm
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Tot Time with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime for 2-4-year-olds with a caregiver. Includes stories, songs, and craft. 24-hour advance registration required.
10:30am
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Afternoon Movie – Emmet O’ Neal Library
After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home. (Rated G)
Be sure to check out our other Tuesday afternoon movies for preschoolers, going on all summer long at the Emmet O’Neal Library.
3:30pm
Summer Reading Kickoff – Gardendale Martha Moore Library
Come help us kick off this year’s summer reading with a fun-filled concert for all ages featuring well-known singer/entertainer Roger Day!
5:30pm
Summer Reading Kick Off – Barnes and Noble Summit
Come help us kick off a super Summer of Reading! We will have games, stories and refreshments. Pick a new book, get your reading log and get started!
2pm
Hippo Adventures – Birmingham Museum of Art
Meet at the Information Desk outside Bart’s ArtVenture! Join us for a new in-gallery family experience! Children aged 3 – 8 and their adult companions are invited to join Museum educators to explore Hip, Hippo, Hooray!, discover activities that make looking at art fun and exciting, and create new family memories about art and hippos.
No reservations required. Hippo Adventures are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am
Dinoman – Hoover Public Library
With magic, mayham and magnificent props, the audience takes a trip to the Mesozoic Era.
In The Library Theatre
10:30, 1:30 and 6:30
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Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us as we read I Love My Mommy by Giles Andreae. We will also read Giraffes Can’t Dance!
11am
Family Story Time with Mr Mac – North Shelby Library
Storyteller Extraordinaire – Come join Mr Mac and his musical storytime complete with puppets! All Ages, no registration required.
10:45am
Dinoman – Hoover Public Library
With magic, mayham and magnificent props, the audience takes a trip to the Mesozoic Era.
In The Library Theatre
10:30 and 1:30
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Dinoman – Hoover Public Library
With magic, mayham and magnificent props, the audience takes a trip to the Mesozoic Era.
In The Library Theatre
10:30 and 1:30
—————————————————————————————
Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
vs JAX – Friday Night Fireworks
7:05pm
We Dig Magic with Larry Moore – Southside Branch Library
Oh the places you’ll go, the stories you’ll hear, and the magic you’ll see when Larry Moore is near. Join Magic Man Larry for a program filled with stories and tricks that are bound to leave you wanting Moore.
9:30am
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Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
vs JAX – Mini Bat Giveaway
6:30pm
Black Creek Arts Festival – Black Creek Park, Fultondale
Third Annual Black Creek Arts Festival at Black Creek Park. This is a Juried Art show with more than $400 in prize money given. The judging begins at 9:00 am. Download the app here. Artists you can pay online here. BUT we ask that you mail in your application. More than 40 artists have participated in the past. We will have musical entertainment and children’s arts activities.
10am – 2pm
Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
This drop-in art program for kids and families features a different theme from our galleries and art activity each month. Stop by to make art with Bart! June is for Animals // Hippo mania is still going on at the BMA!
11am
Family Storytime – Emmet O’Neal Library
Bring the entire family and join Mr. Mac for stories and music each Saturday morning.
10:30 a.m.
Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us as we read I Love My Mommy by Giles Andreae. There will be a craft and we will have something yummy from the Cafe.
11am
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Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
vs JAX – Salute to Armed Forces
3:00pm
March of the Penguins – Hoover Public Library
The Hoover Public Library will show the documentary March of the Penguins. Free and open to the public.
3pm
Jazz in the Park – Avondale Park
We encourage everyone to bring blankets, coolers, food, small TV trays and votive candles to enjoy the concert. Food vendors are available.
Absolutely no Grills are allowed while attending Jazz in the Park®. Failure to abide by this rule will be enforced by concert organizer and police.
Seating: There is ample seating available in Avondale Park amphitheatre. Parking is located on streets near the venue. Please secure your vehicle as concert organizers and venue are not responsible for stolen property.
Smoking: Jazz in the Park® is promoting a smoke-free event this summer. Please be considerate of your non-smoking colleagues.
6pm – 9pm
Earth Fare’s 1 year Anniversary Celebration
Earth Fare, the healthy supermarket in Riverchase near the Galleria Mall, is turning one! Stop by 12-3 pm for great food, fun and festivities the whole family will enjoy. Enjoy free samples, giveaways and so much more, as well as special appearances by Steel City Pops and other local food trucks. Organic wine samples will be available from Sundown Wines.
Come hungry! We will have the grill ready with all natural antibiotic and hormone free burgers and sides. Because, you and your family are better than fast food. Like us on Facebook for more details – @EarthFareBirmingham.
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McWane Science Center:
IMAX
McWane Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater puts you in the center of the action by projecting breathtaking quality images onto the 5-story-tall dome screen and delivering intense surround sound through almost 3 tons of speakers and subwoofers.
Now Showing: Flight of the Butterflies, Titians of the Ice Age
Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age – through December 31st, 2013
McWane Science Center is home to Alabama’s second largest natural history collection. Made up of over 500,000 specimens and objects pertaining to the natural history of the state, this important collection focuses on the preservation, education, and research of Alabama’s rich biodiversity and paleobiodiversity. One of the more significant subsets of the collection is Alabama’s largest collection of Late Pleistocene faunal remains – or Ice Age fossils.
Made up of nearly 10,000 cataloged specimens, the McWSC Pleistocene collection contains a unique diversity of fauna that not only includes those native to North America, but migrants to the state from both South America and the Old World. This collection includes mammals, both extant and extinct, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fishes, and botanical remains collected from both cave and stream localities in the state. Extinct mammals represented in the McWSC collection include mammoths, mastodons, giant beavers, saber-toothed cats, giant armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, and giant ground sloths.
This spring, visitors will have an opportunity to view some of the fossils in the collection with a new exhibit titled — “Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age.” This exhibit will not only highlight many of the Ice Age animals from the McWane Science Center Collection, but will highlight and dispel many of the common misconceptions surrounding the Ice Age in the state. The goal is for visitors to have a better understanding and appreciation for this time in Alabama. For example, guests might learn that Alabama was on average only five degrees colder than today, glaciers did not reach farther south than southern Illinois or that all the Ice Age animals did not go extinct at the end of the Ice Age. While the largest animals, such as mastodons, giant ground sloths, and saber-tooth cats died out, nearly all the animals that are living in Alabama today were also around in the Ice Age.
The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.
Birmingham Zoo:
Lorikeet Aviary – Our Lorikeet Aviary has more birds than ever! Zoo guests can feed these exotic birds every day. You and your family will see these birds’ behavior as they eat nectar out of your hand.
Weekends 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
PELICAN FEEDING – A great way to see our pelicans in action is to witness them eating their favorite treats near the pelican boardwalk.
RHINO ENCOUNTER – Embark on an African adventure and experience one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, the Southern White Rhino. Watch from only feet away as our zookeepers engage in hands-on interaction with the animals inside their African-themed exhibit. Don’t miss this exciting encounter with one of the largest mammals on the planet!
Weekdays: 3pm – 3:30pm
Weekends: 11:30am – Noon & 3pm – 3:30 pm
GIRAFFE FEEDING – This up close and personal animal encounter is a memory you and your family will have for a lifetime.
Weekday: 11am – Noon
Weekends: 10am – 11am & 2pm – 3pm
Vulcan Park and Museum:
Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue; made of 100,000 pounds of iron and 56 feet tall, he stands at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city of Birmingham. But, Vulcan is more than a statue. Vulcan Park and Museum features spectacular views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham’s story, and a beautiful public park for visitors and locals to enjoy. With an official information center that is operated by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Vulcan Park and Museum serves as the first stop for visitors to the Birmingham area!
Railroad Park:
Railroad Park is a 19 acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as “Birmingham’s Living Room,” Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.
Southern Museum of Flight:
Earn Your Wings – Bring your little pilot and soar above the clouds in our little pilots room. Kids enjoy building aircrafts, flying kites, and more.
Museum Open Tuesday – Thursday
9:30am – 4:30pm
Do you have or know of an event you would like to have added to our weekly calendar? Please email us at contact@birminghammommy.com, subject line “Events Calendar” – We would love to hear from you!
** All information listed on our calendar is subject to change without notice to us or you… We do our best to keep the information accurate and will always update as soon as we learn that something has changed. It’s always best to double check with the event via their website or a quick call, especially when weather can impact the event.
We all know someone who has suffered from depression. Depression affects every race and gender. It is a whole-body illness, involving the body, mood, and thoughts, and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, feels about himself or herself, and thinks about things. It is not the same as being unhappy or in a blue mood. Nor is it a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely “pull themselves together” and get better.
Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression. During any one year period, nearly 19 million American adults suffer from depressive illness. Yet, treatment can alleviate symptoms in nearly 80 percent of cases.
What contributes to depression in women?
Women experience depression about twice as often as men. Many hormonal factors may contribute to the increased rate of depression in women–particularly such factors as menstrual cycle changes, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), pregnancy, miscarriage, postpartum period, perimenopause, and menopause. Many women also face additional stresses such as responsibilities both at work and home, single parenthood, and caring for children and aging parents.
Many women are also particularly vulnerable after the birth of a baby. The hormonal and physical changes, as well as the added responsibility of a new life, can be factors that lead to postpartum depression in some women. While transient “blues” are common in new mothers, a full-blown depressive episode is not a normal occurrence and requires active intervention. Treatment by a sympathetic health care provider and the family’s emotional support for the new mother are prime considerations in aiding her to recover her physical and mental well-being and her ability to care for and enjoy the infant.
What are the different types of depression?
Depressive disorders come in different forms, as do other illnesses, such as heart disease. Three of the most prevalent types of depressive disorders include the following:
Within these types, there are variations in the number of symptoms, their severity, and persistence.
What are the symptoms of depression?
The following are the most common symptoms of depression. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. In general, nearly everyone suffering from depression has ongoing feelings of sadness, and may feel helpless, hopeless, and irritable.
The American Psychiatric Association suggests that professional help is advisable for those who have four or more of the following symptoms continually for more than two weeks:
Treatment for depression
Specific treatment for depression will be determined by your health care provider based on:
Generally, based on the outcome of evaluations, depressive disorders are treated with medication or either psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy, or a combination of medication and therapy.
You can also help yourself. Depressive disorders can make a person feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. Such negative thoughts and feelings make some people feel like giving up. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime, consider the following:
This is too easy to even count as a “recipe,” but I’ll go ahead and call it that. If you’re looking for a fast and delicious weeknight side dish, try this!
Use small potatoes- wash them and cut them in half long ways.
In a baking dish, melt 1/4 cup of butter, then put a thin layer of grated parmesan and sprinkles of garlic salt.
Place the potatoes cut side down. (The skin should be showing.)
Place in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes. (Make sure to cool or they’ll stick to the pan.)
Voila! Serve with some sour cream to dip it in and enjoy!
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By: Kristen Berthiaume, PhD
It’s the beginning of summer and you’re too busy having fun or trying to keep track of which camp your kid goes to today for a long article (also, I have a newborn so there’s that). This one will be brief.
If you’re like 90-something % of Americans (not an actual statistic – I made that up), you don’t get enough sleep. Being woken up by a screaming, blubbering child who just had a nightmare only compounds the problem. Next time your kid tells you he can’t sleep because of a bad dream, try this technique. Have him draw a picture of the figure, object, or situation in his dream that scared him. Keep in mind it may seem weird or silly. For example, I have a distinct memory of having a nightmare around age five in which a hedgehog (and there is no evidence I even knew what one looked like) was about to jump off (do hedgehogs jump?) my dresser onto my head. Terrifying. If your child is too young to create an actual likeness of the nightmare, have him describe it and you draw it. Don’t add a lot of detail yet and draw in pencil or pen only with no color.
Now, talk about how you’re going to make the object in the picture seem less scary and ask your kiddo for ideas. Use bright and pastel colors. Add non-threatening features like silly braids that stick up, googly eyes, an oddly shaped nose, and tiny feet. Throw on some silly accessories like over-sized bowties, mittens (especially to cover scary claws or weapons), curling purple eyelashes, and ridiculously tall hats. For example, if my hedgehog had been wearing a fluffy yellow dress and bonnet, I would have welcomed her to jump on me because – hey, cute hedgehog! Draw in a thought or speech bubble that has the figure thinking or saying something really goofy. For settings that scared your child (e.g., being alone in a dark forest), add soft white clouds, pretty rainbows, and brightly colored birds. Have your child imagine soothing sounds or music she might hear there. Once you have your picture, give a happy, silly name to the object (e.g., Little Lady Hedgehog) or setting (e.g., Happy Rainbow Forest) and write that at the bottom. To expand the technique a little further, make up a funny story together about the figure or setting filled with lots of very un-scary goings on.
Essentially, this technique takes the “bite” out of what your child fears most about the dream and lets her participate in writing the next chapter. A kinder, gentler chapter. Once she gets the hang of this method, the two of you can imagine together the silly version of whatever scared her, instead of actually having to get out pencil and paper. Now, go have a great summer and try to avoid that dream where you took your kid to the wrong camp and now you can’t find the right one and your cell phone doesn’t work. And, also, you’re naked.
About this column: Send your parenting- and kid-related questions my way and I’ll tell you what I can: parentingwithaphd@gmail.com Please be aware that email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information so it’s best to keep your questions general. If your question is featured, your name and email will not be published. Submitting a question does not constitute a professional relationship in any way and this column is not meant to substitute for face-to-face therapy. If you feel you’re doing the best you can and still need help, it may be time to bring in a professional. Start by talking with your child’s pediatrician to get a referral.
Kristen Berthiaume, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with Grayson and Associates. She obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed a predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a post- doctoral fellowship in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) Program at Duke University Medical Center. She specializes in providing assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families dealing with the following issues: ADHD, learning disorders, social skill deficits, organizational problems, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. She generally focuses on behavioral and cognitive- behavioral techniques, but maintains a flexible approach to therapy. Her other day job is as mom to her six-year-old and newborn daughters and three-year-old son.
For many kids, summer means sleeping late, pigging out and sitting in front of the TV. Adding physical activity to kids’ summer routines helps battle obesity and improves their concentration, memory and behavior, according to University of Alabama at Birmingham(UAB) experts.
Sandra Sims, Ph.D., and Donna Hester, Ph.D., physical education experts and associate professors in the Department of Human Studies teamed up to share tips to help parents encourage children and adolescents to achieve the 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Parents should make physical activity part of the families’ daily practices, she said.
Walking and biking are examples of great aerobic activities that can be done together.”
Also, use this time of year to explore your city’s outdoor attractions. Sims suggests hiking in state parks, biking along trails and exploring the zoo.
“And, while you’re out, make sure your little ones consume plenty of water or low-sugar beverages for hydration,” Sims said. “And wear sunscreen for protection.”
“Younger children enjoy climbing on playground equipment or pretending to move like various animals,” she said. “Older children are capable of standard exercises such as pushups and crunches. To keep them motivated, see how many they can do in a minute, and then gradually increase the repetitions over the summer.”
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 12,000 steps per day for children and adolescents, so Hester suggests getting pedometers for the entire family and creating a chart to post daily steps.
“Many exercises that children can do on land can be done in the water,” Sims said. “You can walk or jog, do jumping jacks, slide, skip or hop. You can also play team sports like volleyball, basketball and polo.
“The activities on the Wii can be a good rainy day alternative, but playing the actual game is better,” she said.
Many sports video games are somewhat sedentary in nature.
“Set some time limits for your gamer,” Hester said. “And, if your kids like to play interactive dance and fitness video games, adjust the setting to the level that will achieve the greatest amount of body movement.”
“Unstructured play has great value,” she said. “This allows children to pursue creativity in their play.”
Summer is a great time for this.
“Some children have been limited to playing games with rules either on a team or on a video game,” Sims said. “Allowing children freedom to choose activities and rules not only allows creativity, but it also increases enjoyment of play.”
“All children are not competitive, so only providing competitive sports choices is not the answer,” Sims said. “Let children explore numerous types of physical activities, so they can find one or more activities in which they can participate and enjoy doing.”
For more information, Sims and Hester recommend going to the CDC website for National Physical Activity Guidelines.
About UAB
Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center and the state of Alabama’s largest employer with some 23,000 employees and an economic impact exceeding $5 billion annually on the state. The five pillars of UAB’s mission include education, research, patient care, community service and the economic development. UAB: Knowledge that will change your world. Learn more at www.uab.edu.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a separate, independent institution from the University of Alabama, which is located in Tuscaloosa. Please use University of Alabama at Birmingham on first reference and UAB on all consecutive references.
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