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Symphony 30 Picnic 2011 Giveaway

Posted on by Angie

** Giveaway has ended, Thanks to everyone for participating **

BirminghamMommy is excited to have another giveaway for this great Birmingham Event coming up this weekend.

The Symphony 30 nonprofit group of women in Birmingham, Ala. will host its annual Symphony 30 Picnic. The event this year will be held once again at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, with the proceeds going to help the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and specifically their family and education programs. We are pleased to announce Jim ‘N Nicks Bar B Q and Brookwood Medical Center as our lead sponsors to the 2011 event. Along with dinner generously donated by Jim ‘N Nicks and a symphony concert, activities will include an art table where children can make their own musical instruments.

The Symphony 30 Group is comprised of approximately 80 young women, who are committed to the legacy and future of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. The Symphony 30 Group has raised more than $330,500 for education programs at the Alabama Symphony Orchestra.

The event is this Sunday, September 25th at the beautiful Botanical Gardens. 4pm

Thanks to our friends over at Brookwood Medical Center, we have 2 family packs up for grabs (value of $60 each) Here’s how you can win!

1. Leave a comment telling us what musical instrument you played growing up or wish you would have learned to play. 1 entry per person, per day.

2. Follow @BrookwoodMed on twitter – (Come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know you followed/follow them) 1 entry per person

3. Follow @BirminghamMommy on twitter – (Come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know you followed/follow us) 1 entry per person

4. Tweet the following: “Thanks to @BrookwoodMed, @BirminghamMommy is giving away tickets to the Symphony 30 Picnic! http://ow.ly/6ySBq”  (1 entry per person, per day.)

That’s it – 4 easy ways to win. 2 winners will be chosen at random and their names will be placed on the guest list for the event! Best of luck to you all!! If you aren’t our lucky winners you can still purchase your tickets to this fabulous event!!

Contest ends at 2pm on Wednesday, September 21st – We will contact the winners via email and it will be the responsibility of the winner to contact us with the required information. Family pack includes admission for 2 adults and their children.

3000 Fan Giveaway! Swag

Posted on by Angie

*** GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED! THANKS FOR READING AND WATCH FOR MORE GIVEAWAYS COMING SOON!***

Because you, our readers are so incredibly awesome and helped get us to 3000+ fans on Facebook we are going to celebrate this week with some random giveaways!

First up, not all of you were able to make it to the Moms Rock Event last week, which means you missed out on the awesome swag we were handing out… Or did you? We have a couple of leftovers and we will randomly draw 2 names to win one each.

Just leave a comment here on this post, 1 per person please. This giveaway will end Monday (Sept 18th) at 2pm and winners will be announced on Facebook and via the email attached to your comment. Good luck!

Birmingham Events Calendar: September 18th – September 25th

Posted on by Angie

A huge thank you again to everyone that came out to our Moms Rock Event last week! We appreciate everyone that pulled together to make it happen and look forward to doing it again next year and honoring more Birmingham Moms who Rock!

Lots of storytimes this week as well as Sunset Cinemas at Railroad Park, and the always fun Whistlestop Festival.

The weather is great for getting outside so make sure to check out your local park or even the Botanical or Aldridge Gardens!

It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!

Sunday September 18th:

Barts Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Make a drum inspired by African musical instruments with Bart! The Museum now offers a fun and free drop-in art program for kids and families! Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to discover great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child, then stop by and make art with Bart!
11am

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Monday September 12th:

Monday Movie – Homewood Library
Join us for a fun flick and a tasty treat!
3:30pm

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Tuesday September 13th:

Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Join us for the fun of it! All ages welcome. For larger groups, a call is nice but not necessary.
10:30am

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Wednesday September 14th:

Wonderful Wednesday Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Three Little Pigs – We’re gonna huff and puff while we read The Three Little Pigs! Can we stop the Big Bad Wolf from blowing down their houses? Let’s play with NOOK and sip on a sweet treat from our Cafe, then create some arts and crafts.
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

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Thursday September 15th:

Sunset Cinemas – Railroad Park
The Devil Wears Prada – 7pm
George’s Boxcar Cafe and Jim ‘N Nick’s Barbecue will be selling food and drink during the movies! George’s Boxcar Cafe will have all of your movie favorites, including popcorn, nachos, and candy; PLUS they will be serving cocktails! Jim ‘N Nick’s will be grilling their famous barbecue and will have other delectable Southern treats, including their famous cheese biscuits!

What to bring: a blanket or lawn chair and cash or credit card to so that you can purchase delicious food and beverages from George’s Boxcar Cafe and Jim N Nick’s!

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Friday September 16th:

OTM Moms Club – Open House
Open House and Membership Drive
There will be snacks and crafts for the kids while moms have a chance to chat. A few prizes too!
Homewood Central Park
10:00am – 12:30

Story Day with Nene – Whole Foods
stories, songs, and snacks as Mrs. Renee Schmidt leads the fun.
10am

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Saturday September 17th

Whistle Stop Festival – Irondale
The twentieth Annual Irondale Whistle Stop Festival will be held on Saturday, September 24th. This year the festival will be celebrating Irondale’s history and rich artistic community. This year we are going to “step back in time” with- historic costumes and demonstrations. Also this year we are working with Studio By the Tracks to return fine art to the festival. In the spirit of “stepping back in time” we are adding “old time” children’s activities like checkers, hopscotch and cake walk on Irondale’s historic North side, as well as Children’s activities and more on the South side.

The Irondale Whistle Stop Festival is located in Historic Irondale. The Irondale Chamber of Commerce is located in the center of the festival.
9am – 5pm

Meet the Farm Animals – Oak Mountain State Park
Come out to the Petting Farm and meet the animals. Most of them loved to be petted, so be ready to share some love and learn some of the cool facts about these animals.

At the Petting Farm at Oak Mountain State Park
10am

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Make a drum inspired by African musical instruments with Bart! The Museum now offers a fun and free drop-in art program for kids and families! Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to discover great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child, then stop by and make art with Bart!
11am

Saturday Market – Pepper Place
7am – Noon

Saturday Storytime– Barnes and Noble Summit
12 Dancing Princesses – Who will solve the mystery of the sleepy princesses and their worn out shoes? Join us for 12 Dancing Princesses and play with NOOK. Then we will do some arts and crafts and sip on something sweet from our Cafe.
11am

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Sunday September 25th:

Cahaba River Fry Down – Trussville Springs
Benefting the Cahaba River Society
11a.m. – 4p.m.
Tickets: $20
(Children 12 and under free)
www.frydown.com

Barts Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Make a drum inspired by African musical instruments with Bart! The Museum now offers a fun and free drop-in art program for kids and families! Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to discover great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child, then stop by and make art with Bart!
11am

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

Eat Well, Play Well Exhibit:
What is in the food we eat? Are fruits and vegetables important? Can everyday activities burn calories? Visitors will find the answers to these questions by exploring nutrition and fitness in this summer’s traveling exhibit called Eat Well, Play Well. This highly-interactive exhibit encourage healthy living by teaching the science of making healthy-food choices and helping children and adults discover that there are many fun and interesting ways to stay active. Visitors will discover what an appropriate serving size looks like, see first hand what it takes to burn off calories, test their flexibility and balance, review the latest clinical research and realize that they can reduce their risk of disease with healthy choices that are within their reach.

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: Tornado Ally,  Born to Be Wild, and Wild Ocean.

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.

aMOMymous: The Darkness Soothes us Both

Posted on by Angie

I wake in the dark, angst ripping like a tidal wave through the void that fills a once-abundant fountain within me.

He’s crying in the night.
He’s in need.
I reach out, winded and tethered.
I lift him in my arms.

The darkness soothes us both.

Subdued, I withdraw to that fetal breath; that in and out; that ebb and flow; that fleeting force that once took over and now takes leave.  My selfish, shallow attempt to resurrect a portion of Self only bends to reason and, like an abandoned ship, I drift in stillness.

I satisfy his basic needs.
I nurture.
He grows with each passing moment and my heart swells, tides of tenderness pumping in rhythm with his own heart’s beating.

Wakefulness –  I’m wide awake, but yet I find myself bleeding numb to the tremors of this life, this presence.  I cling to a hope of finding my way back to a familiar presence, finding my way out of this abyss, finding out how and when and just how much.

Here, now.
I am here now.
I am here.

Staring deep in to the darkness, I begin to catch shimmering glimpses of an authentic joy.  He’s quietly nursing in my arms.  He’s the breath I created.  He’s my here, my now.

There is always love.
There is always hope.
Here in this darkness.
Here in this darkness.

Meet our 2011 Moms Rock! Finalists

Posted on by Angie

We are super excited to announce the 10 finalists for this years Moms Rock Event. We had more than 60 nominees and it was a very difficult task to narrow it down to only 10. After much deliberation here are the amazing women chosen for this year.

Take a moment and read over these incredible stories!

 

Drew Ann Long-  She is mom to 3 children including her special needs daughter named Caroline. As Caroline grew older and bigger, it was increasingly hard for Drew Ann to take Caroline to the grocery with her, an outing that she so enjoyed. So Drew Ann invented a shopping cart for special needs children and adults. It’s been designed and debuted here in Birmingham. Here is an article about Drew Ann and Caroline. And a short video.  Drew Ann was also instrumental in helping to bring a Sunday School class for special needs children in her community. And although she’d humbly tell you there were others she thinks are far more worthy, she’s just a lovely person all together.


Jennifer Henley -When her children were just 3 and 2, her husband suffered a terrible accident while playing with the children. A chin up bar gave way, and he fell only a few feet. However, the accident left him a paraplegic.  Jennifer has handled this with a grace and strength. She not only continued to care for her two children, but also her husband.  She continues to be an amazing Mom, and a great friend. She is the first person to bring you soup when you are sick, and never complains about her situation.

Abi Williams. Mrs. Williams has a place in her heart for kids who have a hard time seeing their own potential. She is a bright light for her students. She lets us be a part of her family which is such a loving, happy family. Her girls are so lucky to have a mom who tries so hard to take them everywhere she is even if she is so tired because of it. We sometimes say she is a crazy old lady before she is even old because Mrs. Williams will just say or do anything,  she doesn’t hold back. She is just so fun and out there. She will push you when you need it and hug you when you need it. Her office is where we all know we can go for a safe place. We all know her kids and her husband and we all wish she was our mom too.  Mrs. Williams is the coolest mom around and I hope you will nominate her for the coolest and rockinest mom in Birmingham. For me, that would be an understatement!

Roxane Mackin, nominated by her 11 year old. My Mom deserves every award there is for being the best Mom ever. My Mommy has done everything for me since the day I was born. She has taught me to be kind and respectful to my friends and teachers and family. She has helped me understand that in life you always have to be responsible for your actions. She has taught me how important it is to have good manners and always be polite. She has taught me the right values that I will have with me for my whole life. For 11 years my Mommy has always put me first and has sacrificed a lot to make sure all my needs have been met every day of my life. She makes sure I have a good breakfast every single morning because she says “you can think better at school if you have a healthy breakfast.” I play tennis and am in advanced tumbling. My Mother has never missed a tennis tournament in 5 years and has given me the chance to improve my tumbling skills which got me to the advanced level. Everything I have is because my Mommy has made it happen. My Mom is so beautiful, but she especially has the biggest heart. Most important of all is I always know my Mommy is there for me and loves me more than anything in this world.  I hope you will give this honor to my Mommy. She works so hard, but always has time for me no matter what. If she has to make a choice between doing something for herself or doing something to help me, she always picks helping me just because she loves me. My Mom is definitely a Mom that rocks!!!!

Laura Kate Whitney.  As a nominee from last year, LK is no stranger to the Moms Rock Event and she has taken it to the next level this year.  Now raising two boys, she has recently started a “homeschool experiment” with her three-year-old son, Grey.  She writes and works in event planning when the rest of the family sleeps.  Otherwise, she’s being spit up on, wiping behinds, etc. Upon moving here two years ago, she started a blog to inspire herself to get out and enjoy/explore Birmingham.  Of course, the blog has ended up inspiring many, many more to do the same.  She hopes to teach her sons as much as she can about this city because their roots are here.  LK is extremely kind and outgoing, making friends wherever she goes.  She has a huge heart, frequently calling others’ attention to injustices and important social causes. LK rocks as a mom, a friend, and a neighbor (I should know since she lives right next door)!

Keagan Wilson is the mother of a 3 year old girl, Harleyana, and 7 year old boy, Payten.  She works 40 hours a week (and most often works even more than that) as a telephone service representative for a Post-Secondary Education company called CARS.  She also is a full time student, in her third year now, working on a degree in Forensic Investigation.  Along with her full time job, and being a full time student, she also takes time out of her schedule to be an Avon independent sales rep.  Also, once a year, she’s an actress at our local haunt, Sloss Fright Furnace. And she’s a SINGLE mom??  She regularly volunteers her time to help others and is always helping children.  She makes sure that she’s constantly spending time with her two children and giving them the best that she can provide on her own.  She’s constantly doing new arts & crafts with them, taking them to the park, trips to the zoo, etc.  She always encourages them to read, learn as much as they can and always do their best and everything.  She’s now even a new soccer mom, recently enrolling her son in Soccer.  Her kids, and her family as well, are her life. I have seen her struggles and she always manages to work everything out for the best.  She pulls through like a champ!  She is a wonderful, loving, caring, always upbeat woman.  Coming from an extremely troubled childhood, she’s vowed to give her all into making sure her children have a completely opposite home life than she had.  Beginning as a teen mom, you would never have believed it!  She’s been the best mom I’ve ever seen, never giving up, constantly working as hard as she can to provide for them, and has always done it on her own.

Sarah O’Donnell. Not only is she managing Birmingham’s most popular (and most glossy…) magazine, B-Metro, with more style and poise than I can muster for the fanciest of occasions, but she also manages hours outside of work to help Birmingham move forward – and the life of her most precious son, Gabriel. She holds her family and friends close to her heart, and closest of those are her son and her father, Joe O’Donnell (the most amazing man in this city). Sarah is a non-stop social bee and urbanite who works because she loves too. That doesn’t place her son Gabe in second place, though, as he grows up in the most magic of cities. As a (single) mom, Sarah is constantly including her 3.5-year-old in Birmingham-centric activities that support both the growth of her child and the growth of this city.

Cookbook author and recipe developer, Alison Lewis, is a Rockin’ AND Rollin’ Mom!  This year, she’s been traveling the country promoting her first cookbook, 400 Best Sandwich Recipes, has been a guest speaker at several national and local events, was an invited guest at a recipe cook off in NYC, has been featured in numerous publications, AND manages to stay trim in between,  running marathons –yes, marathons!  Committed to a healthy lifestyle, Alison tests her creative recipes on her 3 active teenagers and a very supportive attorney husband, all while blogging daily and managing sponsorships from her home office.   Her three kids have inherited her energy and enthusiasm, and are active not only in sports,  but also enjoy social media and blogging.  I recently saw her at a blogger conference with kids in tow, iphone buzzing, and a smile on her face!  As a result, her daughter Leigh, started her own blog, sharing her tips for back to school shopping.  Alison seems to thrive on all the activity and that makes life fun and certainly interesting for her family and friends.  I admire her organization, her talent, her tenacity, and her unwavering commitment to her family and her work.  She’s the first to tell you that she’s not an overnight publishing success, having spent 17 years developing recipes.   But with the release of her first internationally published cookbook,  and the support of her family, she’s finally receiving the industry recognition that she deserves!

 My friend Amy Johnson is a Rockin’ Mom.  Amy manages to juggle her career, family and friends all while maintaining a positive attitude.  Amy would love to be able to spend more time with her beautiful daughter Brooke. And although keeping up with a busy career and six year old is not always easy, she makes the most of what time she has.  She is an amazing mom and one only has to see her with her daughter to know the depth of their relationship.  She ensures Brooke has all she needs and is well rounded.  Amy has a heart of gold and is one person you can always count on to be there for you any time and any where.


Brittney Smith – is an incredible mom. In spite of burying a child in 1999, and a sister-in-law in 2001, she has managed to keep her head up and bring light & encouragement to so many in our community (Pell City). She is a very active Disney Travel Agent, but somehow makes the time to be the room mom in our youngest son’s class, as well as serving as Secretary for the Pell City High School Touchdown Club. B also helps lead a Sunday School class for young couples in our church. Between washing, cooking, cleaning, transporting kids to church & sports, helping with my aging parents, raising money for the football & basketball teams, and planning hundreds of Disney vacations, B is the ultimate mom.

Event of the Week: Read and Romp Birmingham

Posted on by Angie

We all know how important it is to read to our children. In fact we get a sheet home from Kindergarten every week and at the very bottom, it says “Read to your children every night, you are their first teacher.” So true. Reading helps them learn, it helps you bond and can foster a very creative imagination.

We were very excited to learn about this Read and Romp event coming up Saturday at Railroad Park. This event designed to encourage children to read during early development will feature over 11 different story stations, free children’s books for the first 400 families, and surprise PBSKids characters.

Railroad Park
Saturday September 17th
9am – Noon

Confessions of a Dance Mom

Posted on by Angie

By Nanci Neighbors-Scarpulla:

She enters the stage and positions herself for her first competitive solo. I hold my breath for a second. What if she falls? What if she forgets? What if….

The music starts and without missing a beat, she knocks out every kick, turn, twirl, and jump as if she had lived this routine all her life. She finishes, throws a kiss and exits the stage. Walking down the stage stairs, she gives several the onlookers high fives and giggles then runs straight to her mom.

That is my 9 year old daughter, and I am her mom. I am a Dance Mom.

The dance mom is getting a bad rap these days and it is totally with justification thanks to a new reality show. If you have seen the new Lifetime Series, “Dance Moms” then you know that the insane parenting cousin of “Toddlers and Tiaras” has been met with train wreck attention.

Moms screaming at each other, teachers screaming kids, kids crying, moms crying, inappropriate dance costumes and more make-up than a Mary Kay convention.

Reality shows are not always reality and “Dance Moms” is definitely not my reality.

Dancing has been a part of my life, all my life. So when I welcomed not one, but two little girls into my world, dance classes just came natural. We tried other things, soccer, karate, cheerleading, more soccer, but I was meant to be a dance mom.

The world of competitive dancing has itʼs ups and downs. The dancing part is relatively easy especially since the girls enjoy it and I can rarely go down a store aisle without having to stop them from pirouetting into the mayonnaise display. The rough part is when they are sitting in the back waiting to go on stage and they see other dancers backflipping and doing moves that seem physically impossible. That is when the nerves hit.

So the last thing I need is for a show to expose what NOT to do as a dance mom and play it off like that represents all of us dance moms. I can never imagine telling either of my girls or any child for that matter that they needed to get better or scream at them for an imperfect kick. I can assure most moms that if your child is willing to practice most of the week, dreams up dances in her naps, and immediately starts grooving to every song on the radio from Gaga to Dvorak, she is probably giving it her all.

Dance can be expensive. It can be costly in money, time, and accessories. It sometimes means we forgo other activities but at any time either of my girls says “No! I donʼt want to go anymore” then I have to decide if my wanting them to dance has become my
desire for them. I think this is a valid question that most moms need to ask themselves when it comes to extracurricular activities or recreation.

Moms need to encourage but there is a fine line between pushing your child into something and encouraging them to participate. It is up to you to look for signs that your child might not be as enthusiastic about it as you.

For now, I am a dance mom. We spend a lot of time at the studio or with our furniture moved to the corner of the living room so the girls can dance “on stage” in front of the TV. I cherish each moment and movement as I watch them improve each step, kick,
and twirl but I know when they reach up, they are reaching for the stars, or at least enjoying the chance to do so.

 

Parenting with a Ph.D, Food Struggles

Posted on by Angie

By Kristen S. Berthiaume, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist

Taking a Bite Out of Food Struggles

Another night, another plate of chicken fingers.  Of course, this is the second (or third or fourth) dinner you’ve made because your kid is refusing the first one. You’re frantically trying to get something in that belly while words like “Starvation!” “Malnutrition!” and “Scurvy!” run through your mind.  Relax. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes.

While your eyes are closed… Imagine for a moment what you want your kid’s relationship with food to be like in 10 years. Most likely, you’re imagining that your son makes good choices about what and how much to eat. You’re hoping that your daughter feels O.K. about the occasional indulgence. Now, come back to the present and consider how the food struggles you’re having nightly are facilitating or impeding those outcomes.

When you and your child struggle over food, the focus is on who has the strongest will. Winning the battle tonight by forcing your child to eat what’s on his plate or go hungry may mean losing in the long run. Your child isn’t learning healthy eating habits or gaining an appreciation for a variety of foods – he is only avoiding punishment. Later when he has his own money and transportation minus the constant supervision, he’s likely to assert himself by making his own food choices. Probably poor ones.

No, you’re not a short-order cook. But that doesn’t mean the “customer” (a.k.a. your kid) is always wrong. Consider these tips for decreasing food struggles in your house:

  • Portion control.  Little tummies are…well…littler. Adjust portions accordingly. When she says she’s full, she’s full. To be sure this isn’t a ploy to move on to snack foods…
  • Beware of snacks. Don’t allow snacks for at least an hour after mealtimes so your child learns that dinner food is all he’s getting for a while. Also, avoid letting your child snack two hours before meals so he’s hungry when it’s time to eat.
  • Offer one meal. If she refuses to eat what’s on her plate, offer a single, healthy alternative that isn’t terribly exciting and requires little effort on your part. Food is in the tummy: Mission accomplished. If she has to eat bananas for dinner night after night, she will eventually try something else.
  • Offer new foods along with old favorites. The plate may seem less daunting with some familiar sides.
  • Present new foods numerous times. It might take 15 attempts. Try different preparations. Cover it with cheese. Everything’s better with cheese. Once your child grows to like a food, you can ease off on the extra stuff.
  • Dips. Kids love to dip their food. Yogurt. Ketchup. Ranch dressing. Did I mention cheese?
  • Use rewards other than foods. Try stickers, toys, privileges, and fun family time as positive consequences instead of treats. Research shows that using junk food as a reward can lead children to view it as more important and desirable. (Note: If you’re in the midst of stressful potty training, ignore this and do what you gotta!)
  • Connect children with food. Your child is much more likely to try a food if he feels connected with it. Go to the grocery store or farmers’ market together and encourage him to pick out something that looks interesting. Look up recipes together. Let your child help prepare the meal. If he made it himself, he’s going to at least try it.
  • Be a model. The number of vegetables on a parent’s, especially mom’s, plate at the dinner table is strongly correlated with a child’s willingness to eat them.
  • When all else fails, hide the veggies. I think we’ve discussed covering them with cheese. Search online for recipes and browse cookbooks like Deceptively Delicious. Look for pre-packaged meals (e.g., Kidfresh) that conceal vegetables inside of kid favorites.

Beyond picky eating. There are many kids with legitimate food aversions. Some choke on foods with certain textures or gag when they encounter particular smells. The above techniques aren’t likely to be helpful for these kids. If you’re not already working with a professional, ask your pediatrician for a referral. Occupational and behavioral therapists can help you with managing these food struggles.

About this column: Send your parenting- and kid-related questions my way via email and I’ll tell you what I can: 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 S. Berthiaume, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist

Kristen Berthiaume is a clinical psychologist with Grayson and Associates. She obtained her Ph.D. 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
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 four-year-old daughter and 18-month-old son.

Birmingham Events Calendar: September 11th – September 18th

Posted on by Angie

Birmingham Moms Rock is almost here! We can’t wait for everyone to meet our finalists this week and to announce the winner of our 2nd annual event… Have you voted yet? You should! We’ll even make it easy for you:

Read their stories and vote HERE

If you’ve read their stories and need to vote again go HERE

This weekend will be packed full of events including the Read and Romp at Railroad Park, and Red Panda Day at the Birmingham Zoo.

Story Day with Nene is back at Whole Foods on Friday’s so make sure to check out that fun and free storytime.

Enjoy this beautiful weather and have a great week!

It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!

Sunday September 11th:

Barts Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Make a drum inspired by African musical instruments with Bart! The Museum now offers a fun and free drop-in art program for kids and families! Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to discover great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child, then stop by and make art with Bart!
11am

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Monday September 12th:

Holy Inappropriateness! We couldn’t find any special events happening in the Ham’ today. Make sure to check our list below for fun exhibits happening daily at our local attractions.

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Tuesday September 13th:

Family Night – Emmet O’ Neal Library
Bama Air Dog – Gary Shockley will astonish and amaze you with…his dog! Come see their astounding tricks. Dinner at 5:30, show at 6:00. All ages. No registration required.

Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Join us for the fun of it! All ages welcome. For larger groups, a call is nice but not necessary.
10:30am

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Wednesday September 14th:

Wonderful Wednesday Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
How much grass can three billy goats eat? What is the ugly troll up to? Find out in The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Then we will play with NOOK and enjoy a drink from our Cafe. We’ll also create some arts and crafts.
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

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Thursday September 15th:

2nd Annual Moms Rock! – McWane Science Center
Join us for a great night of Mommy fun! On the plaza at McWane, we’ll have live music, henna tattoos, great food, prizes, swag and a cash bar. We’ll be announcing the winner of our contest and meeting all of the wonderful finalists.
6pm – 9pm

Relax by the Tracks – Railroad Park
Relax By The Tracks is a monthly event sponsored by the Railroad Park Foundation Junior Board and George’s Boxcar Cafe. Free music will be provided by local artists Jon Poor and DJ Omari. Food and drinks available at George’s Boxcar Cafe (cash only). Limited seating so bring your own blanket or chair!

Make sure to stay and catch the free movie at their Sunset Cinema

Sunset Cinemas – Railroad Park
The Pursuit of Happyness – 7pm
George’s Boxcar Cafe and Jim ‘N Nick’s Barbecue will be selling food and drink during the movies! George’s Boxcar Cafe will have all of your movie favorites, including popcorn, nachos, and candy; PLUS they will be serving cocktails! Jim ‘N Nick’s will be grilling their famous barbecue and will have other delectable Southern treats, including their famous cheese biscuits!

What to bring: a blanket or lawn chair and cash or credit card to so that you can purchase delicious food and beverages from George’s Boxcar Cafe and Jim N Nick’s!

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Friday September 16th:

Story Day with Nene – Whole Foods
stories, songs, and snacks as Mrs. Renee Schmidt leads the fun.
10am

Art of Science – Avondale Library
No money for paints,
Not a problem, you see.
If you know the tricks,
You can find supplies naturally.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on art supplies. Learn how to make clay from natural colorants, and how to make homemade paints and soy wax crayons.

At each session, the library will showcase books and videos about the program’s topic, and introduce age-appropriate databases for children to further explore what they learned at each program.
3:15

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Saturday September 17th

Read and Romp – Railroad Park
Story Stations, games, surprise PBSKids guest and free books.
9am – Noon

Red Panda Day – Birmingham Zoo
Come to the Zoo to participate in Red Panda Network’s “International Red Panda Day 2011″. Join other zoo visitors all across the globe by being a part of the Red Panda Games, where you’ll have the chance to become a red panda for the day and learn about survival in the wild, participate in a red panda memory card game, and explore the Zoo to spot other animals that share the red panda’s habitat. Join the Zoo in raising awareness and celebrating the uniqueness of red pandas by becoming a Red Panda Ranger!

Barts Books – Birmingham Museum of Art

In The Clever Monkey: A Folktale from West Africa, a trickster monkey “helps” two greedy jungle cats divide a piece of cheese.

Bart the Art Bat selects one book each month about art that he think 4-7 year olds will enjoy. The storytellers are often our favorite teachers from local schools. Bart’s Books.
11 AM

Fresh Market on The Green – Ross Bridge
Fresh Alabama grown fruits, vegetables, honey, fresh baked goods, coffee café, local artists, kids activity and more!
8am – Noon

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Make a drum inspired by African musical instruments with Bart! The Museum now offers a fun and free drop-in art program for kids and families! Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to discover great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child, then stop by and make art with Bart!
11am

Saturday Market – Pepper Place
7am – Noon

Saturday Storytime– Barnes and Noble Summit
What nice big ears you have — for listening to our Storytime where we will be reading Little Red Riding Hood! Then, we will do some arts and crafts and enjoy a treat from our Cafe.
11am

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Sunday September 18th:

Barts Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Make a drum inspired by African musical instruments with Bart! The Museum now offers a fun and free drop-in art program for kids and families! Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to discover great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child, then stop by and make art with Bart!
11am

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

Eat Well, Play Well Exhibit:
What is in the food we eat? Are fruits and vegetables important? Can everyday activities burn calories? Visitors will find the answers to these questions by exploring nutrition and fitness in this summer’s traveling exhibit called Eat Well, Play Well. This highly-interactive exhibit encourage healthy living by teaching the science of making healthy-food choices and helping children and adults discover that there are many fun and interesting ways to stay active. Visitors will discover what an appropriate serving size looks like, see first hand what it takes to burn off calories, test their flexibility and balance, review the latest clinical research and realize that they can reduce their risk of disease with healthy choices that are within their reach.

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: Tornado Ally,  Born to Be Wild, and Wild Ocean.

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.

Through the Eyes of a Child: Remembering 9/11

Posted on by Angie

We all remember where we were 10 years ago during the attacks of 9/11. Whether you were watching it unfold on television, or listening to it on the radio, you can probably still conjure up the sick feeling you had when it was explained what exactly it was that was happening to our Country. It’s one of those monumental events that changed things for us, forever.

There have been countless documentaries to account for the events of that day but only one from the viewpoint of the children involved and affected by that day.

The Second Day is a touching and inspirational documentary film about the students and educators at Ground Zero area schools who experienced first-hand the tragic events of September 11, 2001 in New York City. Directed by 14-year-old filmmaker Brook Peters, then a member the kindergarten class at P.S. 150 Tribeca Learning Center, the documentary continues to shed emotional light on the manic moments of that fateful September morning via Brook’s interviews with fellow classmates, students, teachers, faculty, firefighters, and counselors.

Brook Peters and his classmates witnessed something that as a parent you will do anything to shelter your kids from. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all of those who were involved. From the first responders to the witnesses and all of those who lost someone they loved or lost their lives on that day.

To see the documentary you can visit the site to rent it and view it online.

 

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