Drumroll please…Itty Bitty Magic City, the amazing adventureland for preschoolers reopens August 5!

The McWane team has worked hard to make this space as safe as it is fun for the little ones. They’ve gone all out, modifying the interactive exhibits , installing hand washing stations and more.

To keep things super safe, each child is given their own bag of toys and playthings as they enter. The “Itty Bitty Bag” provides all they need to fully enjoy the interactive exhibits. The Itty Bitty Bags are turned in at the end of the visit, and the items and bags are disinfected for the next user. Masks are highly recommended for children ages 2-6. Masks are required for everyone age 7 and older. Bring your mask or pick one up in our Cool Stuff Store.

Please note the change in hours before planning your visit!

Monday- CLOSED
Tuesday -CLOSED
Wednesday – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Thursday – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Friday – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday – 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday – 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM

4 Tips for Parents Setting Screen Time Limits for Kids During the Pandemic

With a summer overshadowed by COVID-19, parents are taking a hard look at how to make the right decisions regarding their kids’ increased reliance on screens— which are helping to maintain a sense of normalcy during this socially-distanced time— while also finding the right balance with other important activities.

TV, streaming platforms, and app downloads have all seen notable increases in their use since the pandemic started, and children’s television viewing has also skyrocketed as parents across the world are increasingly turning to screens and technology to entertain and engage their kids.

To get further insights into kids’ screen time habits and behaviors during the pandemic, Brainly— the world’s largest online learning community for students, parents, and teachers— surveyed 5,000 U.S. students (grades 6th-12th, ages 11-18) on its platform.

Some shocking insights were discovered. Consider this: About 25% of kids spend more than 9 hours every day looking at a screen. That screen time has led to just over 50% of students reporting headaches, soreness, and dry or irritated eyes. Since the pandemic began, students said they are spending at least 50% more time in front of screens daily.

Given the unprecedented situation we are facing which has brought on copious new challenges, the traditional boundaries and limits for screen time need to be reassessed.

So, how can parents handle screen time during the pandemic? Eric Oldfield, Chief Business Officer of Brainly and father of two school-age daughters, has a few tips for parents to consider when deciding the best course of action.

Not all screen time is created equal. It’s important for parents to assess how their child is spending their screen time with this in mind. Consuming content to gain information and get creative, as well as collaborating or socializing with their peers, is a great way for kids to maintain connections and continue learning during this unique time. However, time spent playing non-educational video games and watching mindless TV should be more closely monitored.

Designate specific times the entire family unplugs. To avoid battles, it’s best to establish and communicate boundaries before your children start using devices, and sticking to those limits as much as possible. Children, especially younger ones, often crave structure, especially during unpredictable times. It’s still good, for instance, for everyone to eliminate screen use for at least one hour or two before bedtime to avoid impacting sleep cycles.

Make sure screentime consumption is done healthily. Parents may want to consider having their children use blue screen glasses or switching their computer display screen settings to make sure their eyes are protected from harmful blue light. It’s also a good idea to ensure kids don’t sit too close to the screen, get up for a break at least once an hour, and sit with good posture while on the computer for hours on end doing schoolwork.

Come up with a plan that makes sense for your children. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else and are therefore the best person to decide what and how much media use is the right amount. Remember that screens are no longer the enemies of social interaction, learning, and productivity. Rather, they are enabling people around the world to work and learn and communicate with others during this uncertain time. The real enemies of healthy development in children are the same as adults: a sedentary lifestyle, social isolation, and distractions from schoolwork and learning. Using screens too much can contribute to all of these problems – but they can also counter them.

The COVID-19 pandemic could last for a long time, so as families create new routines, it’s always best to focus on habits that are practical and sustainable. Above all else, don’t feel guilty about turning to screens more than you used to.

For more tips and information on healthy screentime habits, visit www.brainly.com/insights.

ABOUT BRAINLY:
Brainly is the world’s largest online learning community, where students and parents get homework and study help from peers and experts. Students from anywhere can ask questions and get step-by-step explanations from others to go from frustration to understanding. The unique opportunity for students to freely ask questions, as well as gain the confidence that comes from helping others, inspires students to learn in a collaborative community that now receives more than 250 million visitors each month. Based in Krakow, Poland, with its US headquarters in New York City, Brainly is currently available in 35 countries. More information about Brainly is available on www.brainly.com.

The day has finally arrived! You leave the closing table with the keys to your new house and you’re officially a homeowner. You’re ready to take a few pictures in front of the sold sign, pop open a bottle of champagne to celebrate, prepare to unload a truck full of boxes, and eventually order a pizza to refuel from the busy day. It’s going to be an exciting time but before you get settled in for a Netflix binge, make a list and tackle these few things first!

TEST YOUR SMOKE & CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS: This should be one of the very first things you do to protect your home and your family. Pick up extra batteries to keep on hand or consider updating these to smart devices for extra safety. The smart smoke detectors such as the Nest will allow you to integrate the device to an app that will alert you when smoke is detected. They’re more expensive than your typical smoke detector but well worth the extra cost. While you’re at it, purchase fire extinguishes for your home and know how to use them in case of emergency.

CHANGE THE LOCKS: Changing the locks on a new home is a standard safety measure to take but can’t be done until after closing. Swing by your local hardware store to pick up new locks before the big moving day so that you are sure to get them taken care of right away. Sometimes the simplest things can get buried to the bottom of our to do lists when we don’t prepare in advance!

GET TO KNOW YOUR HOUSE: Before you move in, you’ll have had a Home Inspection which is a fantastic way to learn about your new home. You’ll want to know where major things are located such as the circuit breaker box and the main water shut off valve. Keep a copy of your Home Inspection report so you can refer back to it if you are just learning about how all of these mechanicals work.

FORWARD YOUR MAIL: I know this sounds like common sense but the US Postal Service will actually stop forwarding mail 6 months after you move. In order to be sure that you are receiving everything you need, go online and get this taken care of first thing on the day of closing to get it out of the way.

DO A DEEP CLEAN AND TACKLE LARGER PAINTING PROJECTS: This one can be done while watching your favorite Netflix show if you want! The best time to do a deep clean is when the house is empty and free from large furniture. If you’re moving in the day you close, you could wait to unpack boxes for rooms that are harder to clean such as the kitchen and bathrooms. You could even hire a professional cleaning service to do one big clean before you move in so you don’t have to worry about it and instead focus on unpacking!

Painting is one of the first projects new homeowners tackle when moving into a new house. Everyone has different taste so its unlikely that you’ll love all of the paint colors that the previous owner chose. Consider picking out the colors you like and painting before moving your furniture in. It makes the process a whole lot easier and you can even invite your friends to help. It’s called a painting party – all you have to do is provide them with pizza and beverages and people always seem more than happy to help!

Time to start tackling this list so you are ready to go when closing day arrives. You’ll be able to sleep safe and sound knowing you took care of these things before the sold sign goes up! If you’re not in the middle of a home buying purchase but want to learn more about the process, reach out to Sophia and Scott and they’ll be happy to set up a time to chat!

Thank you to our site sponsors, Sophia Leece and Scott Boudreaux with LAH Real Estate for sponsoring this guide. For more information on what’s happening in the Birmingham Housing Market, or to schedule a free home buyer/seller consultation, you can reach them:

Sophia Leece, 205.895.9120 | sleece@lahrealestate.com | Website
Scott Boudreaux, 205.835.9787 |sboudreaux@lahrealestate.com | Website

As Covid-19 continues to spread, many parents are wrestling with the decision of sending their kids back to school for in-person instruction or choosing the virtual option that most school systems are offering on some level. In addition to worrying about what germs they might pick up this year, we now have to be more diligent about the germs they bring home since children can bring viruses like COVID-19 home before they show any signs of illness. This can be dangerous should children come in contact with immune-compromised or elderly members of the family.

One way to protect your home from any form of the virus is to create a distinct set of barriers that make it harder for the virus to enter the home and spread, according to Dr. Brent Laartz, infectious disease expert and author of Protect Yourself: From Ebola to Zika.

Parents can create at-home checkpoints to keep diseases from getting into the house in the first place.

Consider collecting their screens before they enter the house, as well as backpacks, folders and lunch boxes. Take a cue from hospitals and point them to one entry into the home. Have your kids wash hands when they come in, or set up a little sanitizing station with some hand sanitizer and wipes to wipe down all of these items and their hands. Often times phones and ipads can carry more bacteria than the bottoms of their shoes. In this same space, have kids remove shoes and put all items aside that are often touched and travel between home and school. It will help keep viruses from sneaking in on overlooked items, and reinforces a household philosophy of cleanliness.

There will always be a chance that a virus can slip through any of the precautions you have in place, if that happens try quarantining the sick individuals to a single area as much as is feasible with kids as well as regularly wipe downs of all the shared objects that are commonly touched in the home, including remotes, devices, computers, and game controllers. There should also be extra attention paid to bathrooms.

In the end it’s best to be more mindful than ever how germs can enter your home. A good rule of thumb is to to pay close attention to all of the objects they handle regularly. We all know tiny humans struggle with their hygiene habits, but hopefully with some constant reminders and a little diligent, you can keep your house healthy this school year.

Stanley Steemer of North Central Alabama services the greater Birmingham Metro Area and surrounding counties, spanning from Cullman to Clanton and from the Mississippi state line to the Georgia state line.

All Stanley Steemer water restoration specialists have Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the most widely recognized and accepted certification program in the industry. These individuals are highly trained and prepared for any emergency water removal task they encounter. In addition to certification, our technicians attend IICRC-accredited continuing education and training programs throughout the year. We provide the time and money to train our people, and we supply them with the best equipment available.
For more information on their 24/7 Emergency Water Resmoval visit their site

Stanley Steemer provides trained technicians and state-of-the-art equipment you can’t get anywhere else. When flooding occurs, why muddy the waters? Call Stanley Steemer.

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