By now we’ve all seen the devastation Hurricane Dorian left in the Bahamas, if you’re looking for a way to help,  SummitMedia radio stations, 98.7 Today’s Kiss, 95.7 Jamz, 104.7 WZZK, 106.9 The Eagle, 610 WAGG 100.1, and 97.3 Play, along with the City of Birmingham and Christian Service Mission will collect donations for Hurricane Dorian victims September 5 – 12, 2019.

Residents of the Birmingham / Metro area can drop off items at the following locations:

Roebuck Wal-Mart | Thursday from 9am-5pm
Lakeshore Wal-Mart | Thursday from 2pm-6pm
Hueytown Wal-Mart | Friday from 9am-5pm
Roebuck Wal-Mart | Friday from 10am-1pm
Boutwell Auditorium | Monday-Thursday 7:30am-5pm

Items such as water, flashlights, batteries, canned goods, tarps, and cleaning supplies for those in need are top priority.  At the close of the donation drive, the City of Birmingham will work with the Christian Service Mission to ship the collected items to those in need in the Bahamas and any additional impacted areas.

There are a lot of poison dangers that parents of small children need to be aware of, from the cleaning products found in the kitchen to medicine stored in a bathroom. But there’s a hidden danger you may not have considered. How many poisonous items can be found in your purse or the purses of any guests in your home? Ann Slattery, Director of the Regional Poison Control Center at Children’s of Alabama, says a woman’s purse can contain any number of poison dangers. “When people come into your home they may bring things that are harmful to your child in their pocketbook,” said Slattery.

Some examples of dangerous items often kept in purses:

A non-childproof pill container: Could contain medications that are dangerous to a small child like heart medicine, an iron tablet, or a painkiller.

Toothpaste: May cause an upset stomach and possible fluoride poisoning.

Eye drops: Could lower heart rate and blood pressure. (Especially eye drops that remove redness)

Hand sanitizer, hair spray, perfume: All contain alcohol and can cause intoxication, including the risk of respiratory arrest and death

Button batteries: Can get lodged and burn through the esophagus quickly

Hand lotion, nail polish, lipstick: All can be irritating to the stomach and potentially dangerous

Slattery says the dangers are especially present when small children five and under are the in home. She advises placing all purses and bags away, including your guests. “For children five and under this would be something we would worry about,” said Slattery. Just keep it out of sight and out of reach.” Likewise, be mindful of the contents in your purse when you visit someone else’s home where there are small children.

If you suspect your child has ingested something poisonous, call the Regional Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. The service is free and confidential, and health care providers are available to take calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

ABOUT CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA

Since 1911, Children’s of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children, offering inpatient and outpatient services throughout central Alabama. Ranked among the best pediatric medical centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s provided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama, 45 other states and six foreign countries last year, representing more than 677,000 outpatient visits and more than 15,000 inpatient admissions. With more than 2 million square feet, Children’s is the third largest pediatric medical facility in the U.S. More information is available at childrensal.org.

By: Coach Nevena Taylor
Blockout Volleyball Academy

As we approach JH/HS season, things are getting heated, especially in the parent lineup. In my experience, these are regularly some of the parents’ biggest concerns:

My child is not getting enough playing time

My child is one of the best but she is not getting playing time

My child is playing the wrong position.

In this post, I will go over these and share my opinions on what needs to be considered by parents in each of these scenarios.

Not enough playing time

There are many reasons why an athlete is not getting playing time, especially early in the season. So, before jumping to conclusions, please consider:

• Coaches tend to try and experiment with different line ups, different positions, different systems.
• Coaches test their athletes to see what they can get out of them. They may know the ability of their best players, but they also have to know who they can count on if things are not going well or somebody gets hurt.
• Some athletes could be the best in practice, but not the best game players and vice versa.
• Things such as chemistry, attitude, work ethic can also play a role, regardless of one’s skill level.
• From a coach’s perspective, playing your very best athletes early in the season is a risk. It can mean they get tired or injured later in the season when stakes are higher.
• MS/HS season is only 5-8 weeks long and that is a very short time for new teams and new coaches to figure out how to make the most of what they have with the time they’ve got.

Remember, not getting any playing time can serve your child well. It can help cultivate motivation to keep working hard to get more playing time, it can promote re-evaluating their own behavior, as well as re-evaluating their goals and interest in the sport.

If an athlete is considering a lengthy career, they will have to learn to be both the bench player and the superstar. Both will come at some point in their career.

Another great thing about not having enough court time is acquiring another perspective to the game. You can learn a tremendous amount by simply observing the game.

My child is playing the wrong position

If you think your child is in the wrong position, the only thing that’s wrong is, unfortunately, you. There is no such thing as a wrong position, especially at the younger ages. Young athletes need touches, they need to learn all skills and they need to learn the game from different aspects and positions. Eventually they will settle at the correct place, and this usually happens later in their HS years or collegiate career.

My advice

The worst things parents can do is to take all the mentioned concerns, and start discussing it with their kid on the way back home, trashing the coach or other players. This is not only not helpful to your child, it’s extremely damaging. The path of an athlete, on all levels, is full of challenges of all sorts, and your job is to help them persevere, not give up and stay true to their goals. Gossiping and blaming everyone else, without taking the time to understand how things work and why, will only hinder your child’s success.

So dear parents, my best advice would be to avoid gossip and any kind of negative talk about the coach or other athletes. Avoid blaming anyone else in front of your child, even if your concerns are legitimate. if you need to discuss anything, you should go to the coach.

What you should be focusing on is enjoying the short season, encouraging your child to keep improving, to keep working hard and to be respectful.

Keep in mind, 5-8 week long season does not determine your child’s career, but the action before, during and after does.

About Coach Nev:

Coaching is a very rewarding career. Through my journey as a player, I have learned how important the coach is in the athlete’s life. I have had a good coaches and some…not so good. Both, good and bad, groomed me to be better coach today.

I am committed to be the coach that will always inspire a player and be a positive influence in their life. Often, athletes only need somebody to push them and believe in them.

Inspiring young girls to train, get better, and dream big is my passion and my calling.

I’ve see a few posts recently on some message boards about carpet cleaning services, members asking for recommendations, how to choose a cleaning service, what to look for, what type of process is best, how often to clean carpets etc. So, since we happen to have some good friends that are sponsors of BirminghamMommy, we decided to consult the experts and see if we could get these questions answered. The last thing we want is  we’re going to let Stanley Steemer educate us on things we should look in a carpet cleaning service.

Before you select a professional cleaning service – be sure to ask these 3 important questions!

What cleaning methods will be used?

Hot Water Extraction – This is known as “steam cleaning”  because of the steam you see, but doesn’t actually clean with steam. Hot water and cleaning solution are injected into the carpet and extracted with powerful truck-mounted vacuums. This is the cleaning process Stanley Steemer uses, and it is the method recommended by nearly all carpet manufacturers.

Dry Cleaning – Some companies use a powder, mixed with cleaning solvents that is spread into the carpet with a rotating brush machine. The powder absorbs soils and is then vacuumed up. Though fast, this method is unable to achieve a deep clean and the powder is difficult to completely remove.

Shampooing – A cleaning agent is applied and whipped into the carpet by a special machine, and then extracted. This is a simple method that can often be done yourself at home. However, without proper vacuum pressure, these machines often over-wet the carpet and leave soapy residue behind that attracts more dirt later. The rotating brushes on these machines can also damage and fray carpet fibers.

What are the hidden charges?

Don’t get bait and switched by the hidden charges that they don’t tell you about over the phone. Stanley Steemer offers fixed pricing, and we do not charge for things like spot treating, moving basic furniture, use of portable units (in high rise buildings), or even for cleaning small closets and landings off your rooms or stairs. With us, the price you see is the price you pay.

What certifications do you have?

Many companies do not have the professional training needed to give proper cleaning recommendations for your surfaces. Before you hire, ask about these reputable certifications:

IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) – This is the leading carpet cleaning institute in America who sets standards for the industry. All Stanley Steemer technicians are trained in IICRC methods by IICRC Certified professionals.

U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) – This government agency was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment. Stanley Steemer’s carpet and upholstery cleaning solution is Certified by the EPA Safer Choice program because it is safer to use for your family, pets and the environment.

AAFA (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America) – This is the leading organization dedicated to those with asthma and allergies. Stanley Steemer’s cleaning process was tested by accredited laboratories and is the first to be Certified by AAFA in three cleaning categories: carpet, tile & grout and hardwood.

How often should my carpets be professionally cleaned?

The AAFA (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America) recommends cleaning your carpets by a professional certified carpet cleaner (Ahem… Stanley Steemer) every 3-4 months and vacuuming 1x week with a HEPA vacuum

Do you have any questions about the care of your carpet? Leave it in the comments and we’ll get you an answer!

Stanley Steemer provides professional deep cleaning services including carpet, tile & grout, upholstery, hardwood and air ducts. We also provide water restoration services. 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. Stanley Steemer is the first carpet cleaning service certified asthma & allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, removing an average of 94% of common household allergens from carpet. 24/7 scheduling available! Use Code: Mom30 for $30 off any service. (Minimum charges apply)