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When you become a Mom you develop a new perspective on education. You realize that education is so much bigger than the usual talk about property values; it is the deciding factor in not only your child's future, but also in the vitality of the entire community.  Even If you sacrifice to afford the best private education Birmingham has to offer or if your own children are in a highly rated school system, are you satisfied that anyone else has to settle for so much less?

Yes We Can Birmingham! is a grass roots initiative to develop and articulate the community's vision for Birmingham's public schools. By hosting Community Conversations, which are facilitated and open to the public, Yes We Can Birmingham! is preparing a community agreement to serve as the collective voice.  The ultimate goal is to establish a foundation partner, as has been done successfully for other local school systems, to help ensure that the collective vision becomes a reality.

Community conversations are scheduled around town at several locations through August, and you can also speak up online.  This is your opportunity to be heard without the clamor of city hall and politics. If you are a Birmingham citizen, your input is encouraged even if you are not served by the Birmingham City School System.  

When the kids head off to school this fall, consider taking a course  yourself:  Financial Peace University.  This is a program created by Dave Ramsey, known for his syndicated radio show and speaking engagements. 

I consider myself a pretty savvy consumer, and my husband is also a conservative guy. He frequently listens to Dave's show during his commute, so when a course was offered through a nearby church last year - childcare included - we decided to see if ol' Dave could teach us anything.

I admit we had misgivings.  Would we be asked to divulge personal information?  Would balance sheets be illuminated on a PowerPoint slide?  What sort of people would be in the class?  We speculated on a whole cast of characters.  They could be seniors who had lost their nest eggs gambling in Vegas, bankrupt entrepreneurs, or maybe families living hand-to-mouth.  We were none of those things, and were maybe even a bit prideful, admiring Warren Buffet over Donald Trump.

We needn't have worried.  The sessions were like a book club, only with video of Ramsey's seminars.  There was discussion, but it was more along the lines of negotiating for better deals, evaluating necessities, and avoiding all forms of debt.  Several participants were engaged couples or newly expecting parents, which I thought spoke well of their preparation for the next phase of their lives. The highlight of the class was near the end, when some participants ceremoniously cut up credit cards with an industrial pair of shears in a procedure known as a "plastectomy".  My greatest personal discomfort was in the realization that bringing a Starbucks cup into class would not reflect well on my judgment.

Dave's program is faith-based with frequent references to scriptures, though the program does not emphasize any denomination. Most church-sponsored programs charge only for materials, which last year were around $70.   In our case, I think we benefitted most from having a weekly "money date" that allowed us to review our expectations and appreciate progress toward our common goals. 

 Birmingham Area Financial Peace University classes beginning this fall include (click below to view): 

 

Communities all over the country are participating in a program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Big Read, an initiative designed to encourage reading for pleasure among Americans.

BirminghamMoms and Alabamians in general have a unique opportunity to participate in this cultural event, since one of the novels featured in The Big Read is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.  Perhaps we take for granted the greatness of the story, set in segregated Alabama and recognized as an classic in American literature.  The book is required reading for most 9th graders in the city, and has been selected as The Big Read novel of choice for communities from Buffalo, NY, to Orange County, CA.

The culmination of The Big Read in Birmingham will include a showing of the movie at the Alabama Theater on Thursday, April 10th at 7 p.m. ($4 admission includes popcorn and a soft drink).  Other events at area public libraries are also scheduled. There are even overnight tours departing from Brookwood Mall that will include significant sites in Montgomery, Monroeville, and Selma, as well as a live performance of the stage production.  (Registration must be submitted by April 10th.)  If you can't go, look over the itinerary for inspiration on how to plan a short educational trip sometime.    

 

The quality of your educational system was likely of paramount importance to you in choosing your home.  You've probably debated the merits of purchasing a home in which you sacrifice space or pay a hefty premium to ensure a good school system.

Sadly, while some schools in the Birmingham system languish and face closure, others in the area are among the best in the state.  Use the Schools Matter widget to compare area public schools and see how your current system (or that of the dream home you've been considering) compares. 

 

Government contracts have been essential to the growth and prosperity of many small businesses, and if you have a woman-owned business, the federal government wants to show its support. 

In fact, the UAB Small Business Development Center is conducting its seventh annual Business Opportunities and Industrial Conference March 12 & 13 at the Hill Center on UAB's campus.  Here you may join exhibitors representing not only federal and local government entities but also the large companies who sub-contract to small businesses.  Experts in marketing and partnering with government interests will present recommendations and be available to answer questions.  In particular demand right now are small businesses providing IT, clinical, and maintenance/janitorial services. 

Registration is required and the individual fee is $85 through the SBDC website.  

Not ready to go big time yet?  The Small Business Development Center will also assist you in developing a business plan (this includes stay-at-home and marketing/sales businesses).  In addition to regular educational programs, counselors will review your business plan and provide suggestions and analysis at no charge.  Call 934-6868 to schedule a counseling session. 

One of the highlights of the holidays for me is an ornament swap that began over 10 years ago.

Crista Burson began the swap as a brunch at her home in Forest Park.  The first event was such fun guests suggested other friends who would enjoy the event the following year, and thus the ornament swap grew to over 40 attendees and a production in its own right. 

When Crista and her family moved to Anchorage years later, her guests took over the swap and began taking turns hosting at other houses.  Crista sent video greetings and even showed up as a surprise guest over the years, with many attendees at the swap having never before met the girl who started it all.

Read the secrets to Crista's success in creating an event that is in its 13th year...

 

Give your extra stuff a second life and free your space in the bargain.  Clear out your closet, basement, or toy boxes and benefit your Birmingham neighbors in need of the very things that are cluttering your life.  There are several worthy local services that would benefit from your useful cast offs, and many of them will even pick up from your doorstep or driveway.

 

1.  Call with your name and contact information, street address, and a general list of items you have for pick up (this assists them with allocating workers and providing your receipt).  Most have a regular schedule and can let you know when they will be in your area for pick up. 

 

2.  Label your donation conspicuously so there is no confusion about what you are donating.  (I have an irrational fear that someone will cart away my porch front bench and sell it for five dollars.)   Bags and boxes with a label are easiest to handle, and a freestanding item, such as a high chair, should have its own label.  A simple note with “SA” for Salvation Army is fine. 

 

3.  Don’t give away junk.  Someone from the agency still has to sort and price or package your giveaways, and it isn’t helpful to an organization when it spends its limited resources picking up material that should have gone into trash in the first place.  My personal rule of thumb is, if I wouldn’t put it in my own garage sale, I won’t put it off on these agencies.

 

4.  Donation considerations:

*Items should be clean, especially clothes and appliances

*There is a difference between "gently worn" and "worn out" 

*Cosmetic damage is acceptable as long as the item is working (ex., scratched or dented applicances)

*Furniture that needs clean up or minor repair/restoration is acceptable.  Someone would love to take some polish to your old table.

*Agencies cannot accept or transport combustible items such as paint, fertilizer, charcoal briquettes, etc.

 

5.  When you pause to consider whether to keep something, don't think about whether you might possibly use it again, but about whether someone else could more fully utilize it.

 

View BirminghamMom.com's list of area agencies who can use your donation: