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Plenty of parents will be giving musical instruments this year to gauge their child's level of interest before plunging into lessons. However, consider how important proper instruction is to reinforce your child's interest and success. The investment in music lessons may be one of the greatest gifts your child receives, whether he or she continues to play or eventually loses interest.
Eileen, a BirminghamMom of three boys (now grown), recalls that she was given a guitar as a young girl but did not receive professional training. Although she taught herself well enough to enjoy the instrument, she told her boys that if they wanted any instrument they would also have to commit to lessons. All three of her sons took guitar lessons and two still play for their own enjoyment. However, one son went on to major in music at Montevallo and now plays and instructs professionally in New York City. Long term, Eileen has had the satisfaction of seeing her son nurture a talent and develop a career that he can take anywhere. Even if you don't have a future professional on your hands - Taylor Swift hopes aside - music education will benefit your child even after the instrument is packed away.
Lisa, a BirminghamMom of three, took guitar lessons along with her oldest son starting when he was nine years old. Their lessons were scheduled back-to-back and they worked with the instructor for a total of an hour each Saturday. With her son beginning the lesson with his chords and Lisa finishing the lesson working on her own selections, Lisa says that this helped both of them reinforce their learning during both the lessons themselves and their practice sessions at home. Their mutual interest in the guitar became a shared learning experience for both.
Music stores typically keep a listing of their recommended instructors. Ellis Piano has a list of helpful questions to ask when selecting an instructor. Other sources for instructors are the music departments at UAB, Samford, or Montevallo (instructors and graduate students often teach private lessons) and even houses of worship. Congregations often have musical staff who offer instruction and some have formal programs (see Arts Academy at Hunter Street Baptist Church).
Imagine, years from now your family could be singing "Silent Night" with your child as the accompanist.
After cup holders, the greatest revolution in family road trips has to be the DVD player. If you're braving a trip over the holidays, you'll want to scout out some entertainment for your back seat riders that won't make you crazy by the time you arrive at your destination. Here are some ideas:
Kung Fu Panda was just released and is $15.97 at Wal-Mart; this is a cute movie that even grownups can enjoy
Brady Bunch (early seasons preferred) - Why not take a trip down memory lane yourself? You'll be surprised at your new perspective on the shows you used to watch in the afternoons after school. A BirminghamMom tells me her family cruised through a 12-hour drive and the Brady blended family was surprisingly good company. The confessions made by many of these actors in the post-Brady years will seem even more incredible, as will the fashions.
I Love Lucy is the all-time classic for all audiences; the episodes are funny even if you (not to mention the kids) don't recognize the inside jokes related to the contemporary guest stars of the time (Bob Hope, Tennessee Ernie Ford, etc.). Lucille Ball is an undisputed pioneer as a comedian and television performer, but she seldom gets her due as one of the first working moms to integrate her family and professional roles. The real heartbreak? Despite having produced enduring work that is commercially viable 50 years later, her family does not benefit from "I Love Lucy" royalties (no video distribution rights to negotiate in those days). Rent episodes from the library for spite.
For some unplugged entertainment, the Kids' Road Atlas pictured here is $3.95 at Rite Aid and probably available at many other stores. This atlas has excellent educational material and a variety of activities and games to keep the kids engaged. Surprise them with it mid-trip and it won't feel like another homework assignment but rather a welcome diversion.
DVD players, new material, and perhaps even earphones for the kids? For these may we be truly thankful.
Here's a way to add some cheer to your tabletop or pantry for nothing at all.
Surely you have marshmallows for your sweet potato casserole or a fall evening of s'mores. Place them in a clear jar and use Expo or Vis-a-Vis markers (these are the type used for whiteboards or overhead projector films) to dress them up with a snowman face.
You can put a snowman face on any number of clear containers that hold white contents: sugar or flour canisters in the kitchen, cotton balls in the bathroom, the salt shaker on the kitchen table. Does an elf make mischief at your house during the holidays? Bet he or she is going to find this trick and use it to surprise the kids.
The painted-on face will wipe off with the faintest touch, so it will need refreshing, but let the kids add subsequent faces and see what they come up with.
BirminghamMom Tip: Don't let those naughty elves get their hands on your markers or they might leave holiday messages for the kids on your bathroom mirror, glass storm door, or even on the car windows next to their seats!
Pick the kids up after school and head straight to a ceramic painting studio, where you'll have space and time away from the weekend crowds to paint a memento for this season. Although you may have plenty of "turkey hand" painting projects from daycare or school, construction paper fades quickly. Put the kids' handprints in ceramic and you'll have a treasure. Besides, it's well worth taking an afternoon off to enjoy some relaxed time with the kids.
If the kids are younger, you'll have to spend your time attending to them and likely will not be able to do a project of your own. Make up the time by calling up some girlfriends and reserving the party room for an evening; individual studio fees are waived for a party of 8 or more in most studios. Bring finger foods and beverages and catch up while you paint and before your schedules are booked with holiday festivities.
If your kids are small, paint both their hands and then have them clasp one of the large round ball ornaments. You'll never regret having prints of both hands on one piece.
If your kids are older, they can tackle a piece with obvious outlines like a snowman mug or candy cane dish. Short attention span? Stick to a flat ornament that's easy to handle and can be painted quickly. My son once painted a blue candy cane. I grimaced at the time, but now it's one of the most sentimental ornaments in our collection.
Some Birmingham ceramic painting studios are:
- Painted By U in Hoover, across from the Galleria next to Toys R Us (relocated from Vestavia) - why not walk the kids through Toys R Us afterward and get an idea of what interests them for Christmas?
- Ceramic Creations in Hoover off John Hawkins Parkway (across from Super WalMart and a few doors down from Tortuga's, a favorite Birmingham pizzeria)
- Homemade Bisque Its on 39th Street South in Forest Park
- Do It Yourself Crafts in Homewood at 1909 Oxmoor Road
Our family carves at least one pumpkin and sometimes several, but naturally this has to wait until within a day or two of Halloween so the pumpkins don't begin to decompose. Since the kids love to create the toothy Jack-O-Lantern faces, we go ahead and draw the faces using indellible ink pens. We have a couple of weeks to enjoy the drawn-on faces and then we use them as our patterns when we finally carve the faces on Halloween.
I've found that having the "Sharpie Faces" doesn't diminish the fun of the actual pumpkin carving at all. We would still have had to mark the features to trace while carving, and this allows us to really see how our pumpkin is likely to look when it's cut. These models here won't win any awards for originality, but we do get to enjoy the thrill of creating the Jack-O-Lantern faces twice; once in ink and once with the carving tools.
A Birmingham Dad of three recently shared his family's ritual for pumpkin carving. After the last feature is carved, they turn off all the lights in the house and light the candle that goes inside the pumpkin. Then he carries the pumpkin and leads the parade from the kitchen to the front door step while the kids provide the spooky ghost noises. Thanks, Todd, for the idea!
BirminghamMom tip: Save your candle stubs to use inside your pumpkins during Halloween; just be sure to place them in a secure base such as a small tin or a glass jar and not let them burn lower than 2".
We are so fortunate to have a premier children's hospital in our city, and I daresay we sometimes take the convenience for granted. Although most of us associate Children's Hospital with acute care, the Children's Health System offers many other services for health and wellness, including free medical information tailored to your interests and delivered to you via e-mail.
Partners in Parenting is an e-zine that is perfect for busy BirminghamMoms. Medically reviewed, current articles are sent to your e-mail based on the interests that you select. Even parent health and well-being is an available feature, a worthy topic given the stresses most of us face. Other topics include:
ADD/ADHD Asthma Divorce and Kids Sports Medicine Twins/Multiples Weight Management and Kids
You can take the service a step further by signing up for My Kids' Health Reminders and My Kids' Health Links.
The Health Reminders aren't just for kids; you can add any loved ones - parents, spouse - and receive reminders for preventative care and recommended exams based on their age and gender. What a help for the sandwich generation! Besides, you know you will have to keep after your husband to get his physical and the dreaded rectal exam. (Please! Given we carry and birth a child, does he have any excuse to avoid this?)
School just started and homework is already dominating family life? You don't have to go it alone. FREE on line tutoring is available to you with nothing more than your library card. Real, live tutors are available from 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings. You'll need to supply your name, library card number, and zip code to log into the service.
If you're reaching the limits of what you can remember from your school days (let alone illustrate or explain for your kid), you'll be delighted to know this free tutoring service goes all the way through 12th grade, including pre college coursework. Don't even attempt to help them with a geometry proof and thereby dishonor your 10th grade vow to never revisit that torture again; there are qualified tutors just clicks away. Algebra and Trigonometry tutoring is also available - whew! You won't feel responsible for teaching a problem-solving method that is no longer the educational standard or, worse, confusing your kids even more.
With Grandparents Day approaching, it's a good time to reflect on some of the entertainment our grandparents' generation enjoyed before MTV, shopping malls and the cell phone changed the teen landscape forever.
Now that we have seen some of our own youthful entertainment become classic (SchoolHouse Rock, Incredible Hulk, Care Bears), we can appreciate the timeless quality of previous generations' fun, particularly old radio programs.
Programs from radio's "Golden Age" were the YouTube of their time, drawing families together after evening meals (and before call PAPA meant pizza delivery). Just like "I Love Lucy" for television, many of the old episodes are still funny and relative despite occasional references to the political issues of the day.
Now you can download some of the best of these programs in MP3 format for free. Consider burning a CD for a grandparent, sure to be delighted to listen to radio as he or she remembers it. While you're at it, download some episodes for your own family. Kids can enjoy original versions of Superman or Flash Gordon during the next extended car ride, and budding grammar students can check out - and hopefully understand - the humor of Abbott & Costello's "Who's On First?" routine that you've heard quoted all your life.
Unlike audio books which are read by an actor or author, these are full-scale productions by actors and comedians, complete with sound effects and live studio audiences. If your kids are curiously fascinated by mechanics, be sure to let them see the Back of the Mike [sic] tour for how sound effects were created (a little slow-moving by today's standards, but interesting nontheless).
Maybe a clean pile of laundry is preferable to a dirty pile, but both are disconcerting in their own ways. You can keep dirty laundry hidden in a hamper or closet, but what about keeping the clean laundry tidy in the time until it is put away? Even when clothing is sorted and neatly folded in open baskets, it still looks slightly undone.
These bins are the perfect way-station for clean clothes that need to be returned to drawers or closets. Put a set in your laundry area and assign one to each kid (or adult, they're large enough). Ideally, the clean clothes can be placed directly in the bins after being pulled from the dryer or (ugh) ironed.
- Bins store like drawers and have a neat appearance whether full or empty
- Bins can be removed completely from either side of the holder and toted to bedrooms, etc. by respective owners
- Handles on both sides allow kids to easily carry them like regular laundry baskets
- Two-drawer units are stackable and sturdy
- Bins have enough space to allow for air circulation so clothes don't get stale
A set of these bins by Sterilite is $29.99 in the storage/organizer section of Wal-Mart. The current version is dark beige.
Think of it as a sort of Netflix for books without the middleman: Paperbackswap.org allows you to exchange books you have finished and select your next good read, all for only the price of postage.
Over 2 million titles in every genre are available, and they need not be paperback (or even books, for that matter; audio books are also included). The extensive selection of children's books can be searched by age appropriateness; your kids can benefit from your membership by swapping the books they've outgrown for more challenging titles.
- List books you wish to exchange by the publisher's ISBN number on the back cover - no descriptions to write
- If a title you desire is unavailable, create a wish list to be notified when the title is added to the collection
- Sender pays postage ($2.13 for a typical paperback)
- Print mailing wrapper using 2 sheets of regular paper in your home printer - includes mailing label and ability to calculate postage
- Printable mailing wrapper even includes postage if pre-paid through the site via credit card or Pay Pal and (includes a 43 cent postage charge)
Kristi, a BirminghamMom of three in Hoover, has used this site for the past two years and estimates her family has enjoyed more than 40 books through swapping. Thanks to Kristi for sharing this find of the week!
