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.
If you think it takes a special talent to force a flower to bloom on time for the holidays, try an amaryllis bulb this year and you'll see that there's nothing to it. This version by Smith & Hawken at Target rates a BirminghamMom Find because it contains everything you need (bulb, pot, and disk of soil) and costs less than purchasing the contents seperately. A bulb of this size would go for $5 by itself in a nursery and certainly at Smith & Hawken.
Plant the bulb in the pot according to the directions - you can do this at your kitchen sink - and place it near a moderately sunny window. You and the kids will enjoy watching your bulb bloom much more than you ever enjoyed the preschool paper cups with the marigold seeds, and you'll have longer lasting and more impressive results.
Once the bulb has bloomed, use the pot for ivy or another small houseplant. Let the bulb go dormant in a cool, dry place (a paper bag in the basement works fine) and bury it in a sunny spot in your yard this spring. It will bloom again in the summer and you'll enjoy a dividend from your $9.99 purchase, probably year after year.
Plant by Thanksgiving to ensure a bloom during the week of Christmas, and if the flower becomes too heavy and starts to bend, it will still make a beautiful statement as a single cut flower in a vase.
This kit is packaged for gift giving and would also be a simple, no-fail hostess gift. If you spot Amaryllis bulbs after the holidays with blossoms trying to peek out from their boxes, snap them up at deep discounts. Maybe their timing is off for this Christmas, but you'll still enjoy the blooms in the winter days of January and will love having them back around as a bolt of color for your yard in the summer.
If you like the idea of sending a hand made card (not necessarily made by YOUR hands), check out these cute cards from Red Rain in Homewood. You can see there are versions suitable for winter or holiday greetings, as well as a plain old hometown hello.
If you're sending cards to far-flung friends, particularly to anyone who has a soft spot for Birmingham, you can bet your recipients will enjoy receiving a shout-out from the Magic City. A simple, graphic card like one of these will show up among all the other greetings and will feel like a big handshake from friends back in the 'ham. If you miss the neighbors who relocated to another state, have friends deployed overseas, or have family who are connecting flights apart from you, odds are they would light up to hear from you and your hometown. Just be sure to enclose a photo.
A box of 10 cards is $7 and is available in the Red Rain store on 18th street in Homewood.
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!