13 minute read
Meeting Kids Where They Are
Are You a Lawn Mower Parent?
“Helicopter parents” are becoming obsolete and replaced by “lawn mower parents”. This new breed of parenting style plows ahead of their children, arranging their lives in an attempt to eliminate sorrow, discomfort, and misfortune. “Lawn mower parents” are not preparing their child for the road, they are preparing the road for their child.
This style of parenting is extremely detrimental for an infinite number of reasons, but my greatest concern is that this deficit of hardships will produce a generation of people who have never had the opportunity to become well rounded. Life is full of mishaps, unmet expectations, and things that go horribly wrong. Parents must stop believing that negative emotions and experiences are unhealthy for their children. In fact, research consistently reveals negative emotions and experiences are a vital part of the growth and development process.
Let’s look at how to help your child handle the “negative emotions” of boredom, disappointment, regret, and discouragement.
1. Boredom is the birthplace of creativity
and imagination. Children who are able to accept boredom as a simple prompt to find things to do are forced to fully engage their creativity and imagination. Creativity helps develop innovation, but imagination is the most important building block for problem solving. We have to be able to imagine a solution before we can learn to create a plan of action.
2. Disappointment is the emotion we experience when do not meet our own expectations or the expectations of others.
The ability to handle disappointment well is a skill that must be practiced. Use disappointments as opportunities for connection and communication through the development of expectation management. Help your child learn how to manage expectations by going over all the possible things that will take place and practice appropriate responses. To help your child manage his/her own expectations ask, “What are you imagining this to look like or what are you thinking about this?” You might be surprised to find out exactly how accurate or inaccurate his/her expectations are.
3. Regret is a teaching emotion essential
for the learning process. Regret helps us remember to think carefully before acting and to learn from our mistakes. Guilt and regret are important for encouraging positive behavior change, shame is not. As a parent, you eliminate shame by focusing on the behavior. Help your children see that their action was wrong without making them feel like they were wrong.
4. Discouragement takes place when we
lose confidence. Help your child use the feeling of discouragement to determine any necessary changes and then help him/her try again. Teach your children this Thomas Edison quote, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.”
It is not your job as a parent to eliminate difficulties. However, it is unfair to expect your child to embrace them with a positive attitude. All you can do is sit with them in their heartbreak. When they are ready, give them words to better understand their complex emotions and difficult experiences. If you do this, you will help your child become a resilient adult with the ability to keep going in the face adversity. This is how you prepare your child for the road.
Dr. Beth Long received her education in Counseling Psychology from Chapman University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Beth has worked in six unique clinical environments across the country and currently owns Works of Wonder Therapy in Montgomery. Beth utilizes the knowledge from a variety of different disciplines to give her patients the best care possible. To learn more visit www.worksofwondertherapy.com.
8th Annual Fairhope Girl’s Night Out
Great shopping, giveaways, discounts, and food are in the works for Downtown Fairhope Business Association’s 8th Annual Girl’s Night Out. The ticketed event takes place May 5, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fairhope Welcome Center and features over 100 participating businesses in Downtown Fairhope that will offer big savings, door prizes, complimentary refreshments, and live music. Advanced tickets are just $25 and include a GNO t-shirt, exclusive coupon book, and Swig cup! For more information, visit www.FairhopeMerchants.com.
Eastern Shore Art Center’s 4th Annual “White Linen Night”
Musical jazz stylings of The Big Easy will fill the galleries of ESAC on Thursday, May 19, from 7-10 pm, amidst both silent and live art auctions for the White Linen Night 2022 fundraising gala. The Art Center has lined up music by the New Orleans Ramblers featuring Tim Jackson for the evening, with exceptional
Louisiana fare and art auctions a la
Jackson Square. A festive signature cocktail by The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa will also be featured. Mercedes-Benz of Mobile is serving again this year as Benefactor Level Sponsor, with Gulf Coast Events and Rentals creating the magical splendor that wows guests each year.
Event held at Eastern Shore Art Center, 401 Oak St. Fairhope, AL 36532. Tickets on sale now: $100 per person (includes food and drink tickets). Order online at www.event.gives/wln2022 . You may also call (251) 928-2228 or pick up at the Art Center. For more information, contact Adrienne Clow at Adrienne@esartcenter.org or 9282228 ext 103. Visit www.esartcenter.org, Facebook, or Twitter for daily updates!
Dorothy Myers on Her Way to Becoming Eagle Scout
Dorothy Myers is well on her way to becoming the very first female Eagle Scout in Baldwin County. The Bay Minette resident and her fellow Scouts recently completed the installation of her Eagle Project – replacing the organization sign in Stockton with a new sign illuminated with solar lights. Once she completes her paperwork and has her board of review, Dorothy will earn Eagle Scout rank – the highest rank available in Scouts BSA. Dorothy is a member of Troop 82G, which is one of just two all-girl Scouts BSA troops in Baldwin County. Her troop was chartered by Resurrection Church in Daphne and she has been a member for three years.
For her Eagle Scout Project, Dorothy received help from her fellow troop members, Baldwin County High School Air Force JR ROTC, family and friends. The project was sponsored by the Stockton Civic Club and Five Arts Club. Dorothy is a student at Baldwin County High School and is a member of the
JR ROTC program. She is also a member of Girl Scout Troop 8306 which meets at Stockton Presbyterian Church. She is currently working on her Gold
Award, the highest accolade available in the Girl Scout organization. #EagleScout #GoldAward #GoBC #playlikealadytiger
North Baldwin Chamber Annual Crawfish CookOff
Ready, Set, Boil! Join the North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce at Blackburn Park in Downtown Bay Minette on Friday, May 6th for a Crawfish Event like no other -- The Annual Crawfish Cook Off! This event includes a competitive variety of cooking styles for crawfish from a wide group of teams. Award categories include Overall 1st, 2nd and 3rd, Crowd Favorite, Spiciest, Best Boil-In/Side and Most Team Spirit! There will be live music by one of Nashville’s best duos, Sugarcane Jane, cold beer, kid’s activities and more! Gates open at 5:30pm. General Admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of! Kids 10 and under are $10, and 5 and under enter free! For more information on the event and to purchase tickets visit, Crawfish Cook-Off (northbaldwinchamber.com) and follow the ‘Crawfish Cook-Off 2022’ event on Facebook!
Mon. thru Fri. 3 pm to 6 pm
Food & Drink Specials
Mobile Causeway Only*
SPECIAL DRAFT WELL
DRINKS BEERS DRINKS
$4 $3WINES
White Zinfadel Bloody Marys | Margaritas Merlot & Chardonnay
$4 $4
Local Microbrews
$6 APPETIZERS CAJUN POPCORN SHRIMP GET PICKLED FRIED PICKLES FRIED GREEN TOMATOES FRIED MOZZARELLA CHEESE originaloysterhouse.com/happyhour
Ballin on Belrose
We would like to invite the Gulf Coast community to come out and join us on
Saturday, May 14 starting at 9:00 am for an event all can enjoy. This event was inspired by the 29029 Everesting Challenge. The 11-mile journey represents the distance traveled to reach the top of Mount Everest, a truly Baller achievement. Join us for the challenge or to cheer those striving for the Summit. The event will have plenty of entertainment and activities including DJs along the route, and at the post-event party where you will hear live music from Brandon Giles, grab a bit from the food trucks, and let your kids enjoy the jump house. At The Baller Dream Foundation, we strive to lift the spirits and ease the minds of our local Ballers, young warriors, and their families affected by cancer. Bring your family and friends to see who has what it takes to be a Baller and summit Everest. Let’s be the difference in someone’s life today. Are you up for the challenge? If you are unable to attend the event but would like to donate to The Baller Dream
Foundation, please visit https://ballerdream.org/donate. For more information about this event visit: https://ballerdream.org/ballinonbelrose.
The Publix Grandman Triathlon
The Publix Grandman
Triathlon: Presented by Altaworx is a shortdistanced “sprint” which features a one-third mile swim in Mobile Bay, an 18.6-mile bike through the rolling countryside of Fairhope, and a 3.1 mile run that does not skimp on hills. The event, whose proceeds benefit the work of Mobile Baykeeper, is open to individual racers and teams.
The May 21 event, which begins at Fairhope Pier, is as much a celebration of community as it is a competition. Racers, volunteers, and spectators come together in high spirits, excited to be back at what’s become one of the most beloved triathlon events along the Gulf Coast. Register and find more information at TheGrandman.com.
Since 2005, The Fairhope Rotary Steak Cook-off has brought to Fairhope a unique combination of searing Western BBQ-style steaks, Mardi Gras Carnival atmosphere and a chance to “see and be seen” at one of the most fun annual events hosted on the Eastern Shore. A whole year’s worth of planning comes together each May when teams of both professional chefs and local luminaries test their epicurean grilling skills on prime rib eye steaks. The event kicks off on Friday evening, May 13, when the gracious merchants along South Bancroft Street between the campus of Coastal Alabama Community College and adjacent to Fairhope’s French Quarter shutter their stores and relinquish the street to every manner of wood- and charcoal-fired grills, from custom BBQ trailers to Texas Smokers. Rules specify that only authentic wood grilling can be used, and as the coals are beginning to get just right, the festival attendees come through the gates and the band starts to get under way.
It is like being invited to the most prestigious tailgate event and then getting to sample everyone’s steaks, while you enjoy their salads and baked potatoes, drink their beer or wine, and dance without having to worry that you are missing the game. Each year there are usually opportunities for V.I.P. sponsorships, raffles or silent auction events, dancing in the streets, and more. Advanced admission tickets are $75 in advance and may be purchased from any club member or at Piggly Wiggly in Fairhope or online at www.fairhopesteak.org. Tickets are also available at the door for $100. VIP tickets are available for $120.
For more information visit www.fairhopesteak.org or visit our Facebook page. Plan a day of summertime fun for the family on Wednesday, June 8, from 9 am to 12 pm! Learn about the wildlife and ecology of the Gulf Coast from a variety of environmental organizations throughout the region during
Kids Gulf Discovery Day at Bellingrath Gardens and
Home. This year, your family can learn from and interact with local environmental organizations such as:
Environmental Studies Center’s Raptor Road Show on the Great Lawn; The Importance of Recycling with Keep Mobile Beautiful; Discover the Critters of Mobile Bay with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and more! Admission includes entrance into Bellingrath Gardens for the day and is $14 for adults, $8 for children ages 5-12 and free for members of the Friends of Bellingrath and children ages 4 and under.
The 11th Annual Children’s Cup Regatta
The Children’s Cup Regatta, a fundraiser to benefit patients from the Alabama Gulf Coast treated at Children’s of Alabama, will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Sailing enthusiasts and friends in Mobile and Baldwin counties are invited to enjoy a day of sailboat racing at the Fairhope Yacht Club, located at 101 Volanta Avenue. A family-friendly event, guests are invited to watch the races free-of-charge beginning at 12:30 p.m. Throughout the afternoon, guests can bid on silent auction items, enjoy the kids’ activity area, a cash bar and live music from Doc Rodgers and the Rock Dodgers band with dinner to follow. The Cruisers Crawl is at will throughout the day for boaters who don’t want to sail but want to take their boats out on the water. Registration starts at 4:00 p.m., costs $50 per boat, and is open to all classes. The kids’ activity area, known as “Al’s Activity Area” in honor of local Children’s patient Al Guarisco, opens at 4:00 p.m. and features a slide, arts and crafts, games and the Rain Gutter Regatta. Participation from out-of- town sailors and non-yacht club members is welcome. Boats can be parked at Fairhope Yacht Club overnight. The entry fee for Portsmouth, Rhodes 19 and Catalina 22 is $50 per boat. Youth Class entry fee is $25 per boat. All entry fees are tax deductible. Children’s of Alabama patients and their families in the area are invited to attend the Regatta. A few boats will be available to take former patients out to watch the sailing action close-up. The youth portion of the Children’s Cup Regatta is known as “Katie’s Cup Youth Regatta” in honor of Katie Hamlin of Fairhope. As a 16-yearold Bayside Academy honor student and soccer player, Katie was diagnosed with a possible staph infection in May 2009. After falling sick a few weeks later, she was induced into a coma and put on a ventilator. She was diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome and transferred to Children’s of Alabama. After seven months of treatment, Katie was able to return home and is now a walking, talking miracle. For information or to register online, visit http://give.childrensal.org/regatta2022 or call Kerrie Benson at (251) 610-4969. Event updates will be posted regularly to facebook.com/ChildrensCupRegatta. Day-of registration is available from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Fairhope Yacht Club.
