Eastern Shore Parents January 2014 by KeepSharing

Starla has always loved to play like a princess...

Today she is one. When Starla came to USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital, at age two, she was already very sick. The physicians soon diagnosed her with a rare form of leukemia. After a courageous battle, Starla is cancer free at four. Today she’s still pretending to be a princess but the physicians and staff at USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital know what a real princess she truly is. From diagnosis and treatment to recovery, let USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital care for your family.

251.415.1000

CWH 008 Parents Magazines.indd 2

Find out more at usahealthsystem.com/usacwh

9/12/13 1:16 PM

January2014

Columns

Volume 6 Number 8

Publisher’s Note Lynn Knighton

Living With Children John Rosemond

Quality Child Care Resolutions for the Not-So-Perfect Parent Learn what to look for when

These 6 resolutions will help you find peace with being an imperfect parent.

researching and visiting prospective daycare options for your children.

Kids Health Watch sponsored by Magnolia Springs Pediatrics

Dave Says Dave Ramsey

Centsibly Southern Chic Laura Handey

Get This! Gerry Paige Smith

Child Care Listing Find details about Eastern Shore child care centers to help make your decision.

8 Ways to Combat Distracted Driving

A Page in a Book Gerry Paige Smith

Ideas for keeping your teen (and others) safe on the road!

On The Cover

Bits and Pieces

Knox (4), son of Devin and Tiffany McInnis, and big brother to twins, Madeleine (1) and Sloan (1). Proud grandparents are Garth and Denise Knox and Bill and Kim McInnis. Knox loves playing with friends and spending time with his grandparents. He spends a lot of his time “flying in his rocket ship” to the moon and Mars. He loves playing with his classmates and learning about space, science, robots, transformers and tractors.

Departments 14

School Bits 58

Family Calendar 64

Movie Reviews

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Publisher’sNote Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. We had so much fun with all of our family and friends. The only down side was everyone commenting on how much the girls have grown. They all kept reminding me how MB will be a teenager this month. A teenager?! I quickly reminded them that I still had a couple more weeks before that was going to happen. As I was sitting next to my dad he said, “It seems like just yesterday I was holding her in my arms.” My eyes immediately welled up with tears. It is so much fun watching them grow up and have new life experiences and develop their own interests, but man, I do miss those tiny little toes and that baby smell. While we were visiting our parents, we took the girls on a trip down memory lane. My oldest is the only one who really remembers Montgomery, as the younger two were too small to remember when we moved. We showed them our old house and took them by their old daycare to say hello to some old friends. As we got in the car I asked if they remembered anyone and, of course, MB was the only one who did. It made me a little sad that Anna and Katie did not remember these lovely people who really became part of my family. They guided and supported me as I trudged my way through being a new mom and they hugged me when I felt guilty for having to leave my children at daycare. But I knew my children were in great hands. I don’t know what I would have done without these special ladies and the other moms I met who are still some of my dearest friends. Choosing the right childcare center is so much more than finding a sitter; they become part of your family when you find the right one. Whether you are looking for full-time childcare or a Mom’s Day Out program, I encourage you to read Quality Child Care: What Should You Look For? by Brenda Nixon, M.A. Also, make sure you check out our extensive Childcare Directory where you will find a full list of options to review. The very best advice I can give you is to listen to your gut. Ask friends about their experience also, but your instinct will lead you in the right direction. Each family may have different experiences and needs. Childcare is not a one-size-fits-all option. While traveling, I had to address another issue...distracted driving. Since my husband’s accident he is not able to drive long distances, therefore, I had to the do the driving. This was no big deal until I realized that I was not going to be able to check email, text or call for three hours. That’s tough when you have a magazine deadline. I asked Brad to check them for me, but even that I found to be distracting so I just let it wait, which was really hard to do. As busy parents it is very easy to get distracted while driving as we are all trying to multi-task most of the time. However, it is important we stay focused while in the car, not only for everyone’s safety, but also to set a good example for our children. Eight Ways to Combat Distracted Driving, by Kerrie McLoughlin, has some nice recommendations to keep us focused. Also, a web search found several apps to help, some even offering monetary incentives! A few I saw mentioned on several sites were DriveSafe.ly, ATT DriveMode, Drive Safe Mode, Drive Alive and Textecution. They all have different features so do your own search to find one right for your family. Wishing you all a very happy and safe 2014!

Lynn

lynn@easternshoreparents.com

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

The Eastern Shore’s Foremost Parenting Source

Eastern Shore Parents Magazine, is founded on the principle that parenting is an exciting, diverse, challenging, and significant, role in our community. Eastern Shore Parents Magazine is a community advocate for families and the parenting process.

Publisher Lynn Knighton lynn@easternshoreparents.com Editor DeAnne Watson deanne@easternshoreparents.com Associate Editor Kelly Watson Contributing Writers Gayla Grace Laura Handey Kerrie McLoughlin Brenda Nixon Dave Ramsey John Rosemond Dr. Robert L. Rux, M.D. Gerry Paige Smith

Cover Photography Janel Gay www.janelgayphotography.com President Jason Watson jason@easternshoreparents.com

Advertising Opportunities Lynn Knighton Leslie Hall Tracie Calvert ads@easternshoreparents.com (251) 929-2099 Ad Design Tim Welch

Visit us online at www.easternshoreparents.com Eastern Shore Parents magazine is published monthly by KeepSharing, LLC. Mailing address: P.O. Box 374, Montrose, Alabama, 36559. The phone number for voice and fax is (251) 929-2099. Eastern Shore Parents is copyrighted 2014 by KeepSharing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in Eastern Shore Parents magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products and services herein.

www.easternshoreparents.com

ource

on rse, nity. nity ss.

If you are 50 or older, get screened for colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cancer killer in Alabama. Ask your doctor about screening options for colorectal cancer, including the new, annual take-home test called FIT or iFOBT. If you are at high risk for colorectal cancer, you may need to be screened more frequently.

For more InFormAtIon talk to your doctor, call 334-206-3336, or visit /fitway

y by , r

in d. ne are view t of

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

LivingWithChildren by John Rosemond

Consequences Are Good, But Don’t Overuse Them Q: We have discovered that our 17-year-

old son recently went to school, checked in, and then, a short time later, left. To our knowledge, he’s never done this before. His explanation was that he was bored and just wanted to have some free time. We are at a loss as to how to respond. What consequence or consequences do you think are appropriate?

A: This is a great question because it raises some very important considerations concerning the use of consequences. Today’s parents seem to believe two things about consequences: first, that when a child misbehaves, the child’s parents should apply a negative consequence; second, that consequences, properly selected and properly used, work. There is some truth to both of these assumptions, but both come with caveats. To the first assumption: Consequences should be used very conservatively. When they are used liberally, the parents in

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

question are guilty of trying to micromanage misbehavior. Any type of micromanagement will result, ultimately, in negative outcomes. Over-using consequences can lead to full-scale rebellion, for example. Taking this situation, in order for me to answer your question with any degree of confidence, I would need some background information. Is your son a repeat offender? Does he have a history of willfully irresponsible, rebellious behavior? Are his grades up to his ability level? In other words, is this a blip or is it part of an overall pattern that has been developing over some time? If it’s a blip, then the fact that he was caught is price enough. If it’s part of an overall pattern, then it’s definitely time to apply consequences. You can, for example, take away any and all electronic devices—computer, cell phone, video game, and MP3 player— until certain behavior and academic goals have been met and the improvement has sustained itself over, say, a month. But that

would not be my response if he’s a generally good kid who just took a brief walk on the wild side one day. My response to that would be “I hope, for your sake, that this doesn’t happen again.” To the second assumption: Consequences work reliably, predictably, with dogs, rats, and other lower life forms. They do not work reliably with human beings. It may surprise the reader to learn that no research psychologist, including B. F. Skinner (the “father” of behavior modification theory) himself, has ever conclusively demonstrated that rewards and punishments have predictable outcomes when used on humans. In fact, there is a growing body of anecdotal and research-based evidence to the effect that (a) rewards can actually lower performance and/or stimulate an increase in misbehavior, and (b) punishment can similarly backfire. Those risks are increased the more rewards and punishments are used. When you hear a parent say, “I’ve punished my child consistently for misbehaving, and he keeps right on misbehaving,” the problem may be the first half of the parent’s statement. Family psychologist John Rosemond answers parents’ questions on his website at www.rosemond.com.

www.easternshoreparents.com

n t

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

bits & pieces GoDaddy Bowl Week Begins January 1st

GoDaddy Bowl Week will officially kick off on Wednesday, Jan. 1, at 7 p.m. CST, at the Great Southern Wood Team Welcome Reception at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Events continue through the week including the popular GoDaddy Bowl Mayor’s Luncheon with guest speaker, Brett Favre, on Friday, Jan. 3. A Mardi Gras Parade, Pep Rally, Spectronics Fireworks Show, and Street Party will be held Saturday night beginning at 6:30 p.m. The week concludes with the GoDaddy Bowl Game on Sunday, Jan. 5, at 8:00 p.m at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and will be aired nationally on ESPN. Go Daddy is providing up to 3000 tickets to the GoDaddy Bowl Kids Zone – a tailgate event venue developed to provide area non-profit and charity organizations for children the opportunity to have a college bowl experience. Tickets can be purchased at the GoDaddy Bowl office at (251) 635-0011 or by contacting Cape Travel (251) 344-2789 located at 3821 Airport Blvd. For more information about Bowl Week events visit www.GoDaddyBowl.com.

Sole2Soul Scoot Goes Retro Benefiting Ransom Ministries

The Sole2Soul 5k Scoot will be held February 8th, starting and ending at the Battleship, and benefits the Ransom Ministries. The Sole2Soul Sisters running group provides a non-intimidating environment for ladies of all ages, sizes, athletic ability, etc. to come out and freely exercise. The “Sisters” have become known for their wacky race attire! The Ransom Cafe is a donationonly café in Mobile. It is open to everyone, and there are no set menu or prices. Register today and don’t forget to wear retro attire! To register for the Scoot, forms are available at McCoy’s Outdoors in Mobile or Running Wild in Fairhope. Forms can also be printed at www.sole2soulsisters.com or registration is online at active.com.

First Light Marathon—New Look, New Name, New Course L’Arche Mobile announces a 3-year partnership with ServisFirst Bank as the title sponsor of the First Light Marathon held annually in January. The Mobile Sports Authority will be the presenting sponsor of the event. The new name of the event is ServisFirst Bank First Light Marathon presented by Mobile Sports Authority. L’Arche Mobile is a Christian community where people with and without intellectual disabilities share life together. This year the full and the half marathon courses have been changed and certified. For more information please call Marty O’Malley, 251-438-2094 or visit the web site at www.firstlightmarathon.com.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Chick-fil-A Senior Bowl Rally

Center Stage Holding Auditions for Upcoming Shows

Center Stage Performance just completed two excellent weekends of performances with “Cinderella Kids” and “HONK! Jr.”. Auditions for the Spring Semester shows, “101 Dalmatians Kids” (K4-3rd Grade) & “Aladdin Jr.” (4th-9th Grade) will be held on Monday & Tuesday, January 6-7, at Fairhope United Methodist Life Center (155 S. Section Street in Fairhope). Students can come anytime between 4:00-7:00 either day, and should bring a headshot and a prepared song (if you wish). No experience is necessary to audition. For more information, visit www. CenterStagePerformance.com. Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ annual Chick-fil-A Senior Bowl Rally regularly features our country’s finest Christian sports figures as it’s guests. The Rally is scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile. “The FCA Chick-fil-A Senior Bowl Rally is an opportunity for FCA to impact thousands of students and coaches from all over Southern Alabama with the lifechanging message of Jesus Christ,” according to Dennis Hayford, South Alabama Director. To find out more about the rally, please call 251-5107024 or go to www.southalabamafca.org. Dinner is included in the ticket price. Group tickets must be reserved by Friday Jan. 10. Individual tickets can be purchased for $5 at any Chick-Fil-A in Mobile, Daphne, or Spanish Fort up to Jan. 20. After Jan. 20 non-meal tickets will be available for purchase up to the day of the event. Dinner will be served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. The rally will be from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. School and Youth groups are encouraged to attend. 6

www.easternshoreparents.com

Th a

w a 7

we t c

od ar , m. m

as .

Teen Runway Charity Fashion Show to Benefit USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital

High school sophomore, Kellie Barrett, is encouraging other high school students to get involved in a community service project and bring awareness to the community of the wonderful things the USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital has done for their patients. Together she and over 30 high school girls from both Mobile and Baldwin County will volunteer their time to participate in the Teen Runway Charity Fashion Show. Miss Alabama, Chandler Champion, will be the emcee. Jenny Biggs will be one of our models for the event. Jenny is a senior at Fairhope high school and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Jenny had to learn how to talk, walk and use her right hand. Skye, a cancer patient at USA, will also be one of our models. All the money raised will go to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital. This special event will be held February 1st, at the McGill-Toolen High School Auditorium at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For more information visit www.itspossiblealabama.com or find Teen Runway on Facebook!

The Baldwin County Youth Orchestra Spreads Christmas Cheer

The Baldwin County Youth Orchestra held their annual Christmas Concert on December 9th, at the Daphne Civic Center. Admission was free but guests were encouraged to bring a toy for the Toys for Tots Program. The BCYO entertained their guests through holiday music with “Christmas Carol” selections, “The Chipmunk’s Christmas”, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and even invited the audience to participate in a carol sing-a-long. All of the organization’s 7 Ensembles performed. The orchestra’s organizers have an exciting spring season planned with the full orchestra performing various video game theme selections. There are still several spots available in all of their performing ensembles and interested students are welcome to contact the director for more information. The BCYO organization would also like to announce that they will offer two free workshops this spring: A Flute Master-class with Felicia Sarubin on February 1st and a Violin Masterclass with Jenny Gregoire on March 15th. Both sessions are free and students do not have to be members of the BCYO to participate. Contact the directors at bcyorchestra@gmail.com or go to their website: bcyorchestra.com for more information.

nd e b

th 0ket

ed ol

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

bits & pieces Santa Visits Orange Beach Public Library

Santa Claus made a special visit to the Orange Beach Public Library Tuesday morning, taking part in story time and offering story time visitors a chance to make their Christmas wishes known. While Christmas music played softly in the background, children and parents created unique Christmas cards and tree ornaments to decorate their homes. A reindeer food station was set up where all attendees could create their own bag of reindeer food to spread on the lawn Christmas Eve. Pictured, Santa listens to Ann Russell (left) and Lucy West’s (right) Christmas wishes.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

Junior Cotillion Holds Holly Ball

The National League of Junior Cotillions, Eastern Shore chapter, had its annual Holly Ball at the Marriott Grand Hotel on December 6th. Dressed in semiformals, over 180 sixth grade students mingled, danced to music played by a DJ, participated in games and dance contests and enjoyed refreshments. Chapter Director, Kathy Sternenberg, said, “This was a marvelous opportunity for students to practice the social skills they have been learning in class.” The National League of Junior Cotillions program features etiquette, character education, and social dance training for sixth through ninth grade students that live along the Eastern Shore. The program includes five classes and two balls over a seven-month period. Established in 1979, the headquarters for the National League of Junior Cotillions is located in Charlotte, North Carolina. There are now chapters all across the country, involving thousands of students. For more information on the Cotillion program on the Eastern Shore, call Kathy Sternenberg at 928-4962.

www.easternshoreparents.com

e yo

Jo Ne

ual y . ity he

s wo r

Steering Committee Discusses Plan for Future Coastal Marine Life Center

With the launch of its official Facebook page recently, the future Coastal Marine Life Center is on its way to becoming a reality. Marine educator and Ocean Camp founder Belinda Ringpfeil leads the charge towards establishing a marine center to provide an edutainment attraction and a portal for marine science information as well as permanent home base for Ocean Camp, a program for youth established in 2010. The idea is for a marine center and aquarium which would be open to the public plus serve as headquarters for the Ocean ‘Campers’. Ringpfeil’s aspirations for a Coastal Marine Life Center (CMLC) is supported by a strong steering committee of passionate environmental advocates. Now that Ocean Camp has obtained a 501c3 non-profit status, grants and donations will be a funding source. You can visit the CMLC Facebook page and become a fan at https:// www.facebook.com/GulfShoresMarineLearningCenter. Members of the CMLC Steering Committee are Belinda Ringpfeil, Director/Educator with Ocean Camp Marine Education; Rick Miller of Pro 356 Consulting (OC Board President); Amy Elliott of Pro 356 Consulting (OC Board Secretary); Ken Kichler, CFO of Tacky Jack’s Restaurants (OC Board Treasurer); Dennis Hatfield, Geologist with Little Lagoon Preservation Society; Karon Aplin, Biologist with Alabama Marine Resources/ NRDC;; Grant Brown, Director of Recreation for City of Gulf Shores AL; Meredith Montgomery, Publisher of Mobile-Baldwin Natural Awakenings; Ed Rodriguez, President of Coastal Alabama Business Chamber; Patsy Jones, Marketing Chief for Lulu’s at Homeport; Tim Hill, Owner of Gulf Shores Beach Retreat: John Chamberlain, Biologist and Clinic Manager Thomas Hospital Urgent Care; Ray Dougherty, Director of Digital Media for Gulf Coast Newspapers -GulfCoastNewsToday.com/GulfVisitorGuide.com; Kim Quigley, Social Media Consultant; Chandra Wright, Sea Grant Nature Tourism Specialist; Kathy Jolliet, Baldwin County Teacher and Sponsor of Gulf Shores Middle School Environmental Club. Pictured (L-R) Amy Elliott, Kathy Jolliet, Kim Quigley, Karon Aplin, Rick Miller, Grant Brown, Belinda Ringpfeil, Ken Kichler, Chandra Wright, Ray Dougherty, John Chamberlain. (Attended but not pictured: Tim Hill, Patsy Jones).

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

bits & pieces Chick-fil-A Race Series Supports WinShape Camp Scholarships

WinShape Camps for Communities have provide a safe place that allows kids to have fun and to learn life skills. The hope of Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, is for the children attending WinShape Camp to feel empowered, and that the experience will impact not only their lives, but also the lives of their families and community for years to come. Campers sharpen their character, deepen their Christian faith, and grow in their relationship with others. Last summer, Chick-fil-A Daphne brought WinShape Camp for Communities to Baldwin County. 162 campers were able to attend. Many children in our community are in need of financial support to participate in WinShape Camps. Through the February 8, 2014 Road Race, Chick-fil-A seeks to raise $10,000, which will provide scholarships for fifty-one campers. To achieve this goal, we need your support. To register for the race visit www.CFAraceseries.com. For sponsor information contact Anne McEniry, anne_mceniry@bellsouth.net, 251-597-5598.

Girl Scout Cookie Sale Right Around the Corner

The Girl Scout Cookie sale begins in January. The 2014 lineup includes favorites, such as Shortbreads, Thin Mints, Caramel Delights ®, Peanut Butter Patties ®, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Lemonades™, Thanks-A-Lots™, and a new addition, Cranberry Citrus Crisps. The cookie program activity is the nation’s largest girl-led business and the leading financial literacy program for girls. The sale begins with girls taking orders from families, friends and neighbors at their homes and offices. A cookie locator app can be downloaded for the iPhone and Android devices. For those who miss out on the in-person sales, they can still find their favorite cookies being sold at booth sales beginning Friday, January 31, where troops will set up in front of local businesses and shopping centers across the area. The sale ends on Sunday, March 2. For more information or to locate Girl Scout troop, visit www.girlscoutssa.org or call toll free 1-800-239-6636.

u n tr y T r a o c k c il a B

A Family Fun New years Resolution

back coun trai try .coml\ 251.9 81.118 0

v isco re d s

l rai h et r tc u wa urs nat s f d To o or ir o s e b Ec on at mil vili rk eg a p e a e S er p t th ys a bould a d h e Birt at th c i n Pic

rn Lea

exp

20 ppy

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

the H a

s, es

es 1, nd

rl e

Shrimp Festival “Idol” Contest Winners

This year the National Shrimp Festival hosted a Shrimp Festival Idol Contest. The contest was an “American Idol” styled singing competition held on Saturday, October 12th, of Shrimp Festival weekend. Alabama native, Shawna P. from the NBC singing competition show "The Voice" was the MC. There were a total of six contestants, each one representing a local Baldwin County High School. Those who participated were Fairhope HS– Kendall Graves, Daphne HS– Devon Sledge, Spanish Fort HS– Cameron Ulmer, Robertsdale HS - Devon Foley, Foley HS - Logan Lane and Gulf Shores HS - Alex Linton. Among the prize money awarded to each student who placed was a matching scholarship amount for the school of where that winning student attends High School. The talent from the students ranged from singing solo to incorporating the piano or guitar. Each participant had a special performance of their own. Shrimp Fest Idol Winners – 2013: 1st Place: Devon Foley and Robertsdale High School; 2nd Place: Logan Lane and Foley High School; 3rd Place: Alex Linton and Gulf Shores High School. Pictured above, 1st Place Winner- Robertsdale High School: Left to Right-- Allison Hendricks and Charley Ogletree- both Shrimp Fest Committee; Devon Foley- 1st place winning student; Dr. Craig Ross--RHS Principal; Claudia Bankester- Keyboard Specialist; and William Thomas- Choral Director Pictured right, 2nd Place Winner- Foley High School: Left to Right- Lauren Turner, Allison Hendricks and Charley Ogletreeall Shrimp Fest Committee; Logan Lane- 2nd place student; Russ Moore- FHS Principal and Ansley Beverly- School Social Worker Pictured left, 3rd Place Winner-- Gulf Shores High School: Left to Right- Ann von Eberstein, Allison Hendricks and Charley Ogletree- all Shrimp Fest Committee; Alex Linton- 3rd place student; Tim Simmons- Choral Director; Matt MoganShrimp Festival Chairman and Joe Carpenter- GSHS Assistant Principal.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

KidsHealthWatch

Sponsored by Magnolia Springs Pediatrics

Healthy Resolutions for Families I have to admit to you guys, I love this time of year. We just finished Christmas, and Mardi Gras is right around the corner. I know not everyone likes the cold, but I have some Wisconsin blood flowing through my veins, so I don’t mind the weather. It’s a perfect time to stay at home and spend time with our families and loved ones. One thing I try to think about is resolutions. I know this is an old cliché. Everyone vows to run ten miles a day, give up junk food and save the planet. While these goals are worthwhile, they often fall by the wayside within a few weeks. So this year, I want to challenge you to do something different. While I often think of great ideas that will improve my relationships, health, and my community, the execution oftentimes gets in the way. Today, we are going to talk about some ideas that you and your kids can do that are realistic, fun, and will bring you together more as a family. First let’s think about some goals as a whole family. In this day and age of running to school, practice, homework, video games, and smartphones, we miss some of the most important memories of childhood. Meals with your family, playing board games, reading books together, and even talking about your day is so important to the relationships in a family. I recently heard a wonderful speaker

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

describe this as “margin.” That is creating time to just spend with your family and not running around crazy! I had a parent try and tell me that their “perfect” child who was suspended from school could only have learned the language and behaviors from other bad influences at school. Wrong! Children learn their basics from their parents and family when it comes to respect for adults, each other, property, and themselves. Sure, they can be influenced by others, but that’s where parenting steps in as well. Developing a trusting relationship between children and parents is vital to their success. If a child is having a difficult time at school or with another person, they need to be able to come to you and talk. If you feel you and your child don’t have that relationship, then work on it. Talk to them, spend time, and be good role models for your children. When it comes to some specifics, let’s look at some New Year’s resolutions that help the body and mind. First, let’s teach ourselves and our kids to practice good hygiene. Washing hands, covering you nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze, trimming your nails and brushing your teeth are basic, but oftentimes forgotten, personal hygiene traits. Not only can you significantly reduce the spread of illnesses, but you feel better and are more confident about yourself.

Along similar lines is our diet. I understand how hard it can be to have the mealtime food battle (I have three kids under ten, so we go through it almost every night). But the idea that “my child has to have something (even if it’s not healthy)” before they go to bed, or my child only eats cheese is full of junk. First, who buys the food that is currently in the house? What do you as a parent eat at meals and snacks? How do you respond when your child refuses to eat the meal you prepared? Healthy eating habits for a child are all about expectations! If you get unhealthy food, you expect unhealthy food! You will be surprised that the answer is not “my child is a picky eater.” So take the New Year to focus on family relationships, personal hygiene, and the food we put into our bodies, and try and create some margin. You might be surprised how much better you and your children feel! Robert L. Rux, M.D. is a Board Certified Pediatrician at Magnolia Springs Pediatrics. Originally from Mobile, he attended medical school at The University of Alabama School of Medicine (UAB) and completed residency at The Children’s Hospital of Alabama (UAB). He is married to Jaime and has three children, Adler, Walker and Mary McAtee.

www.easternshoreparents.com

er ).

or t

y d

at he

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County Schools Fairhope High School Peer Helpers Hold Winter Clothing Drive

Fairhope High School Peer Helpers coordinated a winter clothing drive recently to encourage FHS students and faculty to donate new and gently used winter items such as scarves, hats, gloves, jackets, blankets and more. By the conclusion of the week, Fairhope High School banded together to donate over 100 winter clothing items. These donations will go to support local families with their winter clothing needs. Special thanks goes to the Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation for sponsoring funding for all Peer Helper programs in Baldwin County. Pictured are some FHS Peer Helpers displaying some of the donated items. Left to right: Jaylin Bivins, Bronwen Crowe, Payton Pierce, Courtland Craig, Emme Moccia, Cassidy West.

Author Visits Elberta Middle School

Elberta Middle School was visited by author Michael Finklea. He told the students how he prepared to write his book “Creepers” by reading scary stories and watching scary movies. Mr Finklea described how hard it was to get his first book published. The students enjoyed his book “Who Are You Calling Junior”, a book about Michael's pet sugar glider. Students were able to purchase books and have them personally signed by the author.

rec

Fairhope Middle School Donates $800 to American Cancer Society

The Fairhope Middle School cheerleading squad recently presented a check for more than $800 to Mrs. Paula Sims-Paul, an American Cancer Society representative. Donations were collected in homeroom classes from the student body during Breast Cancer Awareness month. Pictured, with Sims-Paul, are the FMS cheerleaders, in no particular order: Anna-Majors Boothe, Jaylin Brown, Alyssa Cherney, Caitlyn Curenton, Abby Dean, Payton Fulkerson, Caroline Martin, Bailey McDavid, Taylor Moss, Anne Brooks Puckett, McLean Rockwell, Kathleen Tharpe, Carson Valentz, and Mallory Westry.

th slid

lo o

c th

Baldwin County High School Students Selected for USA Honor Band

Baldwin County High School had eight students selected for the University of South Alabama Honor Band. The students were able to perform on the field during the Nov. 23 game. Students selected for the Honor Band included, from left, Ashley Presley, Morgan Orem, Bobbye Jackson, Brooke Earls, Jay Jackson, Sean Purvis, Bethany Presley and Evan White! Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

ts d ill

Outstanding Peer Leaders at Daphne Elementary

Johnny Purdue and Matthew Foster, Peer Leaders at Daphne Elementary, recently received an award for outstanding service. These boys were observed and complimented by a staff member while performing their Peer Leader responsibilities. They are making a difference at DES. We are proud of these boys!

o d

ast S lin

Foley Intermediate School Classes Take Trip to Sea Lab

Recently, Mrs. Frederick and Mrs. Fiala from Foley Intermediate took their classes on a Salt Marsh Excursion with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. After a short slide show and lesson, the students loaded buses which took them to an estuary located along the Mississippi Sound side of Dauphin Island. The students learned the salt marsh ecosystem is a nursery for some aquatic life. They used small handheld nets and dragged seines to collect samples of various animals which they identified before they released them back into the water.

s y, n,

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

County Schools Gulf Shores Middle School Autauga Girls’ Cross Country Team Earns 2nd Place in County

Ch T Mr

The Gulf Shores Middle School Cross Country team has worked very hard this season. They concluded their 2013 season with great victories! The Country Championship was held in Newton and hosted by Fairhope. The GSMS Lady Dolphins brought home second place in the entire county! Three of the GSMS Lady Dolphins made the All-County Team. Congratulations to Peighton Langston, Kailey Werthem, and Olivia Coacker. Thank you to the entire GSMS Cross Country team for a great season and a wonderful representation of our school.

Indian Day at Bayside Academy

Bayside Academy’s fourth grade held Indian Day on October 18. Mr. Butch Fuller of Briarsfield, AL, who has written two books and has been educating students for over 20 years about the Creek Indian traditions of the 1800s, was the special guest. Mr. Fuller, who is of Creek Indian descent himself, traveled to Daphne and spent the night before his presentation in a tent he pitched on the bluff. Students learned to make cording (rope) and to build a fire using pine straw, charcoal (made from cotton), a striker, and a flint; played the game “Chunky” wherein a Chunky Stone is rolled onto a field and two people throw their spears at the stone, attempting to come the closest to the stone; and enjoyed an authentic meal of stew, roasted corn on the cob, and fried bread served by parents and grandparents. They also listened to several Creek Indian folk tales. Pictured, Butcher Fuller with the 4th grade class on the bluff.

o a w

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

e ed

nd e w, d es.

Christ the King Catholic School First Graders Learn Pumpkin Math

Early Bird Special!

Season Passes

Christ the King Catholic School first grader, Tristan Blackinton, helped his teacher, Mrs. Denise Helper, measure their pumpkin during math class on Halloween. Mrs. Helper's 1B students used the pumpkin to learn about estimation. Each student made an estimate of how tall the pumpkin was and how much it weighed. The class also estimated how many times the pumpkin would roll across the room and how many seeds it contained.

Spanish Fort H.S. FCCLS and NHS Hold Fundraiser for the Lighthouse

Spanish Fort High School FCCLA (Family and Community leaders of America) and NHS (National Honor Society) held a fundraiser to benefit the Lighthouse. Presenting a check for $500 are club officers Rachel Kolb, Henry McDuffie, and Shelby Bridges. The presentation was made to Ms. Heather Love, from the Lighthouse.

Save big when you purchase by February 14th!

Call and get yours today! 251.948.2106 Need a place to party for your birthday?

The House of Bounce is the year-round headquarters for kids on the Gulf Coast!

906 Gulf Shores Pkwy. Gulf Shores, AL (Hwy 59 S.)

251.948.2106 watervilleusa.com

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County Schools Waldo Found at Robertsdale Elementary School

The elusive Waldo appeared in bulk at Robertsdale Elementary School during the annual character parade. Pictured are faculty members Roxanne Delatte, Melissa Ard, Sandy Lowery, Nick Hemmert, Suzie Vivar, Sandra Sawyer, Dina Dodd, and Gabby James.

W.J. Carroll Students Hold Canned Food Drive

T to com an cl th

pa a w pr s th

gra

W. J. Carroll Intermediate School completed their canned food drive the week before Thanksgiving collecting 1734 cans in all. The drive was sponsored by the school's National Elementary Honor Society. For every can students brought in, they were allowed to cast their vote for either Alabama or Auburn. The winner was announced during the fall reading assembly where students and classes were recognized for their reading achievements since school began. Expectations were high with everyone when Auburn came out as the winner. Pictured is sixth grader Delaney Clark from Mrs. Marla Brooks room. Delaney gathered 164 food items on her own going door to door on her bike.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

zie

Hour of Code @ St. Patrick Catholic School

The Hour of Code started as a simple idea to get 10 million students to try one hour of computer science. The movement grew so big and rapidly; over 5 million students in 34,000 classrooms across 16 countries experienced the Hour of Code during Computer Science Education Week. At SPCS every grade participated! Students used tutorials to learn about computer science, programing, and why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important. Pictured are 1st graders programming a character to move using the smartboard to solve the puzzle. In the 5th through 8th grades, they learning JavaScript and Python languages. Pictured are 8th graders using LearnStreetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interactive Python beginner course.

Central Christian School Second Graders Make Pumpkin Pies for Math Mrs Laura Sullivan's second grade class enjoyed making pumpkin pies upon finishing the pumpkin unit in October. Pictured Madeline Wooten, Carter Trego, Gabriella Landeros, Lizi Dugger, and Seth Josey.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga CountySilverhill Schools Elementary December Students of the Month

Silverhill Elementary Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s December students of the month are being recognized for Self-discipline. Pictured are Kyndall Ladd, Dillion Christian, Cole Morgan, Alivia Kuznetsov, Elana Quick, Sarah Egermayer, Aiden Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brian, Kayla Ile, Lauren Bailey, Jamarcius Graves, Delana Jeffers, Lesslie Galo, Alexis Skains, Camilla Stricklin, Rose Mary Blankenship, Lauren Dollarhide, Melia Fiedler, Brittani Valencia, Blakeley Laird and Hannah Barham. Not pictured are Adrianna Bella and Emily Johnston.

S E w

Fairhope Elementary Holds Iron Bowl Food Drive

Fairhope Elementary School students held their annual Iron Bowl Food Drive in November to collect food items for Ecumenical Ministries in Fairhope. Alabama fans collected 2,236 items while Auburn fans collected 1,441 items. That is a total of 3,677 items. WOW! Nice job FES! Roll Tide and War Eagle! Pictured here are FES Peer Helpers: Hollon Brock, Sage Jernigan, Ceci Howard, Fredrick Bradley, Vivian Webster, Jane Perry Willis, Avery Clabaugh, Copland Bowman, Ellis Ikerman, and Katy Sander.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

McGill-Toolen AP Scholars

Pictured are the AP Scholars for the class of 2014, this year’s senior class. Top (5th ) row L-R: Sandy Vallee’, Jake Picicci, Eric Van Anglen, Austin Pardue, Cameron Schaerfl; 4th row: Annie Duffey, Peyton Thomasson, Collin Phillips, Jordan Ankersen; 3rd Row: Erin Hannahan, Celia Manning, Taebryanna Simms, Maggie Miller, Margie Powers; 2nd row: Geri Langham, Sarah Glover, Jessica Pham, Emily Mitchell; Front: Kirby Anne Plessala, Leslie Devoe, Emily Lannan, Rebecca Keeney, Olivia Glover and Josie Lami. The scholars from the class of 2013 are enjoying the first semester of college at MIT, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama, Auburn, South Alabama and Spring Hill College.

Rockwell Elementary’s Auburn/Alabama Canned Food Drive

Student Council members Joey Williams and Johnny Morris participated in Rockwell Elementary School’s Annual Food Drive. Rockwell students brought in 1,909 food items, which was the largest amount of food ever collected at their school. All food items were donated to Prodisee Pantry in Spanish Fort.

Little Flower Students Collect Food for Hungry

Little Flower Catholic School students gathered food items to be shared with those less fortunate at Thanksgiving. Each class was assigned a particular item to help fill the boxes to be distributed in time for the holiday. When all the food was gathered, the overflowing boxes symbolized the generosity of the students. Shown helping to organize the Thanksgiving boxes are (L to R) Little Flower students Stephanie Bettis, Alfred Orange, Michael Ellis, and Kelly Lam.

Gulf Shores Elementary 2nd Grade Christmas Program

The second grade classes at Gulf Shores Elementary School recently performed in a Christmas program filled with Christmas songs, poems, choral bells and more. Parents were invited, along with the entire school, to the performance. Many thanks to Gay James, the GSES music teacher, for her talents, patience and creativity! Pictured l to r: Josh Harris and Elle Caroline Blackmon are ready to recite their memorized lines for their parts in the Christmas program.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga CountyBay Schools Minette Middle School Fairhope Middle School TSA Club Holds Toy Drive Elects Officers

The Fairhope Middle School Technology Student Association

The Bay Minette Middle School Christian Club sponsored a toy drive to benefit the North Baldwin White Christmas Program. Pictured with some of the donated items are, from left, Michael McKinley, Chuck Pursell, Christian Club sponsor Lisa Dickson, Tyler Jernigan and Destiny Miskel.

s P J

recently elected officers for the 2013-2014 school year. Pictured, in no particular order, are the following officers: Truitt Williams, President; Connor Cobb, Vice President; Zack Miller and Laighton Mitchell, Sergeant at Arms; Liam Bishop, Secretary; Will Lazenby, Treasurer; and Logan Green, Reporter. TSA, under the sponsorship of Leroy Hughes, plans on competing in statewide and national competitions this year and attending the National TSA Conference in Washington, D.C. next summer.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

c S B

www.easternshoreparents.com

h k nd

Daphne Middle School Peer Helpers Host Food Drive

December 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6, Daphne Middle School Peer Helpers hosted a food drive for Prodisee Pantry. 7th grade collected 292 food items total. 8th grade collected 368 food items total. Together, the whole school collected 660 food items. In 7th grade, Mrs. Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homeroom collected the most food items (71). In 8th grade, Mrs. Waites' homeroom collected the most food items (121). In addition, students also raised $176 for the cause. The Daphne Middle School Peer Helpers delivered all of the food items to Prodisee Pantry on December 10. While they were there, they helped out by bagging 325 bags of satsumas (2,000 pounds). The food items that the school collected helped feed approximately 75 families for the month. The Peer Helpers saw the need for collecting plastic grocery bags, and will begin a reusing program at school starting in January to meet this need. Peer Helpers are scheduled to volunteer again in the spring when the holiday volunteer rush dwindles off. For more information, or to volunteer, visit their website http://www.prodiseepantry.org/. Pictured are Chandler Street, Addie Hill, Carter Jernigan, Laney Cox, Giusseppe Aglietti, Noah Pratt, Marley Smith, Abby Mills, Julian White, Kali Wilbourn, Catelyn Alexander, Lexi Adams, Sam Speer, Nick Thompson, Kaleigh Boyett, Thomas Manning, John Michael Collier, Hunter Session, Rachel Suhs, and Mrs. Amanda Blake.

Christ the King Donates Food for Catholic Social Services

Christ the King Catholic School student council members load food collected during October's school outreach to be delivered to Catholic Social Services in Robertsdale. Student council members are Hutchins Blackwell, Jaydn Domning, Reagan Yenewine, Micheli Arnold, Sophia LaPalme, Gabe Viator, Erin Koster, Jett Kasch, Lizzie Cotney, Gia Vollmer, Emily McDonald, Brooke Morgan, Anna Catherine Bekurs, Jeanne Marie Garriz, Michael Dowd, Millie Ollinger, and Mr. Earl Boyce, CKCS volunteer.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Elberta Middle School Autauga NamedCounty Schools County 1A Champ

Elberta Middle School Football Team is now the County 1A Champ! Congratulations on a great season! Go Raiders!

Fairhope Elementary Kindergartners Go on a Bear Hunt

c of a

Mrs. Brandi Corbett's Kindergarten class at Fairhope Elementary took learning about Native Americans a step further. After making papooses decorated in symbolsâ&#x20AC;ŚThey needed something to put in them. So, decked out in their patterned-noodle necklaces, hand printed t-shirts and papooses they went on a real Bear Hunt! Once their furry loved ones were found hiding all over campus, they enjoyed a bear picnic on the front lawn. Many FES graduates can appreciate lunch on the front lawn!

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

Five Baldwin County High School Students March in Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

Baldwin County High School had five students take part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as members of the Macy’s Great American Marching Band. Participants for the MGAMB are selected through an audition process and of the 255 members selected nationwide, five came from Baldwin County High School. They include, from left, Kate Harrison, Scottlin Williams, Morgan Covington, Brooke Emmons and Tucker Clay. The Macy’s Great American Marching Band made history this year, becoming the first marching band to ever open the parade in its 87-year history. The MGAMB performed first at Harold Square and then joined the parade line-up right in front of the main attraction, Santa Claus!

CareHouse Visits Daphne Elementary

The "Keeping Our Kids Safe" is a multi-level, comprehensive, abuse prevention curriculum that has been adopted by the Baldwin County Public Schools. This curriculum utilizes a comprehensive approach to child abuse prevention with three elements: 1. Awareness - The giving of safety information to children. 2. Assertiveness - The teaching of skills and decision making abilities to children. 3. Access - Teaching children that there are trusted adults who will help them when they need it. This program is presented to 1st grade students at Daphne Elementary School. Pictured: Gwen Smith (CARE House), Beth Childs (DES School Counselor), Presley Putnam, Livvie Graf, Jia Ming Yuan and Will Alves.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County SchoolsFort High Schoolers Mix Spanish Dinosaurs and Technology

Spanish Fort High School students in Mrs. Richerson's Earth and Space Science class made dinosaur projects and iMovies to learn more about their dinosaurs and time periods. Students were creative and used different materials to construct their dinosaur models. The dinosaur projects are on display in the school's library media center. Mrs. Richerson did an excellent job of using technology and a hands-on approach to learning. Featured from left to right are (bottom row) Daniel Simmons, Ashton McCarty, and Rachel Collins. Back row â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tyler Murphy, Harrison Holbein, Dalton Plato, and Caleb Ashton.

F Bay Minette Middle School Students Make Honor Band

F Re

Congratulations to Bay Minette Middle School's Destiny Miskel and Bethany Driggers who were selected for the 2014 Baldwin County Middle School Honor Band. More than 300 middle school musicians auditioned and were judged on a prepared piece, tone quality and sight reading. Destiny was selected first chair for trombone and Bethany received second chair for horn. The Baldwin County Honor Band Clinic will be Jan. 15 and 16, 2014 at Daphne's Trojan Hall. Steve Sims will be the guest clinician. The Honor Band Concert will be 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at Trojan Hall.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

l as

Fi R

www.easternshoreparents.com

nt n t m d

Bayside Academy Students Get to Know Someone New at Lunch

Students at Bayside Academy joined more than 2 million others across the country to cross social boundaries on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, as part of the 12th annual Mix It Up at Lunch Day, an event designed to foster respect and understanding in schools. Mix It Up encourages students to sit with someone new, at lunch, for just one day. At Bayside, students in grades 9-12 were divided into 6 groups randomly. They enjoyed meeting new people, some fun “get to know you” questions prepared by the 12th grade peer counselors, and homemade cookies. More than 5,000 schools were scheduled to participate in this year’s Mix It Up at Lunch Day, which is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance project. Student organizers agree that Mix It Up at Lunch Day encourages students to cross group lines and meet new people. Mix It Up also fosters school spirit and unity, raises awareness about social boundaries and helps students meet different kinds of people. Getting to know someone new is the first step to building a respectful, supportive community. Pictured: Bayside students “mix it up” at lunch on the porch of the Administration building.

Fairhope High School Design Class Offers Design Assistance

Students in Ms. Melissa Cook's Multimedia Design class at Fairhope High School partnered with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) to redesign SCORE's media publication pieces. This is the beginning of a collaboration with SCORE to offer local small business start-ups the opportunity to receive design assistance from the class. Back L-R Brooke Justesen, Spencer Potter, Sid Vogel, Morgan Nyblom, Lee Shelton, John Fitzhugh, Kayshawn Hill; Front L-R Hannah Tindle, Tyrah Robinson, Dennis Glaser, Cullen Kerr, Taylor Desjardins.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County Schools Fairhope Middle Schoolers are Heroes

Fairhope Middle School students recently celebrated Red Ribbon Week. They had the option of dressing up throughout the week in costumes representative of various drug prevention phrases. The phrase, Save Yourself from Drugs, brought out the “super hero” in many students. Pictured, from left to right, are: back row – Walker Wilkins, Walt Swan, Hannah Bishop, and Sage Long; front row – Zachary Miller, Nick Northcutt, Chloe Coleman, Caroline Dasinger, and Sierra Richards-Garsed.

M s t La

inc He Sh sc stu pla 20 r p 2

McGill-Toolen Holds Debate Between Congressional Candidates

McGill-Toolen Catholic Student Government Association and the League of Women Voters hosted a debate between Congressional Candidates Republican Bradley Byrne and Democrat Burton LeFlore. SGA President Ben Waddell and Senior Class President Austin McGrew-Haynes moderated as students and other guests asked questions.

S K

Feed an alligator! Call for details.

See over 300 alligators up close! Nature walk on elevated boardwalk. View alligator feedings. Field Trips/Birthday Parties available. Fun for the entire family!

Have your Birthday Party with me!

www.gatoralleyfarm.com Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

Safe for kids! 19950 Hwy 71 • Summerdale, AL

1-866-99-GATOR www.easternshoreparents.com

Ele La

ht w ow

Gulf Shores Middle School Red Ribbon Leader

Lauren Bradford has been named the Red Ribbon Leader for Gulf Shores Middle School. She was selected for her strong leadership abilities and her desire to be a positive influence on her peers. Lauren is involved in many activities both in school and her community. These include Christian Club, Cross Country, Peer Helpers, Jujutsu, Piano, Violin, and the Gulf Shores United Methodist Youth Group. Lauren scheduled Siran Stacy to speak to the GSMS student body on Friday, October 25th and has planned many fun, engaging activities for the 2013 Red Ribbon Week. GSMS is proud to be represented by Lauren. Lauren Bradford is pictured with Superintendent Dr. Lee at the 2013 Drug Education Council's Red Ribbon Leadership Awards.

Silverhill Elementary Kindergartners Attend “The Nutcracker”

On Friday, December 13th, Silverhill Elementary kindergarten students from Ms. Labak's, Ms. O'Brian's and Ms. Thompson's classes attended Bay Shore Ballet's presentation of “The Nutcracker.” Pictured are Haven Davis and the Sugarplum Queen.

Now accepting applications To learn more visit McGill McGill--Toolen.org

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County Schools Gulf Shores Elementary Student Named

Go Daddy Bowl Writing Competition Finalist

5th grade teachers at GSES, Mrs. Jody Robinson, and Mrs. Kelly Nelson, are proud of their student, Megan Bradford. She entered a writing contest and was selected as a finalist to compete in the Go Daddy Bowl Writing competition hosted by HOAR Program Management. Finalists were given a book to read and then asked to write a review of the book. This year's book was “Al Capone Does My Shirts.” Megan came in 3rd place out of the Top 10 finalists from over 10,000 entries! She earned $1,500 towards the college of her choice. Megan told us later, "This money is going to Auburn!" War Eagle!

Siran Stacy Brings Uplifting Message to Gulf Shores Middle School

On Friday, October 25th, Siran Stacy, former Alabama running back, came to Gulf Shores Middle School to speak to students about making good choices. His speech was part of Red Ribbon Week activities for GSMS. Lauren Bradford, the Red Ribbon Leader for GSMS, scheduled for Siran to speak to the student body. About six years ago, Siran was in a tragic car accident that took the lives of five of his family members. A drunk driver making poor decisions caused the accident. This catastrophic event inspired Siran’s presentation on choices. The assembly was very informational and moving.

T fo do de

Shane Langley, DMD, MS | Mike McDuffie, DMD | Rick O’Neil, DMD, MS www.southalabamaorthodontics.com

We are a Christ-centered, patient-focused, orthodontic practice. We are committed to providing the highest quality patient care in a manner that glorifies God and in an atmosphere that is upbeat, unpredictable and, shall we say, unique. We hope that you will consider us for your orthodontic needs.

SAO 001Shore Parents Parents 1-2page Hor.indd 1 Eastern I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com 10/28/13 9:19 AM

an wl en rd r

om AM

Robertsdale Elementary Running Club Off to a Fast Start

If you swing by Robertsdale Elementary School on a Thursday afternoon, chances are youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see dozens of committed student athletes working on their running speed and stamina. Almost every one of these students, members of the school Running Club, have already participated in at least one 5K race this school year; most have been in several. Pictured are members of the club (alphabetical order): Seth Allen, Payton Barnes, Jacob Beck, Chase Bowyer, Caylyn Campbell, Isabella Cosby, Braydon Davis, Anna Katherine Driver, Grant Driver, Emma Ellison, Tori Foreman, Payton Hawsey, Hailey Holiday, Jack Kyte, Abigail Lambeth, Owen Lambeth, Emma Kate Langham, Gillian Langham, Mason McVeigh, Macie Claire Moore, Maggie Moore, Russell Paramore, Madison Pardue, Taylar Pardue, Calvin Parnell, Addison Phillips, John Ray, Peyton Salvaggio, Gracie Sharp, Sarah Shipp, Briana Smith, Ethan Smith, Bella Faye Summerville, Cyan Trujillo, and Carly Zoll. These students are mentored and encouraged by their coaches and parent volunteers who include Beth Driver, Amy Iles, Allison Beck, Jessica Beason, Christy Whitney, Traci Barnes, Lauren Langham, Leslie Kyte, Keith Kyte, Santana Wolfe, Blake Wolfe, Mandy Moore, and Brittany Ellison.

EMC's "Colonial Days" Grant to Saint Patrick Catholic School

Thank you to Baldwin EMC for awarding Natasha Pratt, our 3rd grade teacher, a grant for "Colonial Daysâ&#x20AC;?. The students were busy with activities including making cornhusk dolls, Indian bead jewelry, homemade butter, quilting, popcorn and cranberry Christmas decorations, learning about the Mayflower, and celebrating a Thanksgiving feast. At the Thanksgiving feast, the faculty and students dressed up as pilgrims and Indians.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County Schools Baldwin County H.S. Students Wear Denim and Donate Money to Fight Breast Cancer

On Oct. 23, the Student Council at Baldwin County High School joined together to help Lee National Denim Day celebrate 18 years of fighting breast cancer. BCHS participated in this grassroots program which has raised more than $89 million for breast cancer programs by simply asking the nation to put on their jeans and donate to the American Cancer Society. Lee National Denim Day helps fund lifesaving screenings in communities nationwide; provides hope and care to those traveling away from home for cancer treatment; and invests in groundbreaking cancer research. “Lee National Denim Day is a fun and easy way that we as students can contribute to something much bigger than us” said Kayla Rogers, Student Council Events Chairperson. Student Council President, Kyle Phillips, when asked why this cause was selected, responded “Everyone gets to wears jeans to school in exchange for a donation which is cool, but more importantly the money helps fight breast cancer, a cause that is very special to many members of our student body.” BCHS added their own flavor to Lee National Denim Day by inviting the Bay Minette Mayor Robert A. “Bob” Wills and other area businesses to participate in and commemorate their fundraising accomplishments and spread the message of the importance of helping to save lives from breast cancer. “We are more grateful every year at the number of organizations like the student council at Baldwin County High School, who come together across the country and donate to make this grassroots program a continued success,” said Liz Cahill, Vice President of Marketing Communications for Lee Jeans. “This year as we celebrate our 18th anniversary, we’d like to thank all the companies and people across the nation that have participated in Lee National Denim Day and helped us raise more than $89 million in the fight against breast cancer.”

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

e at

ar e d 9

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Ele to B t t

M s

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

Gulf Shores Elementary First Graders Strive to be Bucket Fillers

Mrs. Victoria Franch and Mrs. Tammy Shirley's first grade classes of Gulf Shores Elementary School worked together to implement the "Extended Bucket Filling Project". The students have learned about being a "Bucket Filler" from their teachers and their counselor, Mrs. Jena Lindsey. The basic idea of a bucket filler is based on a book entitled, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” It states that everyone carries an invisible bucket and we should strive to fill other people's buckets. This can be done by simply giving someone a smile, a hug, or a compliment. When you fill someone's bucket, it also fills your own bucket. So, it is a win-win situation. However, if you say hurtful things or do hurtful things, that will be dipping into another person's bucket and that never works. It is being a bucket dipper. So, Mrs. Franch and Mrs. Shirley's classes decided to extend being "Bucket Fillers" beyond the classroom. They wrote letters, made cards, and brought in items to be sent to a very special person to Gulf Shores Elementary School, Coach Josh Burleson who has been deployed to Afghanistan. The students were extremely excited to fill Coach B's bucket---it filled our buckets too! Pictured, Front Row: Left to Right-Megan Williams, Hailey Miller; Back Row: Left to Right: Baylee Willis, Emma Steffek, Ryleigh Stroup, Beatriz Franca.

Thanksgiving at Robertsdale Elementary

Mrs. Ellison’s kindergarten class at Robertsdale Elementary school dressed as Native Americans as they finished their study on Squanto and the first Thanksgiving.

FRIENDS

After school programsENRICHING too fUn to be homework.

memorable awesome

cool

different

Your child’s learning doesn’t need to stop when the bell rings. Bricks 4 Kidz® taps into your child’s

potential by encouraging their curiosity and creativity in and out of the classroom. Our fun-filled model plans designed by architects and engineers, reinforce S.T.E.M. based principles using LEGO® Bricks.

enrolling now for seasonal camps

after school!!

In-school fIeld trIps

BIrthday partIes

KIdZ nIGht oUt

pre-school classes

BrIcKs 4 KIdZ alabama – Baldwin – mobile

(251) 300-4796

B4KMobile

BrIcKs4KIdZ.com/alaBama-BaldWIn-moBIle LEGO® is a registered trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse these programs. Creative Learning Corporation common shares are listed on OTCBB under the ticker symbol CLCN. © 2013 Bricks 4 Kidz

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Autauga County Schools Bayside Academy’s Beary Kindergartners

The Kindergarten classes at Bayside Academy recently studied all about bears. Throughout the week, the students did math activities with Gummi Bears, read bear stories, studied bear facts and hosted a teddy bear picnic. Pictured: Ms. Wells Beary Kindergarten Class.

St. Patrick Catholic School Collects Goodies for Nursing Homes

Fifth grade students at St. Patrick Catholic School in Robertsdale decorated four hundred shopping bags with Christmas scenes for Home Instead Senior Care this month. The theme of this service project is “Be a Santa to a Senior”. Home Instead Senior Center will fill these bags with goodies and distribute them to nursing homes throughout the Mobile area. Pictured are (front L to R) Caroline Dute, Amelia Dute, Lindsey Minto, (back L to R) Rebekah LaConsay, Brooke Kinard, Emalyn Middleton, and Darby Roberts.

Na re Am u Lo

Christ the King Serviam Youth Group Makes Placemats for McKemie Place

As their November service project, Christ the King's youth service group, Serviam, made place mats for McKemie Place, the local women's shelter in Mobile. Students, from left, Jack Adamski, Michele Polczynski, and Jeanne Marie Garriz gather materials to create one of the seventy place mats Serviam made for a Thanksgiving-week meal, which was provided by volunteers from Christ the King Church.

City Council Honors Bay Minette Black Team

The Bay Minette City Council honored the members and coaches of Bay Minette Black, the Baldwin County Super Bowl Champs in the 8-under division. The championship win capped off a great season for Bay Minette Black, which went 13-1 during the regular season. Many of those games were won without allowing a single point from their opponents. The team also played in Gulf Coast Classic Youth Championship Tournament and finished as Reserve Champions. The league team from Bay Minette stayed intact and played against All-Star teams, beating several of them along the way to the championship game. Congratulations to the team on a great season and for representing our city so well! Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

s th F D

Ti Ch

Fairhope High Holds IB Orientation

The junior and senior classes of Fairhope High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Baccalaureate program held Junior Orientation to acclimate new students to this rigorous program. Students from both classes toured the library of The University of South Alabama and then enjoyed lunch at the Original Oyster House where the senior IB students created an engaging atmosphere for the younger students with great conversation and team building activities. Pictured, Front row (l-r): Anthony Heyer, Josh Doege, Greyson Piesco, Joe Milter, Caleb Casolaro, Zach Hill, Simon Boles; 2nd row: Sarah Glover, Marissa Friduss, Olivia Helms, Hannah Newsom, Caitlin Nowlin, Sarah Lewis, Lindsay Crone, Georgia Smith; 3rd row: Austin Pegues, Mary Grace Bedwell, Tara Hicks, Rebecca Hall, Katie Drummond, Cecile Nicolson, Victoria Odom; Back row: Marshall Brown, James Shelton, Alan Burns, Will Parsons, Maggie Davis Sarah Hale, Blake Langenbach, and Jasmine Casallo.

Fairhope Elementary Third Graders Study Native Americans

Mrs. Gina Pierceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 3rd grade class from Fairhope Elementary School did a great job building their Native American Homes. They used their new iPads to research and write a one-page report about the Native Americans that lived in particular homes. The students used recycled materials and lots of creativity to build Longhouses, Wigwams, Wooden Lodges, and Adobes.

McGill-Toolen Catholic Athletes Sign College Commitments

Pictured L-R: Andrew Mahoney - Baseball, Mississippi State; Autumn TrimbleVolleyball, Alabama State; TJ Lang - Basketball, Virginia Tech; Victoria Young -Volleyball, UAB. Congratulations!

, ng

Two Local Girls Become Tigerettes for a Day

The Baldwin County High School Tigerettes were joined by some special guests at the home game against the Robertsdale Bears. Sarah Jones, left, and Natalee Presley were "Tigerettes for a Day" and performed with the dance team on the field and in the stands. The opportunity to be a Tigerette for a Day was donated by the organization as silent auction items to the North Baldwin Infirmary Foundation for its annual Gala and to the BCHS Booster Club for its Draw Down to raise money for the indoor practice facility. The girls wore commemorative Tigerette uniforms designed especially for them, practiced with the team in the week leading up to the game and shared a dinner with the team captains. Sarah is a student at Bay Minette Intermediate and Natalee attends Perdido School. Tigerette members include, from left, front row, Kate Harrison, Heather Martocci; second row, Brooke Emmons, Tucker Clay, Christine Eleogo, Olivia Turner; back row, Morgan Bryars, Niah Smith, Angel Hinote, Samantha Byrd, Caitlin Phillips and Aubrianna White. 37

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Q. I’m in the military, and

my wife and I have $13,000 in the bank along with $35,000 in a Roth IRA. We also have no debt, and we put $3,500 into our savings account each month. Our new baby is due to arrive in a few months, so do you think this would be a good time to buy our first home?

A. Based on the market

alone, it’s a great time to buy a house. Interest rates are fantastic, and prices are recovering but still buyerfriendly. However, considering your wife’s delivery date and the fact that it takes a while to find and complete the process of buying a home, I think I’d wait on this. Moving is stressful enough under normal circumstances, but combining that with a pregnancy could shoot your wife’s stress levels into the stratosphere. I really don’t think you want to do that to her. And speaking as an old married guy, it’s something you don’t want to experience, either.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

Another thing to consider is if there’s a good chance you’ll be reassigned in the next four or five years. We work with the military a lot, and that means we see people who buy, and get stuck with, homes all over the country. These places usually become rental homes because they don’t sell quickly. And this is a situation you want to avoid because being a longdistance landlord is a real pain. If everything falls into place, you could easily have enough set aside for a big down payment a few months after the baby arrives. At that point, things will feel a little more settled. I know the temptation is great right now to move into a place you can call your own, but you want buying a home to be a blessing, not a curse. Take a little more time, and see how things feel careerand family-wise in a few months. That’s my advice.

Q. Is it better to keep your emergency

fund in a certificate of deposit or a money market account?

A. Right now, a short-term certificate of deposit (CD) pays about the same as a money market account. The problem is you’re only going to make about 1 percent with either one. The good thing about a money market, though, is that there are no early withdrawal fees attached. In my mind, an emergency fund isn’t there for the purpose of making money. It needs to just sit safe and sound until it’s needed. It should also be in a program where it’s easily accessible and there are no stupid fees or penalties for simply using your own money. So, yeah, savings interest rates right now are aggravating. But you don’t have 3- or 4-percent-home-mortgage world without a 1-percent CD world. They kind of go together. Just remember that interest rates aren’t the end game when it comes to your emergency fund. You want three to six months of expenses just sitting there, waiting for life to happen. Trust me, it will!

www.easternshoreparents.com

t t

e -

ht e

d -

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

be un an as

4. pa er

ou fac if w wh be pe an tio he

5. wh to st

by Gayla Grace guilt comes from the expectation that we need to be a perfect parent. News flash: a perfect mom doesn’t exist. We can choose to let go of unrealistic expectations that keep us bound to guilt when we don’t measure up.

2. Forgive myself when I fail.

Considering the innumerable parenting books I’ve read and parenting workshops I’ve attended, I should be a perfect parent. I’m not. I’ve been a parent long enough, however, to realize that if I keep pressing forward and do the best job I can with a loving and sincere heart, my kids won’t be eternally scarred by my imperfections. Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

This year, instead of making resolutions about being a better parent, I decided to ponder a few resolutions on how to move past my imperfections and keep going on days I want to quit as a not-soperfect parent. So, this year I commit to ...

1. Let go of the Mommy guilt. We all experience it from time to time. We do too much for our kids one day and the next day we do too little. One day we give them too much slack and the next day we nag them incessantly. Our parenting choices never seem right. Or maybe our thinking isn’t right. Mommy 40

A defeated parent doesn’t parent effectively. When we barrage ourselves with negative self-talk over a poor parenting choice, we continue down a negative path. Forgiving ourselves for less-thanstellar parenting moments allows us to begin again with a renewed mind and fresh perspective for our parenting challenges.

3. Seek out support from other moms on hard days. My neighbor is a single parent with two school-aged children. She recognizes her need for help in juggling her responsibilities and seeks out other moms to assist with car pool or after school care when the demands of her work schedule www.easternshoreparents.com

tim off ing for cre mo pa

6. m pe

fec ou ph an the as sig an sh

ha pe do tio Pe ye jou

As exp her par

become overwhelming. Fellow moms understand the struggles of busy moms and are usually happy to help when asked.

4. Listen to my heart on how to parent my child, instead of others’ opinions. It’s easy to run to the phone and ask our best friend what to do when we’re facing a difficult parenting moment, but if we step back and listen to our heart while considering our options, we make better decisions. Considering our child’s personality (which we know better than anyone) as part of the parenting equation allows us to tailor our parenting in a healthier light.

Our kids don’t expect us to be perfect parents. If they know we are doing our best to care for them, emotionally and physically, they love us on our good days and our days that aren’t so good. I heard the reply of a young child recently when asked what he thought about his mom’s significant weight loss. “I don’t see her any different - I love her either way ‘cuz she’s my mom.”

es are e

7489 Parker Road | Fairhope, AL 36532 251.928.9292 | 888.335.7493 www.StricklandOrthodontics.com

It’s important to re-group and make time for self-care when we’re about to go off the parenting cliff. Balancing parenting demands with activities we can look forward to and enjoy, alone or with others, creates a well-rounded parent who can more effectively handle the strains of parenting.

6. Remember that my kids love me, even on days I’m a not-soperfect parent.

H. L. Strickland, Jr., DDS, PA

5. Take time to run, or quilt, or whatever activity works for me to re-group when the parenting strain takes over.

e :

nte

Improving Life, One Smile at a Time

As you start a new year, do you have resolutions to consider as a not-soperfect parent? Do you need a mindset do-over that includes room for imperfection and second chances as a parent? Perhaps that’s the ticket to success this year on your not-so-perfect parenting journey. ESP As a freelance journalist, Gayla Grace loves sharing experiences to encourage other parents. She is thankful for her five children, who love her despite her not-so-perfect parenting.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

What’s Your Style Resolution? Alright Ladies, now that we have headed into a new year, let’s start looking forward to a new you! As you think about the various areas of your life that need improvement this year, I encourage you to think about your wardrobe and consider the role that clothing, and your personal style, plays in your daily routine. Step into your closet and ask yourself a few important questions:

1- Do you want to try wearing trends? Do you find yourself looking through the latest style or fashion magazines, pinning your favorite styles on Pinterest or reading the current fashion blogs, and then telling yourself ‘maybe I can pull that look off’? This is a perfect sign that you can wear some of those fashion forward trends. Try it!

2- Are you stuck in a rut of endless worries about “what not to wear”? If you look in your closet and find items that seem outdated or don’t fit... purge! This helps you narrow down Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

clothes you can’t let go of and maybe find some you didn’t even know you had.

3- Are you shopping at the same stores, or have multiples of the same items of clothing in your closet? Stuck in a routine of buying the same styles and shopping at the same stores? Get out and make shopping an adventure. Make a point to shop in stores you don’t usually visit. This will force you to open up to new styles, and you might find that you like them.

4- Have you wasted your money on items of clothing that still have tags on them? This often is impulse shopping...not really trying items on, buying multiples of items and forgetting you bought three in the same color or style, buying something and not getting home to test drive what you bought. As women, we all tend to do this. The only way to combat this problem is to make a conscious effort to try on newly purchased clothing within 24 hours of purchase. Much longer than that and it can easily be “out of sight, out of mind” and join the ever growing pile of unworn items.

5- Have you lost touch with your sense of style? Hectic lives can cause this, thus causing us to forget that we are important, too. When you start to think that wearing workout clothes is so much easier and 42

more stylish, then this might be a problem. Now, I love a cute pair of workout clothes, but if you have a free day of fun with family or friends, let’s re-think comfort verses style.

6- Is your mind set: I’m older and my body has changed, so nothing looks good on me, except what I am used to? This is not true! Your shape, your age, your style and every God-given feature on your body is something to embrace along with fun new trends. We all can wear items of clothing in our own way. It’s about embracing it and finding what works best for you. The months of January, February and March are when life slows down a bit and you can take care of yourself. An added bonus to all of this is that you won’t break the bank on your new look. You can find some great inventory and end of season sales this time of year. Try one of those styles you have been eyeing in the magazines or pinning on Pinterest. Ladies, the truth is everyone needs a little style help from time to time and the start of a new year is the perfect time to redefine your style goals! So take the time to enjoy yourself and the new you. You deserve it! Happy New Year and Happy New You!

Laura Handey is an independent clothing consultant in Pike Road, Alabama. You may reach her by email at laura@ centsiblysouthern. com or visit her website at www. centsiblysouthern. com.

www.easternshoreparents.com

m. s, ily

all ay.

d d d k

, ay ail

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Make Room for Kids!

Recommending the Best Toys and Products for Kids

In a child’s mind, their room is an important piece of real estate. Whether they have it all to themselves or share space with siblings, this distinctive place is where children can put their own style stamp on their haven within the home. Some kids only sleep in their rooms, bounding out of bed in the morning and only returning when the last call for bedtime has sounded. Other children use their rooms as their personal space to read, play, rest, or just retreat from general family traffic. Either way, finding products that help tailor this space for their needs and interests helps children feel invested and responsible for their room. From active play to restful recreation, the following ideas are great starting places for a kids room re-do!

by Gerry Paige Smith

Hugglepod

Wall Coaster Extreme Stunts

(HearthSong)

Creating a floating island of tranquility in the middle of an open space, the Hugglepod offers a cozy chamber to retreat from the world for some private time. The 100% cotton canvas seat with tented sides hangs from a ceiling-mounted swivel hook creating the effect of a floating cocoon. The cushion seat can also be removed and the pod gently draped to the side to retrieve room space when needed. Best for smaller children (the recommended weight limit is 175 lbs), the Hugglepod has the sensibility of a soft room within a room. While it’s not designed for swinging or bouncing, the ‘Pod makes a perfectly peaceful hideaway for the child who likes to curl up with a good book, chill with some tunes or simply relax in a tranquil fabric alcove that’s just their size.

(Wall Coaster)

Instead of staring at the same four walls, put those walls into play with the versatile and easy to assemble Wall Coaster Extreme Stunts! Kids can attach tracks, tubes and other specially designed components to the wall to create their own marble runs. Planning, experimentation and gravity come together as kids generate their own designs that send a marble shooting down the coaster. As kids get on a roll, their coaster designs will quickly incorporate loop-de-loops, zig zags, and other stunts along the marble’s path. With its colorful and clean design the Wall Coaster doubles as both a cool décor element and a source of endless entertainment for budding coaster engineers!

Jellyfish Hideaway

Shrunks KidFriendly Air Bed

(Hearthsong)

The organic beauty of one of the ocean’s most beautiful creatures is the inspiration behind the AquaGlow Jellyfish Hideaway. Creating a magical ocean-themed retreat for play, this ceiling-hung tent features sheer walls made of ocean blue netting. Translucent streamers and pearly beads hang from the belled “jellyfish” cap while 160 tiny deep blue LED lights blend into the fabric folds adding a bioluminescent effect. As a permanent addition to a room’s décor or a portable delight for evenings on a covered porch, it’s hard to beat the peaceful vibe of the deep blue sea with the AquaGlow Jellyfish Hideaway.

(The Shrunks)

The Shrunks Kid-Friendly Air Bed is designed with children in mind. Crafted from non-toxic, Phthalate-free materials, it features a patented “Tuckaire” system which allows sheets to be tucked into the sides of the mattress without exposing bed linens to flooring. Gently elevated sides mimic toddler bed railing and help keep midnight fall-outs to a minimum. Easily inflated with the included electric pump, the Shrunks bed deflates and stores quickly in a cheery carry bag. It’s perfect for in-house camp outs and sleep-over friends, and is ideal for hotel stays, camping trips and anywhere kids need some extra sleep space of their own.

Paige Smith is a freelance writer and syndicated columnist living in Alabama. More on GET THIS! at www.PageBookMedia.com.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

ds e

aimS 2014

Don’t waste your summer! Spend it at The Adventures in Math and Science summer camp at the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile, AL. Learn while you have fun! Kayak Mobile Bay. Design a maze. Build a smart phone app. Solve a crime. Prepare for the ACT. Learn how to make jewelry. Build a robot. Launch a rocket...and much more!

TuiTion Tuition for overnight camp is $375 per week and is all-inclusive. Tuition for day camp is $275 and includes lunch. The cost to stay the weekend between Sessions 1 and 2 is an additional $175 (includes trip to water park). CourSe Sampling ACT Prep, Algebra Review, Painting, Ballet, Codes and Ciphers, Legend of the Vampire, CSI: Mobile, Flag

Who can enroll? Students entering the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grades. Applications, more information, and course descriptions are online at www.asms.net.

Football, Colorguard, Taekwondo, Weight Training, Rock and Roll History, Robotics, Field Biology, Psychology, Shakespeare’s Comedies, Math Puzzles, Labs of Doom, Mobile History, Rocketry, Origami, Star Trek History,

This year, AIMS will run for two sessions! Session 1 (June 9-13) is an overnight or day camp. Session 2 (June 16-20) is an overnight or day camp.

Superheroes, Frankenstein Monster, Light Metals and Enameling, Creative Nonfiction Essays, and many more.

1255 Dauphin St. • Mobile, AL 36604 • 251.441.2100 • www.asms.net • admissions@asms.net 45

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

I’ve been a full-time, stay-at-home mom (SAHM), a stay-at-home mom with a home business, and the parent with outside employment. The most exhausting – and often the loneliest – was the first. Yet, I embraced it, read parenting books, scanned the latest research, and worked on a healthy relationship with my daughter. For me, it was – still is – important to be as conscientious about parenting as any other career! But, there came a time when family finances demanded I earn income in the labor force. So before my employment, I sought out quality childcare for our precious daughter. The better the childcare, the more I could relax, and the better off my child would be in many ways. Childcare is becoming a critical issue for parents as 64 percent of mothers work outside the home while only two percent of employers offer on-site daycare centers. A 2000 Census Bureau report shows more mothers are returning to the labor force within a year of giving birth. As a result, over half the babies under a year of age are being cared for on a routine basis by someone other than Mom. If you’re in the “market” for quality childcare, shop around as carefully as you would for any other major investment. From safety and setting to staff and story time, know the key elements of quality care. Be an educated consumer on behalf of your most valuable possession. If you already have a childcare arrangement, match it against these criteria. Look for a center or private home where:

• It’s generally clean, well lit, and ventilated. You could find the play area cluttered with toys but it should still look and smell clean. A well-lighted play area promotes your youngster’s handeye skill. Good ventilation prevents recycling the same old germs. • It is a safe environment. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in Washington, D.C. suggests that staff should be well versed in health and safety procedures, and be able to describe the policy for handling emergencies. In a safe environment, children will be under adult supervision at all times. • Parents feel comfortable asking questions.

If you ask several questions and the caregivers seem offended or avoid your inquisition, leave! When they are knowledgeable and proud of the facility they will be eager to offer information.

• Parents are told to drop in anytime.

You want to make sure that caregivers welcome parents for lunch, special activities, or just to observe.

• Parenting literature and child development resources are available. You want your tot in an environment where parent education and professional growth are encouraged. Great minds are always learning.

• Toys and play equipment are child sized, ageappropriate, and regularly maintained and cleaned. Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

•T on an

co org do be he wh alo lan

• do

Re ad

•

str you rel the you

• pr tiv

to or

a r

• The program focuses equally on cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. Ac-

cording to the NAEYC website (www.naeyc. org), “High quality early childhood programs do much more than help children learn numbers, shapes, and colors. Good programs help children learn how to learn: to question why and discover alternative answers; to get along with others; and to use their developing language, thinking, and motor skills.”

• Pictures and room decor are down on the child’s eye level. Remember this is a place for children, not adults.

• Adult turnover is low.

A steady stream of new caregivers is disturbing to young children. It may signal to you that a relationship problem exists between staff and the director, a problem that trickles down to your child.

• Children are touched appropriately, frequently, and in positive, affirming ways. Children need

to be touched, even if it’s a pat on the back, or holding hands during games.

• Each child is addressed by name. There should be minimal use of

group terms like “infants,” “babies,” or “kids.”

• Caregivers receive training in early childhood education. They

should participate in continuing education every year, meet regularly to plan, and evaluate the program.

• There’s low adult/child ratio.

The NAEYC recommends at least one caregiver for every four infants (up to 12 months old) or a 1:4 ratio; 1:5 for toddlers (13 to 24 months); 1:6 for 2- and 3-year-olds; and about 1:9 for preschoolers. Small groups of children with adults promote more positive interactions and individualized curriculum.

• Childrearing and discipline philosophies are similar to your own. You want leave your child in an envi-

ronment consistent with your home discipline. Ask “what if” questions to be sure.

• Sign-in and -out policies are enforced. Especially if you leave your

little one in a large center with lots of foot traffic, security precautions are a must.

• It’s either certified or licensed by your state. Certification and/or licen-

sure gives you a minimum health, safety, and nutritional standard – not a guarantee it’s the right place for your child. I’ve known some licensed facilities where I wouldn’t leave my dog. Neither does certification or licensure limit curriculum; church-run facilities can be licensed and still teach religious curriculum.

A word to the wise: Be wary of the caregiver with the “Honey, I’ve been tendin’ kids for 20 years an’ I know all there is to raisin’ babies!” attitude. A caregiver worth his or her salt – and your money – needs to learn about your child and continually sharpen caregiving skills. Finally, check with your local heath department and Better Business Bureau to see if the facility you’re considering has a record of complaints. Remember knowledge is power. Research shows that parents have an important influence on their child’s development, regardless of how much out-of-home care the child receives. Whether you are at home or work outside the home, you are still your child’s most influential teacher. ESP As a speaker and writer, Brenda Nixon (www.brendanixon.com) is dedicated to building stronger families through parent empowerment. She is a mom and the author of, Parenting Power in the Early Years, on raising a child from birth to age five.

Types of Evaluations Offered: Learning Problems Anxiety Disorders Mood Disorders ADHD

u ur cil-

Dr. Murphree is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who specializes in working with children and adolescents.

Depressive Disorders Behavioral Disorders Autistic Spectrum Disorders Intellectual Functioning

East Bay Psychiatry and Associates (251) 928-4750 eastbaypsych@att.net

Abuse/Trauma

Accepting Aetna, All Kids, American Behavioral, Blue Advantage, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Cigna, Compsych, Magellan, Medicaid, Medicare, MHCA, State EIB, United Behavioral Health, Value Options

chrismurphree.org 47

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Em We In Feb istr Feb 1an

Eastern Shore

Child Care Guide AUC Daycare Director: Jennifer Scott Address: 8355 Jonesboro Road, Daphne Phone: 626-6056 Serving infants age 6 weeks through children 5 years old with emphasis on school readiness. Hours are 7am – 6pm. Where your children are “Angels Under our Care”.

Country Day School Director: Stacey Martiniere Address: 23800 US Highway 98, Fairhope Phone: 928-1403 Website: www.countrydayfairhope.com Registration is Wednesday, January 29th from 9:30am – 11:30am. First come first serve. Ages 18 months - half day kindergarten.

Cradle 2 Crayons, Inc. Owner/Director: Renee Brunson Asst. Director: Daphne (DeeDee) Henderson Address: 507 West Rose Ave, Foley Phone: 943-4599 E-mail: cradle2crayons@gulftel.com Website: www.cradle2caryonsinc.com Open enrolment all year. 6 weeks thru 12 years. 6am - 6pm, Monday – Friday. 3K and 4K programs. After school care available. We offer WIZ Kids computer classes and Tumblebus.

Daphne UMC Preschool Director: Lee Scioneaux Address: 2401 Main Street, Daphne Phone: 626-3606 Email: preschool@dumc.org Website: www.dumc.org Open registration begins Monday, February 3rd at 8 am until full. Preschool ages 2-4. Full and half day available. Sharing God’s love.

Eastern Shore Baptist Church Weekday Education Ministries Director: Gail Gardner Address: 6847 Park Drive, Daphne Phone: 626-7627 Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

Website: www.myesbc.net Fall Registration for Preschool (ages 2 - 4) will begin in March. Fall Registration for Mother’s Morning Out (ages 6weeks – 23 months) begins in April. Hours are 9am – 2pm with extended option from 7:30am – 3pm.

Faith Family Fellowship Preschool Director: Sharon Frain Address: 7100 Spanish Ft Blvd, Spanish Fort Phone: 626-6338 Website: www.faithfamilyonline.com Fall Registration will take place in early February. Call for more information on dates and time. Ages 15 mos. - K-4. Full Day Program with before & after school care.

God’s Living Sea Director: Angela Meadows Address: 9264 Pleasant Road, Daphne Phone: 621-3977 Email: godslivingsea@jubileebaptist.com Website: www.jubileebaptist.com Ages 6 months - 4 years. Half day. Registration begins February 1st.

Little Crusaders Learning Center Director: Kathy Johnson Address: 9023 Lawson Road, Daphne Phone: 621-6363 Open Registration year around. Ages 6 weeks – 12 years. After-school care available. Experienced staff including Certified PreK Teacher. Smart Board and splash playground. DHR Certified, First Aid/CPR Certified.

Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education Director: Pam Jones Address: 8 Marietta Drive, Fairhope Phone: 928-9347 Website: www.fairhopeorganicschool.com We nurture each child’s creativity with weekly classes in art, music, dance and nature study. 48

Celebrating 104 years of Learning through Play and Exploration! Fall Registration applications for Ages 3 - 8th grade will be taken beginning in January. Call for details.

Potter’s Mill Director: Jerri Smith Address: 30505 Spanish Ln, Spanish Fort Phone: 626-3022 Email: pottersmillchildcare@gmail.com Open Registration year around. Ages 6weeks - 5 years. Full and half days. Hours are Monday – Friday 5am – Midnight. Open 7 days a week. Before and after school care also available for school aged children. We accept Childcare South. A Beka Curriculum.

Spanish Fort Presbyterian Preschool Director: Melissa Ott Address: 6620 Spanish Fort Blvd, Spanish Fort Phone: 626-7137 Email: sfppreschool@gmail.com Website: www.spanishfortpresbyterian.com Ages 1 – K4. Hours are 9am – 1pm. Extended hours are available, 7:30am – 4:30pm. We offer the WEE Learn Curriculum.

Spanish Fort UMC Preschool Director: Jenni Dismukes Address: 6530 Spanish Ft Blvd, Spanish Fort Phone: 626-1380 SFUMC Church Member registration begins January 28th at 8:30am. Current student registration begins January 29th at 8:30am. Open registration begins January 31st at 9:30am. Ages 5 months - 4 years. Half day program.

The Learning Tree Weekday Early Education at First Baptist Church Director: Holly Blosser Address: 300 South Section St, Fairhope Phone: 928-0496 www.easternshoreparents.com

Dir Ad Ph Em Op -1 tod

Be Dir Add Spa Pho Con age Go

Bri Or Dir Add Pho We Em Pro ord ally chi sch Sum

Ch Dir Add Pho Age 5:3

Ch De Dir Add Pho Em We Reg Pre pre Pre

Co Dir Add Pho Em Op Ful

Co Dir Add Pho We yea

. ol

Email: tlt@fbcfairhope.org Website: www.fbcfairhope.org In House Registration for Fall and Summer is February 19th-20th from 9am-1pm. Registration Open to the Public is the week of February 24th -28th from 9am -1pm. Ages 1 - 4years. Half day Program. There are 2, 3 and 5-day programs available.

Weinacker’s Montessori School Director: Terri Kasmia Address: 28765 North Main St, Daphne Phone: 259-5037 Email: Tkasmia@WeinackersMontessori.com Open Registration year round. Ages 6 weeks - 12 years. Full and half days available. Call today! A Montessori education is affordable!

Other Child Care Providers Bean Sprouts Director: Dr. Deadra Powe Address: 11065 US Highway 31, Spanish Fort Phone: 626-5445 Convenient to Rockwell Elementary School. Serving ages 6 weeks through 5 years with the Mother Goose curriculum. Open 6am-6pm. Bright Beginnings Preschool Orange Beach UMC Director: Pam Kreamer Address: 28751 Canal Rd, Orange Beach Phone: 981-6750 Website: orangebeachumc.org Email: brightbeginnings@gulftel.com Providing a warm, loving, Christian environment in order for your children to grow spiritually, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. Serving children age 1 by September 1st of the current school year through 4 years old. Registration for Summer and Fall begins in March. Call for details. Children’s Learning Center Director: Lynn Beasley Address: 22305 Palmer St, Robertsdale Phone: 947-4407 Ages 6 weeks – 12 years. Full time 6:30am 5:30pm. After-school care also available. Christ the King Early Childhood Development Center Director: Jennifer Felicelli Address: 1506-B Main Street, Daphne Phone: 621-8391 Email: ctkecdc@gmail.com Website: www.ctk-daphne.org Registration begins February 1st. Ages 6 weeks Pre-K4 for extended care program and a half-day preschool program from 7:45am to 11:45am for Pre-K3 and Pre-K4. Color Us Kids Learning Center Director: Annette Brumfield Address: 26000 Nelson Street, Daphne Phone: 625-6933 Email: annettebrumfield@ymail.com Open registration year around. 6 weeks -5years. Full time learning center with A Beka Curriculum. Cox Day Care Director: Clara Cox Address: 301 Rain Dr., Bay Minette Phone: 937-2745 We welcome infants’ age 3 weeks to children 12 years old. Open from 6am - 5pm. 49

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Crossroads Church Preschool Director: Jackie Roberson Address: 10080 County Road 64, Daphne Phone: 626-5489 or 510-0642 Registration in January for Fall. Call for details. Ages 12mths - K4. Half-Day Program. Crossroads Head Start Director: Ann Bishop Address: 9411 Hurricane Rd, Bay Minette Phone: 937-5698 Website: www.caaofsa.org Ongoing registration for ages 3-5 years. Hours are 8:30am - 2:30pm. Discovery Island Child Development Director: Melissa Callaway Moody Address: 24843 Commercial Ave, Orange Beach Phone: 974-5488 Website: discoveryislandcdc.com Ongoing registration for ages 6 weeks-5years. Hours are 7am-6pm. Only licensed Daycare center on the island. Eastern Shore Academy of Excellence Director: Jamie Nero Address: 23946-B US Hwy 98, Montrose Phone: 928-1854 Open registration year round for children 6 weeks to 12 years of age. Daycare with Preschool curriculum, After-school care. Half day program available. 6:30am – 6pm. Summer program also offered. Eastern Shore Early Childhood Center Director: Carol Saltz Address: 1090 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope Phone: 928-3449 Call for registration information. Full Time. Ages 18 months - 12 years.

Eastern Shore Kids Kastle, Inc. Address: 10291 County Rd 48, Fairhope Phone: 990-5350 Email: eskki@bellsouth.net Open Registration year around. Ages 6 weeks - 12 years. Full Time. After-school Program is also available. Hours are Monday Friday 6am - 6pm. ChildCare South Accepted. Come See What Sets us APART! Health Habits - Sports Activities - Outdoor Sand/Water Play Trike Paths - Computers - Professional Photos - Special Events - Dance Recitals - Parades Homework Assessments. Eastern Shore Montessori School Director: Kate Burdick Address: 980 Main Street, Daphne Phone: 626-7505 Email: esmontessorischool@gmail.com Official registration begins soon with applications taken year round. Full and half day available. Ages 2 – Kindergarten. Summer programs also offered. Elsanor Nursery School Director: Rebecca Boyington Address: 23425 Cowling Rd, Robertsdale Phone: 947-5455 Serving children 6 weeks – 4 years. Hours are 6:30am-5:30pm. Fairhope UMC Preschool Ministry Director: Terry Lowell Address: 155 South Section St, Fairhope Phone: 928-1280 Website: www.fairhopeumc.org Monday - Friday mornings, 9am-12pm. Ages 3 5. Open registration: January 31 - Ages young 2 (turn 2 during the school year) to Pre-K.

Faith Christian Academy Director: Andrea Overstreet Address: 18109 US Highway 98, Foley Phone: 971-3202 First Baptist Child Care – Bay Minette Director: Megan Franklin Address: 1201 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette Phone: 937-3744 Ages 1 – 4years. Open 6:30am – 6:00pm. First Baptist Child Development Center – Gulf Shores Director: Becky Perkins Address: 2200 W 1st St, Gulf Shores Phone: 968-8124 Registration begins in June for fall 2014 for children ages 6 weeks – PreK4. Hours are 7:30am 5:30pm. First Baptist Daycare – Spanish Fort Director: Wanda Finch Address: 8353 Spanish Ft Blvd, Spanish Fort Phone: 626-2946 Open Registration year around. Ages 6 weeks - 5 years. Full Time. Foley UMC - Joy Center Address: Downtown Foley Phone: 943-3688 Website: www.foleyjoy.com Full Day Program for children 6 weeks - 5 years, Monday -Friday, 7:30am - 5:30pm. Mother’s Day Out for children 18 months – 5 years Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Only 8:30am 3:30pm. Good Beginnings Community Center Director: Debra J. Rowe Address: 26120 Equity Drive, Daphne

Pho “A –1 6pm Spa and

Go Bus Add Pho No mu 7:5 ear 5:3 Chr

Gu Pre Dir Add Pho We Em Reg age yea

He Dir Add Pho On thr

He Ho Loc Pho

Ho Dir Add Pho We Em Da wit

Jub Dir Add Pho Op Pre now

Jub Dir Add Pho We On 8:3

Jub Dir Add Pho ww Em Re for ava

Kid Dir Add Pho Op yea

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

s, ay

Phone: 316-5995 “A Lifetime of Learning Begins Here”. Ages 6 weeks – 12 years. Hours are Monday – Friday, 6am – 6pm. After-school care also available. Onsite Spanish and Music teacher. DHR Certified. CPR and First Aid Certified. Good Shepherd Lutheran School Business Manager: Charlotte Bailey Address: 13220 North Main, Elberta Phone: 987-1966 Now registering for PK3-Kindergarten. Children must be potty trained to start. Class is from 7:55am-3pm but children can be dropped off as early as 7:00am. Extended day is offered until 5:30pm. Program focuses on school readiness with Christian teachings.

COMING LATE JANUARY MOBILE CAUSEWAY LOCATION

Gulf Shores United Methodist Church Preschool and Mother’s Day Out Director: Lana Crawford Address: 1900 Gulf Shores Pkwy, Gulf Shores Phone: 968-4328 Website: www.gulfshoresumc.org Email: lana@gulfshoresumc.org Registration begins in March for children who are ages 1-4 as of September 1st of the current school year. Hours are 9am - 2:45pm. Heavenly Sent Learning Center Inc. Director: Arlene Trotter Address: 12710 County Rd 65, Foley Phone: 970-3324 Ongoing registration for children ages 6 weeks through 14 years. Hours are 6am -6pm. Hermes Enchanted Garden Home Daycare Located in Daphne near Hwy 90 and I-10. Phone: 269-0022

KIDS EAT FREE TUESDAYS

Holy Spirit Episcopal Day School Director: Cinnamon Walters Address: 616 West Fort Morgan Rd, Gulf Shores Phone: 968-5219 Website: www.hseds616.com Email: hseds616@gmail.com Day school for children ages 2-5. Hours 8:30-2:30 with extended care available. Jubilee Early Child Development Center Director: Heather Bankester Address: 8930 Spanish Ft Blvd., Spanish Fort Phone: 625-1234 Open Registration year around. Ages 6 weeks PreK4. Full Time with limited part-time program now available. Call for more information. Jubilee Head Start Center Director: Mrs. Porter Address: 24044 Highway 98, Montrose Phone: 928-9193 Website: www.caaofsa.org Ongoing registration for ages 3-5 years. Hours 8:30am - 2:30pm.

PROUD TO SERVE

Mobile Causeway • 3733 Battleship Pkwy • 251.626.2188 Gulf Shores • Original Oyster House Boardwalk • 251.948.2445 www.originaloysterhouse.com

Jubilee Shores WeeSchool Director: Amber Jones Address: 17261 State Hwy 181, Fairhope Phone: 929-0829 www.jubileeshores.net Email: amberjones@jubileeshores.net Registration for Fall begins in February. Call for details. Ages 1 – 5. program with aftercare available. Kid’s Kabin Daycare Director: Lynnette Locke Address: 27730 Main Street, Daphne Phone: 626-1256 Open Registration year around. Ages 2 years - 6 years. Full and half days available. 51

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Kidz Learning Center Director: Stacey Bain Address: 1074 N Hickory St, Loxley Phone: 964-4200 Ongoing registration for infants 6 weeks through children 12 years. Hours are 6am-5:30pm No registration fee. Kid Plus Child Development Center Director: Christie Steigerwald Address: 900 S Bay St, Foley, Phone: 970-1566 Website: www.kidplus.biz Email: csteigerwald@gulftel.com Ongoing registration for children ages 6 weeks through 11 years. Hours are 6am - 6pm. Little Beginnings Preschool at Genesis Church Director: Kathy Thrift Address: 3100 South McKenzie Street, Foley Phone: 986-5843 Website: www.genesischurchcma.org Email: kthrift@genesischurchcma.org Open Monday - Friday 8am -3pm with extended care available 7:15am - 5pm. Offering a quality preschool education for ages 2-5. Dedicated teachers with small class sizes. Academic and Bible curriculum! Little Beginnings Christian Director: Margaret Troha Address: 13672 County Rd 55, Foley Phone: 965-9096 Ongoing registration for preschool programs for children ages 1-5years. Hours are 7:30am - 5:30pm Convenient to Magnolia Elementary School. Little Learners Kiddie School Liberty Church Address: 110 East Riviera Blvd., Foley Phone: 923-7602

Ongoing registration for preschool ages 1-5. Hours 6:30am - 5:30pm. Loving Care Children’s Center Director: Karen Dees Address: 10142 County Road 64, Daphne Phone: 626-1855 Website: www.lovingcare2.com Open Registration year around. Ages 6 weeks - 6 years. Full and half days available. Loxley First Baptist Christian Learning Ctr Address: 1050 N. Alabama Street, Loxley Phone: 251-964-5700 Wee Learn Curriculum, 6 weeks - 6th grade, Full Time, Open enrollment. Magnolia Springs Head Start Director: Charlene McClellan Address: 13024 County Rd 26, Foley Phone: 965-7937 Website: caaofsa.org Ongoing registration for ages 3-5 years. Hours 8:30am - 2:30pm. Mrs. Robin’s Playhouse Director: Robin Gruber Phone: 677-4141 Location: Robertsdale, AL Learn through play in an environment based on family and faith. Ages newborn to 5 years. DHR licensed, health, fire and safety inspected, CPR/First Aid certified. Mrs. Robin is also a licensed social worker with more than 20 years experience. My Girl Friday Nanny Services. Licensed, bonded and class trained. GRMCA certified. Elderly care also available. Phone: 279-7079 or 533-2269 or 367- 0243 Email: patkkelley@gmail.com Website: www.mygirlfridaynow.weebly.com.

New Life Assembly of God Director: Brenda Smith Address: 10442 Old Hwy 31, Spanish Fort Phone: 656-3535 Official Registration begins soon. Call the director for more information. Ages 12months - 4 years. Half day program Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9am-1pm. Open Door Christian Child Care Director: James Robinson, Pastor Address: 20774 County Rd 12 S, Foley Phone: 943-1693 Website: www.opendoorchurchfoley.com Enter to grow in wisdom…depart to better serve. Applications being accepted for infants age 6 weeks and up through 3 year olds. PK 4 through 12th Grade offered through Open Door Christian School. Child Care hours are from 6am - 6pm. Precious Moments Learning Center Director: Monica Pierce Address: 1900 Oak St, Foley Phone: 943-4399 Ongoing registration for children ages 6 weeks through 15 years. Hours are from 6am - 7pm. Preschool Park Christian Life Church Director: Elaine Prosser Address: 25550 Canal Rd, Orange Beach Phone: 967-1959 Website: christianlifechurch.tv Childcare with a biblical basis. Ongoing registration for ages 6 months – 4 years. Preschool hours are 8:30am -2:30pm with early morning and after care available. Providence United Methodist Church Director: Allison Woodson Address: 32200 Jimmy Faulkner Drive, Spanish Fort Phone: 510-1469 Website: www.providencemethodist.org

Mo tion Thu

Ro Dir Add Pho Reg 5K. –1 $19

Sa Prin Add Pho We Em Reg for 7:4 5:3

St. Prin Add Pho We Em Pre sin in J 3:0

St. Dir Add Pho We Reg det

Sp Dir Add Spa Pho Em

Sw Add Pho Dir Chr yea Enr

Th Dir Add Pho Ple thr ava

Tin Dir Add Pho Em We Op Ful nes

Vic Vic Dir Add Pho We Ear chi 6:3 Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

eks

ol.

on e re

ort

Mom’s Day Out program now accepting applications for open enrollment. Ages 1-4. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am - 1pm. Half day program. Robertsdale First Baptist Preschool Director: Teresa Bryant Address: 18200 Hwy 104, Robertsdale Phone: 979-5621 Registration accepted year round. K2, K3 and K4 – 5K. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 8:20am – 1:20pm. A Beka curriculum. $65 Registration; $190/month.

Saint Benedict Catholic School Principal: Jaivi Howell Address: 12786 Illinois St, Elberta Phone: 986-8143 Website: www.saintbenedict.net Email: rkrehling@saintbenedict.net Registration begins in February for Fall of 2014 for PK3-8th Grade students. School day is from 7:45am - 3pm with extended day offered until 5:30pm.

KYM THURMAN

WATCH

WORKING MOMS

St. Patrick’s Church Principal: Sr. Margaret Harte Address: 23070 Hwy 59 N, Robertsdale Phone: 947-7395 Website: www.gulftel.com/stpatsch Email: stpatsch@gulftel.com Preparing students to “be God’s light in the world” since 1979. Open House and open registration is in January. Serving grades PK3 - 8th from 7:45am 3:00pm. Extended day is available until 5:30pm.

TUESDAYS ON LOCAL 15

TODAY

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Preschool Director: Mary Haulard Address: 28788 North Main St, Daphne Phone: 626-2774 Website: www.stpaulseasternshore.com Registration for Fall begins March 1st. Call for details. Ages 12months - PreK 4. Spanish Fort Preschool Academy Director: Stephanie Wilson Address: 9543 Stagecoach Commercial Park Circle, Spanish Fort Phone: 625-4042 Email: stephaniewilson@sfpacademy.com Swift Church Christian Preschool Address: 23208 Swift Church Road, Foley Phone: 943-8367 Director: Lori Larkin Christian education for kindergarten readiness.1 year - 5 years, Monday - Fri, 7am - 5:30pm. Open Enrollment. The Neighborhood School Director: Carriann Tombes Address: 26481a Kensington Pl, Daphne Phone: 626-0074 Please call for registration information. Ages infant through Pre-K. Full day and half day programs available. Tiny Tots Academy Director: Katherine Turnage Address: 25478 Friendship Road, Daphne Phone: 625-6625 Email: tinytotsac@att.net Website: www.tinytotsacademy.net Open registration all year. Ages 6 weeks – 5years. Full Day program. We offer a kindergarten readiness program. Victory Daycare Academy Victory Life Church Director: Gayle Griffith Address: 20511 County Rd 12 S, Foley Phone: 943-7684 Website: www.victorylifechurch.net Early education with fundamental values. Serving children ages 6 weeks through 4 years. Hours are 6:30am - 6:00pm. ESP

We will teach your child to be stronger, “bully-proof”, more confident, & better prepared D E T I UNATES to face the challenges of life! T

DO TAEKWON

Master Kim

E FRE l i Tr a s s a Cl

Classes start at $89/mo. DAPHNE 621-9933

“Pay As You Go”- No Contracts

BAY MINETTE 232-7598

Family Discount

SEMMES 786-5425

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

na in o to tex run ca qu you wo

U.S ing co the en saf tex ea gro na ing

tex ph

•F exa mo lips tim

We hear all the time about teens getting into a car crash because they were texting while driving. We’ve seen the heart-breaking public service announcements about a teen’s last text before dying in a crash. Teens get such a bad rap for texting and driving, yet I see so many adults who are driving while trying to dial a phone number, text, put on makeup, hold their pet … often with small children in the backseat. What are we teaching our children and teens about distracted driving?

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

So many of us are multi-taskers by nature. Everyone is busy, and some of us are in our car way more often that we would like to be. It’s tempting to want to pop off a quick text message to let someone know you are running late. It’s easy to make a fast phone call to the doctor’s office from the car to ask a question you might forget about by the time you get home. And we have to check in with work, don’t we? According to Distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, “Distracted driving is any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving. All distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety. These types of distractions include: texting; using a cell phone or smartphone; eating and drinking; talking to passengers; grooming; reading, including maps; using a navigation system; watching a video; adjusting a radio, CD player, or MP3 player.” So how do you keep your teenager from texting and driving or talking on their cell phone while driving? • For starters, you have to be a good example. A teenager recently told me her mother drives with her knee while applying lipstick and talking on the phone at the same time. Maybe being a bad example will make

DRV NOW, TXT L8R™

this teenager go the opposite way; maybe not. One mom I know says, “Oh I’m horrible ... I text but with my voice app more now ... I always put on makeup in the car. It’s a horrible habit I have … I’m a terrible example; in fact, I have talked to them a lot about what I do they shouldn’t.”

• Keep track of when your child is driving places and find out on the phone bill if there were any calls or texts during that time. If it turns out your child is practicing distracted driving, decide on the consequences, such as taking away driving and/or other privileges, etc.

• Another option is to get a cool app to help you out. Privus Mobile®is a Dallasbased application developer that has come up with a Caller ID app that says out loud who a text is from. This way, a person can decide to ignore the text or to pull off to the side of the road to check the text and/or answer it. This is a great idea because now people won’t have to look at their phone to see who is sending a text and then try to read it and respond while driving. To learn more about this app to help end texting while driving, go to http:// privusmobile.com/eyesontheroad.

More ideas include:

• Realize that being late to your destination is better than not arriving at all due to causing an accident because you had to do lastminute things in your car instead of at home. Thinking, “I can just call/text my friend back while I’m driving the kids to dance class” could be deadly and is something you can make a note about and do later.

• Keep snacks and bottles of water in the car for the kids to get into if they need them instead of you digging around for them and passing them back. • Pull over to soothe your baby instead of reaching back and trying to get a pacifier or bottle in his mouth. • Rather than messing with the radio/CD player endlessly, leave it where it is or turn it off entirely. • Stow your phone somewhere in the car where you can’t reach it and won’t be tempted to answer it. Turning it off is also a good idea so you won’t hear the ringing or dinging of it and get stressed out thinking it might be something urgent. Even using a headset is not necessarily safer, as your mind is still focused on the phone call and not on the road. ESP Kerrie McLoughlin is the mom of 5 and author of Fun, Frugal and Green Christmas. Come and see her at TheKerrieShow.com.

At Alfa®, we know that protecting your family is about more than just an insurance policy. That’s why we work to educate customers about the dangers of distracted driving. Sure, safe driving will save you money with Alfa, but it also could save your life. For help with all your insurance needs, call Alfa®.

Morgan Bradley 2510 Main St. Daphne, AL 36526

(251) 626-3383

mbradley@alfains.com

AUTO • HOME • LIFE www.AlfaInsurance.com AO12

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

A Page in a Book by Gerry Paige Smith

Celebrating Little (Strong & Independent) Girls It’s a brave new world out there for girls. It was only in the last century that women gained full access to education, voting, fair employment and other freedoms and rights that they’d not enjoyed previously. While most of the biggest barriers for girls have dropped, it remains important that today’s youth remember feminine examples who carved a path through forbidden territory to make the path easier for those who came later. The following titles celebrate independent, courageous women who blazed the trail for today’s strong, independent little girls.

Stand Straight, Ella Kate

by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise (Dial Books / Penguin) This true story of a real giant follows the tale of Ella Kate Ewing, who started out small and grew to the staggering height of eight feet. Ella’s normal childhood shifts when she begins to grow taller than her classmates, and then taller than her parents. Too large for the desks at school, too big to play hide & go seek, and teased about her stature by the meaner sort, Ella’s small town was becoming too small for her to be happy. But when a museum manager from Chicago offered Ella the chance to stand up tall and use her height to her advantage, she took the world by storm and made her fortune with her head held high. Featuring amazing endpapers with facts about Ella’s size, Stand Straight, Ella Kate is an inspirational story of a nineteenth century girl who discovered how to put her advantage to the best use!

Marching with Aunt Susan

by Claire Rudolph Murphy, Illustrated by Stacey Schuett (Peachtree Publishers) Even though she could ride a bicycle faster than everyone on her block, Bessie wasn’t included on hikes with her father and brothers. She was told that hiking wasn’t for girls. But when staying home meant helping prepare for a suffrage tea, Bessie soon discovers that she’s not the only one feeling left out. The main guest of the tea is Susan B. Anthony, an aged woman who has spent the greater part of her life organizing women to speak out and stand up for the right to vote. Anthony’s story and passion move Bessie to help women struggle for equal rights, if only in the ways a child can. A dynamic story that follows the passion of the suffragette movement through the eyes of a young girl, Marching with Aunt Susan shares an important aspect of yesterday’s journey to women’s rights with the children of today.

Women Explorers

by Julie Cummins, Illustrated by Cheryl Harness (Dial Books / Penguin) This collection of short biographies features trail-blazing women who ventured into wilderness and wonders world-wide, traveling into territory where only men had ventured before. From mountain peaks to African rivers, there were women in the 18th century who were venturing into jungles and icy wastelands that would intimidate even the bravest of men. Some were wealthy socialites whose passion for knowledge moved them out of their elegant salons into the wilds. Others were poor women who overcame impossible odds to journey into unknown territory for the pursuit of wealth, science and sheer adventure. Women Explorers blends pistols, perils and petticoats into an exciting assemblage of ladies who went out on a limb, long before it was proper, and changed history!

Find more A Page in a Book recommendations at www.PageBookReviews.com.

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

r ath -

to n de all

s est

o er s

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Family Calendar Ongoing

American Sport Art Museum and Archives Located on the campus of the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, dedicated to the preservation of sports history, art, and literature. Exhibits spotlight visiting artists on a rotating basis, as well as our permanent collection of prints, sculpture, original paintings, photographs and other arts media. Free admission. Hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. 1 Academy Drive, Daphne. For more information call 251.626.3303 or visit www.asama.org. Big Brother / Big Sister Mentors Needed At-risk children at Summerdale School need volunteer Big Brother Big Sister mentors. “Bigs” have fun with a child one time a week, for one hour, on school grounds, during the school year by reading a story, working puzzles, playing catch, drawing, or just being a friend. Professional training and support are provided by Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama YMCA, Inc. For more information or to volunteer, contact Polly at 251-344-0536 ext. 104. Eastern Shore Art Center A non-profit arts organization located in beautiful downtown Fairhope. The Art Center houses four galleries with exhibits that change monthly, as well as a gallery featuring member artists’ work for sale. Admission is free. 401 Oak Street, Fairhope. For more information call 251.928.2228 or visit www.easternshoreartcenter.com. The Exploreum The Exploreum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 5 p.m. For tickets or more information visit www.exploreum.com or call 251-208-6873. 65 Government Street, Mobile. Fairhope Museum of History The museum is full of artifacts from old Fairhope. You can see displays on Clay City, the Single Tax Association and the Civil War. You can also see personal belongings from some of Fairhope’s first families. The museum is located in downtown Fairhope at 24 North Section Street. The museum is open Monday - Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, call 929-1474. Marietta Johnson Museum This museum was founded to preserve the oldest school building in Baldwin Country, which was founded in 1907 by famed educator Marietta Johnson. Known as one of the first progressive schools in the world, the museum includes historic letters, documents, and artifacts from the school’s heyday, as well as biographical information about Marietta Johnson. To learn more, visit www.mariettajohnson.org. Open Mondays-Fridays from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Admission is free. 440 Fairhope Ave. 990-8601. Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve The Weeks Bay Reserve has a free educational interpretive center and two boardwalks. The Interpretive Center houses a multitude of exhibits, habitat models, specimen collections and a diorama giving the visitor a better understanding about the value of estuaries, diversity of coastal wetlands, and a close-up look at living plants and animals of coastal Alabama. Admission is free. Hours are Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. 11300 US Highway 98, Fairhope. For more information call 251.928-9792 or visit www.weeksbay.org.

Classes/Meetings Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connections (APAC)

Offering Adoptive Family Support Group Meetings in Baldwin County the 3rd Monday of each month. The meeting is held at Eastern Shore Church of Christ, 1209 Daphne Ave, in Daphne from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Parent, Youth/Teen group and childcare is available. Topic discussions by adoption professionals and ceu’s for foster families are offered. For more information call 251-4602727 or 1-800-489-1886 or www.childrensaid.org. APAC also offers free counseling services to adoptive families. Celebration MOPS Fairhope Celebration MOPS meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at Celebration Church, 8180 Dyer Road, Fairhope. Childcare is provided and is included in

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

January2014

the fees. There is an annual $23.95 MOPS International membership fee and $5/meeting. Check us out on Facebook at Celebration MOPS Fairhope or contact coordinator Lauren Beck at celebrationmopsfairhope@ gmail.com. Daphne Neurological Disease Support Group (Includes Parkinson’s Disease, epilepsy). Meets second Monday of each month at Daphne United Methodist Church, 2401 Main Street, Daphne, in the Community Life Center-Gathering Room. 11:00 a.m. until noon. Noon light lunch for $3 from 12:15 - 1:00 p.m. 12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Speaker or joint group session. Contact person: Alice Hallford - 251-626-8228. Fairhope MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) We meet 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. every 2nd & 4th Monday at Fairhope United Methodist Church. All mothers of young children are welcome. Email fairhopemops@yahoo.com for more info. Father Central of Daphne *Positive Fathering, A New & Improved Parenting Class Just For Men, $75 giftcard upon completion. Mondays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Call 251-626-1610 to register, held at The Exchange Club Family Center of Baldwin County, 27365 Pollard Rd., Daphne, near the YMCA. *Chill Skills Anger Management by appointment. $25 giftcard upon completion. Call 251-626-1610 schedule, The Exchange Club Family Center of Baldwin County, 27365 Pollard Rd., Daphne, near the YMCA. *Nurturing Parenting, everything you need to know but were afraid to ask. Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., 12-week rotating series. Jump in on any Thursday! Call 251-626-1610 to register, 27365 Pollard Rd, Daphne, near the YMCA. “ M oms O ffering M oms S upport” (MOMS Club) is a group intended for stay at home moms to provide encouragement for each other while providing fun activities for their children. This club is open to anyone on the Eastern Shore area of Baldwin County, Alabama. We hold a meeting at the beginning of each month with a speaker or topic relevant to moms while childcare is provided. Each month there are social activates organized for the children such as play dates, field trips and seasonal parties. MOMS Club is also dedicated to giving back to the community through supporting various charities. MOMS Club is a great way to connect with other moms, form friendship and enjoy activities with your little ones. For more information please visit our website at www.momsclubofdaphne.com or email us at momsclubofdaphne@yahoo.com. MOPS on the Eastern Shore MOPS stands for “Mothers of Preschoolers” - but don’t let that confuse you. MOPS is about meeting the needs of every mom of a child from conception through kindergarten with local groups of moms just like you. 7100 Spanish Fort Blvd., Spanish Fort. 1st Thursday of the Month (September through May). Dinner & Child Care are provided. 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. http://www.mopsontheeasternshore.shutterfly.com/ Facebook.com/MopsOnTheEasternShore . Moonlight Chasse’ Ballroom Dance Society Dance lessons from 7 – 7:30 p.m., and Dancing from 7:30 – 10 p.m., first and third Monday of every month, at Fitzpen Place, 1 mile east of Eastern Shore Mall. No partner necessary. $10 per person includes dance lesson. $7 with membership, includes dance lesson. Live music, cash bar. www.FitzpenPlace.com. www.Moonlightchasse. com. For more information, call 251-621-6665 or 251377-4069. PUMC Caregiver Support Group A new support group for caregivers of aging parents and others is discussing “boundaries” at monthly meetings open to the community. The public is invited to be a part of this support group, which meets monthly at Providence UMC, located between Spanish Fort High School and Middle School at 32200 Jimmy Faulkner Dr. For more information about the new support group, call the church office at (251) 626-2510 or email pumc.office@bellsouth. net. For more information about Providence UMC, call the church office or visit the website at www.providencemethodist.org. Shepherd’s Place (Christian Life Center) Ministry for memory & physically challenged. Mondays & Wednesdays 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Tuesdays & Thursdays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Fairhope United Methodist Church, 155 South Section Street, Fairhope. 928-1148.

Tango by the Bay ~ Argentine Basic classes are held every Tuesday from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. in Fairhope at Southern Edge Dance Studio, located behind Pizza Hut across from Thomas Hospital. 251 South Greeno, Fairhope. $5 per class (fee may be higher with special guest instructors). For more information Contact Ben Samel at 605-2657 or Cassie Fishbein 377-4069, cassief13@aol.com. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center offers the following classes: Your entire family can take part in several informative classes designed to help moms and dads welcome their special new addition to the family with more confidence. Classes cover topics including: Having A Healthy Pregnancy Nutrition, discomforts of pregnancy, warning signs of complications, and relaxation exercises. One session. $10. Prepared Childbirth Classes (Once a week for four weeks). Cost: $30 Week 1: Begin the Stages of Labor: The labor and delivery process, signs and stages of labor, options for coping, pain management, vaginal delivery, and relaxation exercises. Week 2: Delivery and Cesarean Birth: A review of complications that may arise, use of special equipment, complete the stages of labor, cesarean delivery, and relaxation exercises. Week 3: New Born and Postpartum Care: Newborn appearance, caring for the newborn, infant safety, recognizing complications, relaxation exercises, and choosing a pediatrician. What to expect after delivery, understanding the physical and emotional changes to your body, and relaxation exercises. Week 4: The Art of Breast Feeding: The benefits of breast feeding for mother and baby, anatomy and physiology of the breast, how to breastfeed, and common difficulties. One session. • Tiny Toes members may enroll in Yoga, Water Aerobics and Expectant Mother Exercise classes through the Snook Family YMCA. The fee is $5 a class. There is a $3 fee for child care. There is no fee if you are already a member of the YMCA. All classes are located at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center–1613 North McKenzie Street Foley. Tuesday evenings 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Classroom A. Located just off of the main lobby. • Please plan to attend the Healthy Pregnancy Class during your first trimester and the Prepared Childbirth Classes anytime after your 24th week of pregnancy. For more information or to enroll please call the OB Educator at 9493676 to schedule. We look forward to sharing this special time with you! Method of payment accepted: Visa, Master Card, Discover, AmEx, Debit Card. Gift of Life The Gift of Life is a required maternity care program for Medicaid patients or Medicaid-eligible patients. The Gift of Life Program provides a caring system of prenatal services; education and care coordination for expectant moms and their babies. For additional information please contact 949-3781. Thomas Hospital offers the following classes: Breastfeeding Class  Thomas Fitness Center (Fairhope). Monthly, first Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m.  Free. Infant CPR and Safety Class  Thomas Fitness Center (Fairhope). Pre-registration required.  To register call 279-1373.  Saturdays, 4 - 6 p.m.  Moving Through Labor Childbirth Classes Three or four-week prepared childbirth class series which prepares the mother-to-be and her support partner for the labor and delivery experience. $30 fee for the class series. Thomas Fitness Center, (Fairhope)   Mondays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thomas Fitness Center (Fairhope) Saturdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.  Thomas Medical Center (Daphne) Tuesdays, 6-8:30 p.m.  Thomas Medical Center (Daphne) Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Pre-registration required. Call 251- 279-1373 or visit www. thomashospital.com for upcoming classes and registration. Natural Childbirth Classes, Fertility Awareness, Mother’s Comfort, Exercise and Nutrition For class schedule or more information call Geralyn Piizzotti, 251- 928-9396. Yourbodyyourbirth@bellsouth.net.

www.easternshoreparents.com

Ne Hel p.m reg Pre 6p Pre Sib Tho Pre 279

Tho gro Ala Mee The mo Ala Mee the Tho Alz Mee from 345 ALS Mee from 937 Bos Mee from Res Call Can Rib Sup Ope mo ent req Can Mee 6 to info Dia Mee 6:3 Call Na Mee p.m 626

d th

our

s ok

l of

49al

er,

Newborn Basics Class Held on the second Monday of every month from 6 – 8 p.m. at Thomas Medical Center in Daphne. Free. No Preregistration required. Pre-admission Sessions 6 p.m. at Thomas Medical Center in Daphne. Pre-registration required.   Sibling Class   Thomas Hospital Fitness Center (Fairhope).   Pre-registration required.  To register call 279-1373.  10 - 11 a.m.

Parkinson’s Support Group Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month from noon to 1 p.m. at Thomas Medical Center. Call 251455-9919 for more information. Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Support Group Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month from 10 to 11 a.m. at Thomas Medical Center. Call 251626-6337 for more information.

Thomas Hospital offers the following support groups for the community: Alanon (Alcoholics Anonymous) Meetings are held every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Harbor at Thomas Hospital. Call 800-477-1104 for more information. Alateen Meetings are held every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Morphy Conference Room East Tower meeting room at Thomas Hospital. Call 391-1152 for more information. Alzheimer’s Support Group Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Thomas Medical Center. Call 345-7645 or 438-9590 for more information. ALS Support Group Meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month from 11 a.m. to noon at Thomas Medical Center. Call 205937-4415 for more information. Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Thomas Hospital Health Resource Center located at: 308 S. Greeno Road, Fairhope. Call 928-8650 for more information. Cancer Support Group-Family Connected by Ribbons Support group for cancer survivors, friends and family. Open to any types of cancer. Every first Thursday of every month from 6 - 8 p.m. Morphy Conference Room (Old ER entrance) at Thomas Hospital, Fairhope. Preregistration not required. Call 209-1229 for more information. Cancer Support Group for Women Meetings are held the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Morphy Conference Room. For more information, call Patti Huval at 209-1229. Diabetes Support Group Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas Hospital Diabetes Center. Call 279-1700 for more information. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Support Meetings are held every Thursday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Harbor at Thomas Hospital. Call 251- 9656264 for more information.

First Friday Artwalk Downtown Fairhope. First Friday Author Round-Up Join Page and Palette from 6 – 8 PM as they welcome Judy Diller, author of “The Call of the Mountain” and Linda Mayton, author of “Beyond Life.” Page and Palette is located at 32 S. Section Street, Fairhope. For more information visit www.pageandpalette.com or call 928-5295.

Friday, January 3

Saturday, January 4

Greer’s/AL.com /Press-Register Mardi Gras Parade A Mardi Gras parade will be held in the streets of downtown Mobile starting at 6:30 PM. Sixteen Mardi Gras societies will be represented with floats and throws for the crowd. Several local high school marching bands will join the parade, as well as the bands and cheerleaders from each participating Bowl team. A huge crowd is expected to pack the streets of downtown Mobile for this early rendition of the Mardi Gras season. Spectronics Fireworks Display Immediately following the Mardi Gras parade around 8:00 PM, a fireworks display over the Mobile River will highlight the festivities and set the tone for the official pre-game pep rallies and street party. Location: Convention Center. The Fabulous Johnny C. presents Elvis’s Birthday Celebration The spirit of The King lives on with the “Memories of Elvis” featuring Johnny C. and the Memories Dancers along with Don Stafford Show & Dance featuring some of the world’s greatest songs from some of the world’s greatest artists. Performance will be held from 7 - 9 PM at the Loxley Civic Center, 4198 Municipal Park Drive, Loxley. Advance discount tickets at Ribs & Reds Restaurant $8, Tickets at door $10, Children $3 discount. For more information call 251-978-2462.

Sunday, January 5

GoDaddy Bowl Join us at 8:00 PM at Ladd Peebles Stadium for the GoDaddy Bowl. For tickets, please call (251) 635-0011. A national television audience will tune in to ESPN for the 15th Annual GoDaddy Bowl. The GoDaddy Bowl has built a reputation of fielding some of the most competitive and exciting games of the Bowl season. Visit www.godaddybowl.com for more information.

Monday, January 6

BCS National Championship Indoor Tailgate Party The Gulf Shores Lions Club is sponsoring the BCS National Championship Indoor Tailgate Party. This is open to all football fans. Doors open for the tailgate party at 5 PM and kickoff is at 7:30 PM. The Lions Club will be cooking hotdogs, hamburgers, sausage, chips, dips, etc. They will also supply the food & non-alcoholic drinks. BYOB (you can bring liquor, wine and beer to this event). You must call (251) 223-1220 or email lionsbcsparty@gmail.com by January 3rd! $25 per person or $160 to reserve a team table for eight. Open Auditions for Disney’s “101 Dalmatians Kids” and Disney’s “Aladdin, Jr.” Center Stage Performance will be holding open auditions for 2 spring Musicals. Children K4 – 3rd can audition for Disney’s “101 Dalmatians Kids.” Children 4th – 9th can audition for Disney’s “Aladdin, Jr.” All are invited to try out. Bring a head shot and prepared song. Auditions are held at the Fairhope United Methodist Church Life Center, 155 South Section Street, Fairhope. Auditions are Monday and Tuesday. Come anytime between 4 and 7 PM. For more audition information visit www.CenterStagePerformance.com.

Tuesday, January 7

Open Auditions for Disney’s “101 Dalmatians Kids” and Disney’s “Aladdin, Jr.” (See January 6th for details.)

Wednesday, January 8 Hearts-at-Home Bible Study Hearts-at-Home, a time of fellowship, Bible study, prayer for Ladies of all ages, meets from 9 - 11 AM every Wednesday, beginning Jan. 8th, at Calvary Baptist Church, 700 W. Magnolia Ave, Foley. Contact Lydia at 251-228-2011 for more information.

of es; d

m. .m.  .

w. on.

et.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Family Calendar Team Warriors 4EVER The Orange Beach TeamWarriors4EVER team has partnered with Tacky Jack’s, a local restaurant, where we will be staging a run every Wednesday. TeamWarriors4EVER is a non-profit organization aimed at raising money and awareness for wounded and/or fallen veterans and their families while promoting activity thru team and individual sports. Time is 6:30 PM. For more information visit www. teamwarriors4ever.com.

Thursday, January 9

Winter Jam 2014 Winter Jam Tour Spectacular at the Mitchell Center (5950 Old Shell Road) at 7:00 PM. Featuring: Newsboys, Lecrae, Tenth Avenue North, Thousand Foot Krutch, Plumb and more. Cost: $10 at the door. Read It & Eat Luncheon and Book Signing Join Page and Palette at 12 noon as they welcome award-winning author Lynn Cullen, author of “Mrs. Poe.” Location is TBD. This even is free and open to the public. Bring a brown bag lunch or call the store to reserve lunch for $10. For more information visit www. pageandpalette.com or call 928-5295. South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Crystal and J.T.’s Wedding Shower & Fish Fry” Crystal’s finally hooked JT and they’re having a fish fry and you’re invited!  Join the fun in the next installment of the Whitfield saga as the family celebrates even though the siblings bring a peck of troubles to the party.  Mary Lee’s got heart trouble, Big Arthur’s got a cheerleader girlfriend and Augusta is having an online affair. Show dates are January 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18 @ 7:30 PM. January 12 & 19 (Sunday) @ 2:00 PM. For tickets and further information visit www.sbct.biz. South Baldwin Community Theatre is located at 2022 West 2nd Street, Gulf Shores.

January2014

Friday, January 10

Parents Night Out – Exploreum The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center offers an opportunity for parents of children ages 4 - 12 to spend a grown up night out at LoDa Artwalk, enjoying all that downtown Mobile has to offer, while their kids enjoy the best in quality, informal education, entertainment and social development in a secure and structured environment. Children will be able to explore the Exploreum’s hands-on, interactive exhibit galleries, experience a kid-friendly feature film, make new friends, enjoy a popcorn snack with lemonade, and learn lots of new stuff from the Exploreum’s team of informal educators! Please visit www.exploreum.com for more information. Reservations required. South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Crystal and J.T.’s Wedding Shower & Fish Fry” (See January 9th for details.)

Tuesday, January 14

“Candy Bar Memories” The best thing about heaven when you have Alzheimer’s is you get your mind back, in candybar form. Have your hankie ready as Parneise reunites with Roy and recaptures her precious memories in this dramedy. This one-act play will be presented at the theatre, however the ticket sales will not be handled by the theatre’s box office or by the Vendini online ticket program. The tickets can be purchased at Gulf Shores United Methodist Church. All proceeds will benefit the Daybreak Respite program, the church’s senior daycare ministry program. The theatre is located at 2022 West 2nd Street, Gulf Shores. Showtime is 7:30 PM. For more information call 251-968-4346 or visit sbct.biz/ schedules.

Wednesday, January 15

South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Crystal and J.T.’s Wedding Shower & Fish Fry” (See January 9th for details.)

Hearts-at-Home Bible Study Hearts-at-Home a time of fellowship, Bible study, prayer for Ladies of all ages meets from 9 - 11 AM every Wednesday at Calvary Baptist Church, 700 W. Magnolia Ave, Foley. Contact Lydia at 251-228-2011 for more information. “Candy Bar Memories” (See Tuesday, January 14th for details.) Team Warriors 4EVER (See Wednesday, January 8th for details.)

Sunday, January 12

Thursday, January 16

Saturday, January 11

First Light Marathon Servis 1st Bank First Light Marathon and ½ Marathon. Please visit www.firstlightmarathon.com for registration and details.

Fancy Nancy Fashion Show Come dressed in your “Fanciest” fashion and be prepared to walk the runways as Page and Palette celebrates the 3rd annual Fancy Nancy Fashion Show.

0000067769-01

New friends are now best friends. New experiences are now the best times ever. No wonder it’s so easy to tell others about it and include them in the fun.

Welcome to Riverview Camp for Girls!

We’ve do put Itogether everything you’re looking for in a perfect“I saw camp onemy of Why choose Riverview each summer? mysetting! first river Recognized on a mountain,as I rode Golf,times Dance, Dance, Outdoor Sports, Soccer,use Beach Volleyball, Basketball, “As go,Stomp it was one of the BEST.”Skills AndClass, what child couldn’t some of that these days?

Riverview Reﬁnement, Program, Campﬁres night,Recognized optional trips and more! We’ve put together everythingCIT you’re looking for in a perfect every camp setting! as one of the Southeast’s best all-around summer camps for girls, Riverview is an oasis of fun, friends and happiness. Spring and Fall &available 2 week Sessions ages to 16... Mother-Daughter Weekends1are also! Registeredfor Nurses and6 Physician on Staff. Entire full-summer staff is First Aid andand CPRFall Certified. Camper/Counselor Ratio 5:1 Spring Mother-Daughter Weekends...

waiting lists start early...sign up soon!... Waitingwww.riverviewcamp.com! lists start early...sign up soon!... 1

Call for FREE DVD and catalog 1-800-882-0722 Accredited by American Camping Association • Members of Christian Camping International

D RAMA

www.riverviewcamp.com

Only 1 /Mountain 2 hours from Huntsville Located on top of Lookout in Mentone, AL. Only a 5 hr drive.

AND

Dr. Larry & Susan Hooks, Owners/Directors • Donna Bares,Asst. Director

1 & 2Week Sessions for Ages 6-16

C RAFTS • C HORUS

first I had campfires every night. Icamps felt close to God. giggled a lot is with friends and counselors. time flew by! thehorse. Southeast’s best all-around for girls,IRiverview annew oasis of fun, friends andThe happiness... I Exciting felt safe and secure. Iinclude: gained confidence in myselfPool,Tennis, through the world around me.” activities Riding, Heated Canoeing, Ropes Course, Climbing Tower,

AND

FLAG TWIRLING • CHEERLEADING • RIFLERY • ARCHERY • TRIP DAY • GOLF

We don’t wonder anymore how it happened, that one summer could bring such happy memories.

B ASKETBALL • S OCCER • A RTS

• H ORSEBACK R IDING • S WIMMING • T ENNIS • C ANOEING • D ANCE • A EROBICS • G YMNASTICS • B EACH V OLLEYBALL •

• R OPES C OURSE • C LIMBING T OWER • O UTDOOR L IVING S KILLS • C AMPFIRE F UN • C OUNSELOR -I N -T RAINING •

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

res The as o wom to f of t and yea thre Sho Com give ple at 6 Tick 10. Sou “Cr (Se

Sou “Cr (Se

Tai Tail Coo bist in t doe The tea and run pla jud foo from Clu Sou “Cr (Se

“Ca (Se Fel Sen Ann tog 2,0 -m larg ab cou ap trea pro tak For Bow

his

by t es e are st

for

B ASKETBALL • S OCCER • A RTS

•

AND

C RAFTS • C HORUS

AND

D RAMA

•

This event is open to ages preschool – 3rd grade. Page and Palette is located at 32 S. Section Street, Fairhope. For more information visit www. pageandpalette.com or call 928-5295. Toast to the Coast The South Baldwin Newcomers Club will be holding its major fundraising event, A Toast to the Coast, at the Orange Beach Events Center at The Wharf from 6-9 PM. This year we will have 30 of the area’s finest restaurants offering a tasting of their special dishes. There will also be a band for entertainment as well as our special silent auction. Our club represents 300 women of the South Baldwin area and our objective is to foster the civic, social, and educational betterment of the general community. Our charitable donations and scholarships total between $18,000-$22,000 per year. We offer annual gifts to many local charities and three $1,500 scholarships to a local student at Gulf Shores High School, Foley High School and Faulkner Community College in Gulf Shores. All funds raised are given back to the community. For ticket information please call Ellen Lee, Chairman of A Toast to the Coast at 678-428-4660 or Jeannetta Bell at 251-271-4261. Tickets are $35 each or $350 for a reserved table for 10. For more information call 678-428-4660. South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Crystal and J.T.’s Wedding Shower & Fish Fry” (See January 9th for details.)

Friday, January 17

South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Crystal and J.T.’s Wedding Shower & Fish Fry” (See January 9th for details.)

Saturday, January 18

Tailgate Cookoff for Orange Beach Lions Club Tailgaters are invited to the 2nd Annual Keg Tailgate Cook-Off in the back courtyard at the Orange Beach bistro. Anything that can be prepared during a tailgate in the parking lot of a football game is eligible. It doesn’t even have to be meat, and anybody can enter. The $50 entry fee includes up to four chefs per team. Food submissions will be judged on taste and originality. First place is $500 and a trophy, the runner-up earning $200 and a trophy and the third place entrant a plaque. Cooking starts at 9:00 AM with judging at 2:00 PM. The public is invited to sample the food from noon until 4:00 PM for just $8. All proceeds from the tasting will benefit the Orange Beach Lions Club, For more information call 923-8752. South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Crystal and J.T.’s Wedding Shower & Fish Fry” (See January 9th for details.)

Tuesday, January 21

“Candy Bar Memories” (See Tuesday, January 15th for details.) Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s Chick-Fil-A Senior Bowl Rally Annually bringing together more than 2,000 attendees - making it the largest FCA Rally at a bowl game in the country - the FCA Chick-fil-A Senior Bowl Rally is always a popular game-week event. In 2013, the crowd was treated to player testimonies, live music and food provided by Chick-fil-A from 6:30-8:30 PM. This event takes place at the Convention Center (1 Water Street). For more information on the FCA Chick-fil-A Senior Bowl rally, you can visit www.southalabamafca.org.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

Family Calendar Wednesday, January 22 Senior Bowl Rally The Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ annual Chick-fil-A Senior Bowl Rally regularly features our country’s finest Christian sports figures as it’s guests from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile. To find out more about the rally, please call 251-5107024 or go to www.southalabamafca.org. Dinner is included in the ticket price. Group tickets must be reserved by Friday Jan. 10. Individual tickets can be purchased for $5 at any Chick-Fil-A in Mobile, Daphne, or Spanish Fort up to Jan. 20. After Jan. 20 non-meal tickets will be available for purchase up to the day of the event. Dinner will be served from 6:00 - 6:30 PM. The rally will be from 6:30 – 8:00 PM. School and Youth groups are encouraged to attend. Hearts-at-Home Bible Study Hearts-at-Home, a time of fellowship, Bible study, prayer for Ladies of all ages, meets from 9 - 11 AM every Wednesday at Calvary Baptist Church, 700 W. Magnolia Ave, Foley. Contact Lydia at 251-228-2011 for more information. Team Warriors 4EVER (See Wednesday, January 8th for details.)

Friday, January 24

Chick-fil-A Stuffed Animal Sleepover with the Cow Please make your reservations at www.chick-fil-a.com/ daphne for dinner with your stuffed animal or doll. All animals and dolls may join the cow for a sleep over! Come the next morning for breakfast between 8 AM 10 PM to learn about all of the fun your animals and dolls had with the Cow. Senior Bowl – Coca Cola Meet the Players One of the highlights of Senior Bowl week - for fans and players - is the Coca Cola Meet the Players event. Held each Friday of Senior Bowl week, fans get to

Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

January2014

interact, get an autograph and snap a picture with their favorite player at the Exhibit Hall of the Mobile Convention Center (1 Water Street). Fans often line up early in the morning for the event, which runs from 3-6 PM each year. The event is divided into two sessions, the first from 3:00-4:30 PM and the second from 4:30-6:00 PM. More information on the two sessions, including when specific players will be attending the event, will be available at seniorbowl.com on the Thursday before the Meet the Players event. Al.com –Press Register Senior Bowl Experience Before thousands of fans pose for pictures with players during the Coca Cola Meet the Players event, they can enjoy several interactive displays, special activities and one-of-a-kind entertainment. There are plenty of interactive displays from the New Orleans Saints, Under Armour, Coca-Cola and AT&T, plus games for the kids. And, after fans are finished meeting the players, they can stay and continue the fun as the Senior Bowl Experience goes until 7:00 PM at The Convention Center (1 Water Street).

Saturday, January 25

Reese’s Senior Bowl The Senior Bowl is the nation’s most unique football game and football’s premier senior showcase event. It annually features the country’s best senior collegiate football players and top NFL draft prospects on teams representing the North and South that are coached by the entire coaching staffs of two National Football League teams. Location is Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. For associated events and ticket information visit www.seniorbowl.com. Clothe the Children Benefit Gala The Pleasure Island Junior Woman’s Club is hosting their Inaugural Clothe the Children Benefit Gala featuring musical entertainment from the Tip Tops. The event will begin at 7 PM and will include a silent

auction, cocktail hour and heavy hors d’oeuvres by Cosmo’s. Tickets are on sale now and are $65 per person or $100 per couple. All proceeds go toward the funding of Clothe the Children in Baldwin County. The attire is black tie optional. Tickets available at Malouf Furniture, Diamond Jewelers and Kaiser Realty. Fairhope Girl’s Softball Registration Registration for Fairhope Girl’s Softball for girls ages 4 to 16. Registration will be held from 9 AM – 12 PM. For more information visit www. fairhopegirlssoftball.com or call Charli Linn, 251300-4313. Registration also open February 1st.

Monday, January 27

The Not So Newlywed Game with Bob Eubanks Don’t miss the legendary Bob Eubanks and his show “The Not So Newlywed Game”. This live replica of the hit TV show features four couples picked right from the audience and a light-hearted, comedic evening hosted by the 8-time Emmy Award winner himself. The event begins at 7 PM at Activity Center located at 260 Clubhouse Drive, Gulf Shores. Tickets are $37 and can be purchased online at www.vendi.com or in person.

Tuesday, January 28

Navigating Dyslexia Workshop Syliva Muller, M.Ed., Education Consultant and mother of a child with dyslexia, will present Navigating Dyslexia: A parent Workshop Series for parents and caregivers dealing with dyslexia. Charting your course

www.easternshoreparents.com

wit dys - 7: Roa dys Cu Cui Adv por mo The (Se

He Hea pra eve Ma mo Tea (Se

Sat Ch Com Wo Fair dow to c 251 Fai Reg 4 to

he e f

w. om 1on st.

s w he

7 in

with Technology: Assistive technology to help your dyslexic child or college student will be held from 6:30 - 7:30 PM at Read-Write Learning Center, 1048 Stanton Road, Suite G, Daphne. Fee is $10. To register visit dyslexiaspecialists.net or call 251-625-4020. Cuisine for Kids Cuisine for Kids is annual fundraiser for the Child Advocacy Center. Participating restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds from that day to the CAC. For more information, please visit www.cacmobile.org. The Not So Newlywed Game with Bob Eubanks (See Tuesday, January 28th for details.)

Wednesday, January 29 Hearts-at-Home Bible Study Hearts-at-Home, a time of fellowship, Bible study, prayer for Ladies of all ages, meets from 9 - 11 AM every Wednesday at Calvary Baptist Church, 700 W. Magnolia Ave, Foley. Contact Lydia at 251-228-2011 for more information. Team Warriors 4EVER (See Wednesday, January 8th for details.)

Looking Ahead...

Saturday, February 1st Children of the World Chinese New Year Parade Come celebrate Chinese New Year with Children of the World at 1 p.m. Our annual parade will begin at the Fairhope United Methodist Church and wind through downtown. Children from around the world will parade to celebrate the New Year. For more information, call 251-990-3550. Fairhope Girl’s Softball Registration Registration for Fairhope Girl’s Softball for girls ages 4 to 16. Registration will be held from 9 AM – 12 PM.

For more information visit www.fairhopegirlssoftball. com or call Charli Linn, 251-300-4313. Teen Runway Charity Fashion Show Over 30 high school girls from both Mobile and Baldwin County will volunteer their time to participate in the Teen Runway Charity Fashion Show. A few of the stores participating are Polish, Brown Eyed Girl, Bella Boutique, “B” Boutique, & Lotus. Miss Alabama, Chandler Champion, who is a spokesperson for Children’s Miracle Network will be our emcee for the event. Jenny Biggs who was Alabama Champion for CMNH in 2012 will be one of our models for the event. All the money raised will go to USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital which is our local CMNH. This special event will be held at the McGill-Toolen High School Auditorium at 2 PM. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For more information visit www. itspossiblealabama.com or find Teen Runway on Facebook! Free Flute Master Class Baldwin County Youth Orchestra will be offering a FREE Flute Master Class with Felicia Sarubin. Students do not have to be members of the BCYO to participate. Contact the directors at bcyorchestra@gmail.com or go to their website: bcyorchestra.com for more information.

musical tastes of a generation. Concert will be held at Erie Meyer Civic Center, located at 1930 W. 2nd Street, Gulf Shores. Admission is $37. For more information call 251-968-1174 or visit www.gulfshoresal.gov/ entertainmentseries.

Tuesday, February 2nd The Kingston Trio Entertainment Series 2014 presents “The Kingston Trio.” In 1957, The Kingston Trio emerged from San Francisco’s North Beach club scene to take the country by storm, bringing the rich tradition of American folk music into the mainstream for the first time. During the late 50s & early 60s, the Trio enjoyed unprecedented record sales and worldwide fame, while influencing the

Please send your calendar events to lynn@ easternshoreparents.com by the 15th of each month!

Saturday, February 8th Chick-fil-A 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk Register to run with the herd. This 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk will start at Daphne City Hall. Join the race for a chance to win Chick-fil-A food products for a year and support WinShape Camps for Communities. Free family FunZone for all ages. Register online at www. CRAraceseries.com.

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of these calendar events. However, you should call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.

www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Anchorman: The Legend Continues

MPAA Rating: PG Overall: B+ Violence: BSexual Content: B+ Language: BAlcohol / Drug Use: C The MPAA has rated The Secret Life of Walter Mitty PG for some crude comments, language and action violence. Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a daydreaming human anachronism. He works in the “negative assets” department of Life magazine -- meaning he keeps track of the photographic negatives in the publications extensive archives. Of course digital snappers don’t submit images on film, so activity in his department has been somewhat slow. That leaves Walter extra time to languish within a fanciful secret world, which of late has featured a newly hired coworker named Cheryl (Kristen Wiig). Sadly in truth, the recently divorced woman has barely noticed Walter’s existence. The other reality Walter hasn’t recognized is how much his profession has changed in the past two decades. The once prominent periodical is about to print its last edition before undergoing a metamorphous into an online publication... with a fraction of its staff. The layoffs are under the direction of hotshot Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott), a smartphone-toting taskmaster who seems to love watching anxious staffers scurry like ants after he has kicked their hill. Typically Walter is buried deep below the action in the archives room, but when noted, old-school photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) submits a roll of film for the magazine’s final cover, all eyes are on the seasoned employee to produce the picture. It is an easy assignment -- until Walter’s assistant Hernando (Adrian Martinez) removes the celluloid coil from its protective can and discovers the key image is missing. Determined to protect his reputation and recover the lost negative, Walter sets out to find the elusive O’Connell and the whereabouts of the missing frame of film. This version of James Thurber’s famous short story bears little resemblance to Danny Kaye’s 1947 portrayal of the bumbling man with a chronic imagination. Directed by the lead actor, the 2013 movie thankfully also contains little of the edgy content often found in other movies Ben Stiller has starred in (such as Meet the Fockers and Zoolander). Raising the bar even further, this Walter Mitty features impressive cinematography, creative images (a short sequence of Walter making his way through airport security is particularly memorable) and unique locations (Iceland being in the forefront). Parents of older children or teens interested in seeing the film won’t find a lot of reasons to say no. A pretend fistfight between Walter and his boss is depicted with bloody injuries, along with a real, frightening encounter with a shark. Remarks about strippers and a few mild profanities are heard. What I enjoyed most about the remake is the way it celebrates the wisdom of age, and places people above technology. Like the photographic film it enshrines, the story tries to capture the shadow of a disappearing way of life, as seen through Mitty’s rose-colored glasses.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Overall: CViolence: BSexual Content: D Language: CAlcohol / Drug Use: D+ If you saw the original Anchorman, you may be wondering how Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) ever managed to keep his job at the San Diego television station. Well that question is answered at the start of this sequel when Mr. Burgundy, who is expecting a promotion to the network news desk, is instead declared by his boss (Harrison Ford) to be the worst anchor in the history of broadcast news. Adding insult to injury, his co-anchor -- who also happens to be his wife (Christina Applegate) -- gets offered the big gig. That leaves Burgundy’s ego with no choice but to pack up and leave... his job and his wife. Month’s later the washed up journalist is living in a drunken stupor and working as an announcer at Sea World. But with the dawn of the 1980s, new opportunities are emerging. Burgundy’s phone inexplicably rings with an offer to anchor at the world’s first 24-hour news station. After a short road trip, his old news team is soon back together. This includes reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) and sportscaster Champ Kind (David Koechner). Predictably our protagonist’s narcissism gets the best of him just moments after his arrival at GNN headquarters in Atlanta where he discovers he is king of the 2 AM newscast. Betting the equally cocky primetime anchor (played by James Marsden) that he can best him in the ratings, Burgundy places his team in a do or die situation. This leads to one insightful aspect of this movie: Just like much of the real industry’s desperate trend to get high viewer numbers, the movie’s overnight crew decides to ignore serious news and to go after more people-pleasing items like patriotic feel-good pieces, gossip tidbits, weather disasters and live helicopter coverage of car chases down freeways. Mixed in with these scenarios are coy references to actual stories from the decade involving white broncos, hurricanes and an infamous domestic dispute that resulted in a shocking male dismemberment. Sadly this sarcastic commentary on the state of broadcast news is constantly punctuated with sexual innuendo within way-too-long scenes of Will Ferrell and his buddies hamming it up in undoubtedly unscripted gags. Expect a wide variety of profanities, a sexual expletive, sexual situations, and drug use in a comedic context. Young audiences attracted to this film will likely miss the point of how egotism and ratings color decisions determining what is “real” news. Rather, they will see a cool, suave hero who drinks and snorts his way through life and rises to the top of popularity. And that message may not be good news for family viewers.

What Parents need to know about Anchorman: The Legend Continues...

Violence: (All violence is within a comedic context.) During a verbal dispute, a man punches another man. In another argument, a man attempts to punch a woman but misses -- she responds by punching him in the face. A group of men and women, all representing competing news teams, meet in a large park and begin a handto-hand battle that soon involves other non-ammunition weapons; some minor injuries are seen and an obviously fake eyeball is seen stuck to the end of a hockey stick. Contemplating suicide, a man prepares a noose to hang from, but his attempt humorously fails. Many scenes include verbal confrontation. Sexual Content: Frequent sexual references, discussion and innuendo are heard throughout. An unmarried man and woman begin engaging sexual activity -- no explicit details are seen. Characters discuss masturbation, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and other topics using crude and clinical sexual terms. Language: A single sexual expletive is used. A variety of other profanities are heard throughout, along with multiple uses of terms of Christian deity as expletives. Derogatory remarks toward various individuals and groups are heard. Alcohol / Drug Use: A man is about to use crack cocaine while on television, the film cuts to the next scene where he and others are being arrested. A later comment jokes about using this illegal substance. A man is seen drinking in a number of scenes, at one point appearing to be inebriated and it is implied he has a drinking problem.

What Parents need to know about The Secret Life of Walter Mitty...

Violence: A man imagines having a fantastical street fight with his boss that involves punching and roughhousing (minor blood-covered injuries are briefly seen). In another imagined sequence a building explodes and a man rescues a woman from inside. Two men scuffle in a bar. After jumping into water from a helicopter, a man is surrounded by sharks prior to being rescued. A bar brawl, a bike accident and other minor accidents are comically depicted. A man gets in a fight with security guards. Sexual Content: A mild sexual comment is made about men wanting to find a strip club. A couple of mild sexual terms are used. A man and woman hug and briefly kiss. Language: A single scatological term, a mild sexual term, a crude term for male anatomy and four mild expletives are used. Terms of deity and name-calling are heard. Alcohol / Drug Use: An obviously impaired helicopter pilot, who is seen drinking another huge glass of beer, insists he is fully capable of flying. Eastern Shore Parents I January 2014

www.easternshoreparents.com

remembers when The

Wright Brothers took their first flight.

110 1904

Years of Service

2014