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Tips for taking tots out to the ballgame
A friend of mine was so excited to take her toddler out to his first Tampa Bay Rays game on a recent Sunday, which are dubbed Family Fun Days because for a $23 ticket you get a hot dog, drink, snack and the kids get to run the bases after the game. (The next ones are May 20 and June 3) But then it hit her: A little one is just as likely to get antsy and meltdown -- and probably just as the game was getting good.
She turned to her veteran parent friends for help and here's some of the advice she got, from snacks to a debate on whether electronic devices like iPads ruin the experience you are trying to share with your child.
Access: Make sure to get aisle seats so you can "walk it off" if he gets antsy.
Snacks: Bringing a snack that takes some work, like a bag of unshelled peanuts, helps pass the time (and yes the Rays let you bring snacks in). ... Read more
Parents lied to get kids in right school
Sports writer John Cotey has a brutal column today in the wake of the news that five Armwood High School football players, just off a state championship season, have been declared ineligible, "the ones who made up electric bills and addresses and rent receipts, the ones who lied about where they lived instead of doing the right thing — moving into the zone where they wanted their son to play football."
You can blame coaches and recruiting, Cotey writes, but in the end:
Simple: It’s about parents cheating.
This is where you start when looking for people to blame, trying to figure out how something like this could happen, so many kids, so many lies. ... Read more
So how do you teach a kid to behave in a restaurant?
The uproar over the recent story by our colleague Laura Reiley about the pizza place in Seminole Heights that banned children from its back patio and posted strongly worded signs inside to keep the kids quiet or face ejection brought out a host of comments. Most of them were along the lines of "Parents need to make their kids behave!" That's much easier said than done when you have a toddler. As parents weathering the Terrible Twos well know, trying to "make" them do anything is sure to bring on a screaming, kicking, howling tantrum that draws the pointed stares from those around you. Pointed is too mild. Daggers!
We stopped going to restaurants for a few years when our kids were that age. We got takeout or a sitter. That was the very sage advice I received from my pediatrician when I asked why it is my friend who goes out several times a week had such a wonderfully behaved toddler and I couldn't keep mine in his seat or occupied while we tried to eat. Her answer "What the heck are you doing taking an 18 month old to a restaurant? It's not fair to expect him to sit for 30 minutes and it's stressful for you to jump through hoops entertaining him. Get takeout or get a sitter and try again when he's older" I love that woman.
But still, learning to behave well in public is a skill like any other that has to be taught. Here's what we did (thanks to the many moms and aunts I called on for advice) and it worked beautifully. ... Read more
Pizza place warns parents: Control your kids
Our colleague Laura Reiley reports here that Cappy's pizzeria in Seminole Heights has had it with unruly children, prompting the owner to ban kids from the patio area and to post a sign in the restaurant warning: "For the comfort and safety of everybody, if you allow your child to run, scream or misbehave, you will be asked to leave."
While some are applauding the owner's courage for calling out the parents of misbehaving children, others are saying it's an awfully hostile sign for a pizza place that from outward appearces looks kid-friendly. ... Read more
Time heats up mommy wars with 3 year old breastfeeding
Hoo boy. What do you think of this Time magazine cover image? It's meant to stir the pot, so maybe we are just falling for it by even mentioning it here but this obviously plays into every stereotype of what attachment parenting is all about.
The photographer who took the pictures explains what he was trying to convey “It was important to show that there’s no stereotypical look for a mom who practices this kind of parenting.”
"This kind of parenting" is called Attachment Parenting and the cover may show a pretty mom breastfeeding a 3 year old, but the cover story is about the man behind the movement Dr. William Sears. ... Read more
Free and cheap things to do with the kids this week
Pirates invade Madeira Beach, kids in Brandon finally have their own skate park and a historic train station celebrates National Train Day. We have these and more wallet-friendly diversions to entertain you and the kids this week.
Celebrate the discovery of John’s Pass with John Levique Pirate Days, featuring a variety of pirate-themed events including a sea battle and a boat parade, a family treasure hunt and costume contests. There are also lots of vendors for shopping and food and a bounty of pirate performers. Free at John’s Pass Village and Boardwalk in Madeira Beach (though Friday’s Pirate’s Ball from 7-11 p.m. is $20). 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. johnspassfestivals.com. ... Read more
Free stuff for Mother's Day
I have never hidden my deep love of free stuff. And come Mother's Day we hit the motherlode. There's lots of free stuff and free admissions being thrown at us moms, to which I say bring it on.
Free chocolates: First Watch restaurants, home of the award-winning breakfast, brunch and lunch (no dinnners, these are morning people) will once again pay tribute to moms on Mother’s Day by offering a complimentary box of Russell Stover Chocolates to mothers that dine at any of the company’s more than 90 restaurants on Sunday, May 13.
Free admission: You know what Mom always says: The best gift is just time with you. Well, dear child, we have a great way to give her that gift. Lots of local attractions are offering free entry for moms on Sunday with another paid admission. ... Read more
Report ranks Norway No. 1 for moms, Niger worst and U.S.? Meh
It's always enlightening to see how the U.S. ranks with the rest of the world when it comes to mothers. The Save the Children's State of the World's Mothers report, which was released today, shows the U.S. has climbed a few notches on the report's Mothers' Index this year, but we still are far from the top. This year, they also did a separate scorecard and looked at how the U.S. compares to other industrialized countries when it comes to policies that create a favorable environment for moms who choose to breastfeed. We come in dead last. ... Read more
Girls in need can get help for prom
Fairy godmothers are at work all over the bay area helping girls in need for prom season.
The staff and students in the Remington College cosmetology program will provide free prom hair and makeup this Friday and Saturday and also May 18-19. The generous students will be giving girls updos, manicures, pedicures and makeup, and haircuts for guys so they can look their best on prom night. Appointments recommended. Call (813) 316-4470.
Meanwhile, the Belle of the Ball Project will distribute prom dresses this Saturday at Seminole Mall to in-need high school girls between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Seminole Mall is located at 11201 Park Blvd. N., Seminole. Look for the Belle of the Ball store next to theRoss department store. ... Read more
Spraygrounds and splash pads opening up for the season
It’s starting to warm up and that means the area’s many spraygrounds, public pools and splash zones will be opening up for the height of heat season. Best of all, most of them are free or nearly so.
The Highlander Pool in Dunedin is open already and having a Splash Bash and Picnic next Saturday (May 12) to kick off spring with a celebration including inflatables, games, races, music and lunch. The adjacent Kiwanis Sprayground is open yearround at 1937 Ed Eckert Drive. It has water cannons, floor jets, a slide and a big yellow bucket that fills up, tips over, and drenches those who stand under it from 9 a.m. to sunset every day. The picnic Saturday is free and starts at 11 a.m.
The terrific spray ground at Del Holmes Park in St. Petersburg already opened up for the season on May 1 and will remain open until Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Note that the spayers are motion activated so don’t thing it’s not open if you don’t see water going.
All the city of St. Petersburg’s pools, except North Shore Pool which is open year round, will open for the season beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 26.
Other water play areas around Tampa Bay include: ... Read more
About the bloggers
Raising children isn't easy. Whoa, Momma! is here to help you with parenting tips and discussion of all parenting issues. We think there's no such thing as TMI, so our blogging moms aren't shy about the hot topics and won't back away from a good debate. Bottle or breastfeed? Public, private or homeschool? And sex -- it's all open for comment. Don't sit on the sidelines -- pull up a bouncy seat and join the chat.
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THE AUTHORS
Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
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Freelance writer Courtney Cairns Pastor wasn’t so sure about having kids and how she would balance child-rearing with her journalism career. It turned out that her journalism training went to good use. As the mom to a funny, active toddler, she learned to handle him like she did her sources. Never ask yes or no questions (the answer will always be no), get him to be specific (are you crying because you’re wet or your tooth hurts?) and be prepared for anything because no two days are the same. When she’s not playing trucks, Courtney crams for her book club, trains for races and occasionally bursts into showtunes. E-mail her at 
Suzannah DiMarzio has it bad for the Mouse. Although she grew up outside of Boston, she took her degree in tourism management down to Orlando just to work at Disney and the travel industry. Of course, when she married her high school sweetheart, the reception was at Disney. She’s now a seasoned stay-at-home mom to two tweens and a toddler – and yes, that is as crazy as it sounds. Suzannah has her own blog, Comment Policy
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