Friday, April 27, 2012
Birmingham remains a popular destination for teens, but some are increasingly wary after spate of events triggers worries over safety downtown.
This story is part of a series on downtown Birmingham that explores issues raised by recent incidents, as well as the city's response to them. John Polakowski is no stranger to Birmingham. He grew up in the area and the Groves High School sophomore works downtown at Sweet Earth. After a recent string of crimes in the city, though, Polakowski feels increasingly uneasy walking around his hometown. “It’s bad,” Polakowski said. “I don’t even feel safe going to a park at night.” In the past month, there was an arrest of a teen carrying a loaded rifle in downtown, a cab driver beaten up, a woman arrested for shooting a gun in the air after a fight and at least three other more minor incidents. Birmingham residents have expressed concern, …
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Friday, June 24, 2011
Slamming the imaginary brake and putting a death grip on the door handle, how do I find myself freaking out all over again?
My son will be getting his driver’s license this month after he passes a road test with the Birmingham Driving School. He was also required to complete 50 hours of driving time, which meant I (or my husband) had to sit in the passenger seat while he drove. I knew it was best if I remained calm, but it was easy to “freak out” every time he did something wrong. When my daughter received her driver’s permit a couple of years ago, I was going to be a supportive, well-behaved passenger who wouldn’t overreact when the novice driver made little mistakes. That’s right. Channeling Richard Simmons’ positive energy, I would instill confidence, not fear. Too bad I couldn’t follow through. Whenever she drove too close to my side of the road, it was …
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Parenting is difficult enough, but knowing how to address teenage stress doesn't have to be hard as we think.
There was one piece of advice from a "transition-to-middle-school" workshop that Birmingham Public Schools put on several years ago that always stuck with me: "Let your child feel pain." That was a tough one. Let your child feel pain. What mom or dad wants their child to feel pain? The speaker was referring to the teenager's ability to process painful situations, such as a break-up with a first girlfriend or boyfriend, without resorting to drugs or alcohol; and that kids who did this successfully were less likely to resort to substance abuse or experience serious depression, both of which could lead to fatal outcomes. What a happy message, huh? But it always stuck with me. And it resonates again, especially after a 17-year-old student from…
Friday, January 7, 2011
Either way, experts agree: role modeling and communication help kids make good choices
Though I didn't read every word in a recent eNews letter from Birmingham Public Schools (I'm a great skimmer), my eye caught the section from the Birmingham Bloomfield Community Coalition (BBCC) with tips on substance abuse prevention. Such a dramatic topic, and yet I'm relieved our two teens don't seem caught up in the party culture. (So far. Knock on wood.) Not because we're perfect parents, though — that would be apparent after you see how much, uh, "spunk" we tolerate. But it could be because my husband and I just don't drink. It isn't like we belong to some crazy religious sect that forbids alcohol. I've tried drinking beer, but to me, it smells like dead body parts. Even when liquor is all sweetened up with Coke or Pepsi or …
Pam Houghton
3:52 pm on Friday, June 24, 2011
Hey, Alan, that sounds scary! I might have suffered "the big one" had I gone through that! :-) more ›