We all need help when it comes to parenting.

Which is why it’s comforting to know that Bull Street Baptist Church is hosting a parenting conference this weekend (Oct 12 & 13) to help equip parents to be the primary disciplers of our children.

Goals of the conference include helping parent in the following ways:
-Teaching generations to set their hope in God and in nothing else.
-Teaching generations to rely on the whole counsel of Scripture.
-Training generations to love and serve God, the church, and their neighbors as Christ does.

Conference Cost: $20 / person

Childcare Available: ($3 per child / $9 max per family per day)
Includes Friday Dinner & Saturday Breakfast!

Friday, October 12 – 5-9pm
Saturday, October 13 – 8:30am – 12pm

Steve Wright (author of reThink: Is Student Ministry Working? and ApParent Privilege) served at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, NC from 1999-2012 primarily as the Student Pastor but later transitioned as Pastor of Family Discipleship. He is currently serving as Pastor of Discipleship and Church Planting at First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach, FL.

He received a Master of Arts degree in Christian Ed. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. His undergrad degree is from Carson Newman College in TN. Steve also founded InQuest Ministries, to encourage youth pastors serving on the frontlines of ministry, and supplies resources of Sunday School and Discipleship curriculum to thousands of churches worldwide.

He and his wife Tina have been happily married since 1989. They are blessed with three children–Sara, William and Tyler.

· Register online at: www.bullstreet.org

· For more info contact: Glenn Warner Pastor for Family Ministry at glenn@bullstreet.org  or 912.236.1511

Bull Street Baptist Church, 17 East Anderson St., Savannah, GA 31401, www.facebook.com/BullStreetBaptistChurch, Bull Street Baptist Church is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Are you a subscriber to the weekly FREE SouthernMamas.com e-letter?

If not, click here to see this week’s e-letter so you can see what you are missing. The free weekly e-letter is an easy way to keep up with all the kid-friendly events happening in Savannah, Hilton Head Is. & beyond! Especially during fall to keep up with all the local fall festivals, pumpkin patches and corn mazes.

To subscribe, just click here.

In anticipation of the Seventh Annual Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk & Family Festival in Forsyth Park on Oct. 6, we asked local parents of children with Down syndrome what the general public needs to know about the condition.

You can read many of their responses in my Savannah Morning News column by clicking here. Unfortunately, not all the helpful responses made it into the article. So below are some additional responses from two strong Savannah advocates for children with Down syndrome.

Pediatrician Ben Spitalnick of Pediatric Associates of Savannah

Dr. Ben Spitalnick of Pediatric Associates of Savannah is the pediatrician for many local children with Down syndrome. Dr. Ben is also a Board Member of the Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society. He shared the following tips for what everyone should know about children with Down syndrome:

1) Virtually all of a child’s medical complications from Down syndrome can be handled by the medical community right here in Savannah

2) Children with Down syndrome do better when included in mainstream situations such as classrooms, not when isolated with only special needs children

3) Most children with Down syndrome have talents and skills people don’t expect, so consider the term “differently-abled” (I like diff-abled) instead of “disabled”.

4) Down syndrome can occur in any family, regardless of health and age of the parent. There are more children with Down syndrome born to younger parents than older parents.

5) Virtually all of the care your baby will need the first year, is routine newborn baby care. Concentrate on being a parent and family with a new baby, not on the features of Down syndrome.

Candy Bogardus, President of Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society

Candy Bogardus has three children with her husband, John, including their daughter, Lainey, 7, who has Down syndrome. Candy shared the following tips for what everyone should know about children with Down syndrome:

1. Embrace the adventure that comes with having a child with Down syndrome. There is never a dull moment, and they will always teach you something!!

2. Early Intervention is key. Lainey was in Speech Therapy through Babies Can’t Wait at 8 weeks of age. Those early visits made a phenomenal difference in her oral motor development.

3. Enjoy each and every milestone to the fullest–no matter when they reach it!! Don’t rush it!

4. Remember that ALL children have special needs!!

5. The parents of children with Down syndrome don’t place limits on them so why should anyone else! The sky’s the limit! Just let them be like everybody else and they will surprise you!!

6. Inclusion in all aspects of school, community, and life is very important. They will make a difference in every life they touch!

7. Even though you feel like all you do is go to therapy, the short term and long term benefits are well worth it!

8. Never be afraid to ask questions! Join a family support group- it’s a great way for you to learn from other parents and for your child to learn from other children!

9. Every child is fearfully and wonderfully made by God for His purpose!! God does not make mistakes!

2012 Buddy Walk
Saturday, October 6, 2012, in Forsyth Park
www.ldssga.org
Savannah’s Paula Deen will be the Grand Marshal leading walk participants in the 1-mile fundraising event. The Buddy Walk Program welcomes participants of all ages and abilities. Bring your carriage, strollers, wheelchairs, little red wagons and pets.
Contact: 912-728-8505 (John or Candy Bogardus)
Register online here or the day of the walk.
Registration on Buddy Walk day begins at 8:30 AM
Opening Ceremonies begin at 10 AM
Walk begins at 10:30 AM
Free Family Festival in Forsyth Park from 11 AM – 2 PM

Move over Pinterest.
The newest place to find fabulous creative tips and techniques when it comes to doing art with your kids is Scribble Art Studio’s new blog.

Check it out by clicking here to find drawing sheets for all ages, ideas for your kids’ art room at home, instructions for projects and more.

We are in awe of the two creatives behind Scribble Art Studio in Savannah (which offers children’s art classes & birthday parties) and this blog is sure to become our new go-to spot for ideas on how to stimulate kids’ imaginations even when they aren’t in art class.

Thanks, Scribble, for sharing your clever hints. Now if y’all can just impart some of your patience when teaching kids art.

For information about children’s art classes and birthday parties at Scribble Art Studio in Savannah, contact artist Carrie Christian at 912-323-0123 or email ScribbleArtStudio@hotmail.com  . Click here for more info. Scribble Art Studio is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

St. Andrew’s private school in Savannah is bringing nationally recognized author and speaker, Joe Bruzzese to campus. The program is set for October 9 and 10 beginning at 6 p.m. at St. Andrew’s School on Wilmington Island

The presentation is open to the public and reservations may be secured at www.saintschool.com .

Joe Bruzzese, author of A Parents’ Guide to the Middle School Years and parent education expert, speaks to parents across the United States offering practical and long term strategies for overcoming the struggles of the middle school years. Joe’s background in education includes a Master’s degree in addition to his former tenure as teacher in the middle school grades. Joe brings years of educational theory and practical experience to his work with families.

On Tues. Oct. 9, the program focuses on students’ needs in 5th and 6th grade; the Oct. 10 program provides more information for parents of 7th and 8th graders. However, the program is open to all adults. A $10 donation per adult is requested.

St. Andrew’s,  a private,independent school,  601 Penn Waller Road, Savannah,  31410, www.saintschool.com

We asked for creative suggestions for parent involvement in the classroom & we got it, thanks to input from local teachers & parents. Check out the tips in the article here.

As parents, we all know we’re supposed to be volunteering in our kids’ classrooms as much as our schedules allow. The tricky part is coming up the time AND fun, creative things to do w/ kids during our volunteer time.

Here are some additional helpful tips from Savannah teacher Carolyn Perry on how parents can help out in your child’s classroom:

1. Be the class photographer/yearbooker, esp. in the younger grades where they may not get an annual or year book. I have had a mom who took pictures at all the field trips, assemblies, concerts, etc and some candid shots throughout the year and then she burned 25 copies of a windows movie magic movie she made. She made me a coffee cup with the pics & I still have it from that year.

2. Supplies- there is time, there is talent- and there is treasure. Gift cards to Dollar Tree? Super! Pick us up an extra box of tissues? Awesome! For lots of items, if you don’t buy it, I do.

3. Have time? Come in and read. Play a learning game with a few kids (maybe not your own, okay?). Help me with photocopying, filing, cleaning desks, dusting, etc. Yes, I do all of that too.

4. Did you see something really neat on Pinterest? Maybe I did too, maybe not, but either way- how about you make it for me? Fun poster? Make me one! I will love it. Great game you saw or Mother’s Day art and craft? Help me out by jumping right in and take on that project.

5. Phone a friend! Take on anyone of these projects with your friends. The more the merrier!

6. Join the PTA, it’s cheap and gives all the kids a voice.

Islands MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) is ready for another great year.

The group’s first meeting of the year will be Wed. Sept. 12 2012 from 9:15-11:30 AM at First Baptist Church of the Islands.

For more information about how to join MOPS, please check out their website by clicking here.
Each meeting provides an inviting environment where women can come—just as they are—to build friendships, be encouraged, and gain practical parenting strategies all while their children are lovingly cared for in our MOPPETS program, where they experience love and encouragement in a preschool-like setting. The children will enjoy stories, music, crafts and free play.
A typical meeting includes sharing a breakfast together, listening to a speaker, participating in table-led discussions, crafts, and more. Sometimes all you need is a friend, and Islands MOPS is a place where true friendships are formed. We are all in this together and no one can understand as another mother can.

To find a moms group in your area, click here.

Savannah Christian East Campus MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) invites all Moms to come enjoy the friendships of other Moms.

All mothers of children from birth to kindergarten are invited to join us the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month September through May. Childcare is provided with crafts, games and snacks while moms enjoy the meeting. The first meeting is Sept. 6th from 9:30 to 11:45 AM at Savannah Christian East Campus. Please email the group at mopsscceast@gmail.com  for more information.

RINCON MOPS:

The Rincon MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group will have their annual sign-up on Tuesday, Aug. 28 from 10 AM to noon at the Rincon Park in front of the library.  MOPS offers fellowship and encouragement to mothers of children ages birth through kindergarten.  Annual membership dues are $23.95.  Bring your kids with you; snacks will be provided.  For more info. call Esther at 826-0455.

For more info on local moms groups, click here.

Just a reminder: Savannah-Chatham public school start times are a bit different for the 2012-2013 School Year. Check out the times above.

The bell schedule is separated by school levels and includes a different tier for each grouping based on elementary, K-8 Schools, Middle and High.

School starts in Savannah-Chatham County on Mon. Aug. 27, 2012.

Bell time change for May Howard and Hodge

District officials approved this new bell schedule for schools earlier this summer, but parent groups from May Howard and Hodge asked that their school bell times be changed.

Instead of starting at 9:15 a.m. and getting out of school at 4:10 p.m., those schools will start earlier in the morning and release students earlier in the afternoon. Hodge parents complained that working parents need to drop their children off at school as early as 7 a.m. but there is no supervision at that time. May Howard parents complained that the late release time conflicts with after school activities.

Healthy School Start Times

If you think middle and high schools are starting too early, check out a growing grassroots coalition working for safe, healthy school hours for all students at www.StartSchoolLater.net  and their online petition (http://signon.org/sign/promote-legislation-to.fb1?source=s.fb&r_by=1521139 ).

Chances are if your child isn’t school-age yet, you probably don’t think of head lice as a concern. But after your children start school, you may just have your first experience with the disgusting yet incredibly common affliction.

An estimated 12 million cases of head lice are diagnosed in the United States each year. While health experts stress that lice is harmless, it’s certainly a huge nuisance with a serious ick factor.

So is there anything you can do to prevent your child from getting lice – especially if you’re sending them off to summer camp or preparing for back -to-school? The verdict is still out on that, but there are some possible lice-prevention products on the market.

Tea tree oil shampoo – available in drug/grocery stores –  reportedly repels lice.

Also, Fairy Tales Hair Care makes Rosemary Repel preventative shampoo and other hair products that contain natural ingredients that lice reportedly don’t like.

Fairy Tales Hair Care even has an iPhone app, called Facts of Lice, that notifies you of any lice outbreaks in your area and tells you how to treat and prevent head lice.

Read more about this mom’s attempt to prevent my kids from getting lice in my newspaper column here.

We love this foolproof tip on how to teach your child to swing – which a friend at the neighborhood playground shared.

To get your child to pump, stand a safe distance in front of her/him, hold your hands within tippy toes distance & then have the child try to “kick” your hand. The motion you are aiming for is to have your little swinger put their feet up high in the air & then bend their legs — i.e. to pump.

So hold your hand flat in the air where you want them to get their feet . Have another adult stand a safe distance behind them, so as they go back down, tell them to bend their knees. Repeating “Kick and Bend, Kick and Bend.”

Then have them try to touch the other adult’s hand w/ their feet bent underneath. Hopefully, your child will be swinging on their own!

This summer, don’t forget the importance of saving for their child’s continued education,

Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan has two great opportunities to do just that: the Summer Reading Program & 2012 Newborn sweepstakes.

Statewide Summer reading program: Think BIG! Save for College! Sweepstakes:
The Path2College 529 Plan & Georgia Public Library Service offer the Summer Reading Program and the Summer Reading Program Sweepstakes to encourage Georgia’s children to read during the summer months.
The Path2College 529 Plan will award one Georgia student, 16 years and under, who participates in the Summer Reading Program with $5,529 toward a Path2College 529 Plan account.
Entries must be submitted online by July 31, 2012. Details about the sweepstakes, including the official rules and the online entry form can be found at http://www.path2college529.com/news/reading.shtml .

2012 Newborn Sweepstakes:
The Path2College 529 Plan will award one child born in Georgia during 2012 with $5,529 toward his or her college savings. Parents, grandparents or guardians may go to www.Path2College529.com  until April 14, 2013 to enter for a chance to win a prize that will put their loved one on the path toward a college education & a brighter future.

Visit www.Path2College529.com  for official rules & details. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

To learn more about Path2College 529 Plan or to open a Path2College 529 college savings account, visit www.path2college529.com  or call 877-424-4377.

About the Path2College 529 Plan
The Path2College 529 Plan helps families prepare for the future costs of college tuition and other qualified expenses, such as fees, books, and certain room and board costs for colleges in Georgia and nationwide. The plan is easy to use and understand, with no sign-up, maintenance or third-party sales fees – just a low annul asset-based management fee, and an account can be opened online with as little as $25.

Any earnings in the Path2College 529 Plan are federal and Georgia income tax-deferred and withdrawals for qualified higher education are federal and Georgia income tax free. In addition, the State of Georgia offers a state income tax deduction on contributions of up to $2,000 per year, per beneficiary. (Transfers from another 529 plan are not eligible for the deduction. Recapture provisions apply.) Your account assets can be used at virtually any college or university in the country. The plan offers seven investment options and participants can arrange for automatic contributions to their accounts to be drawn directly from a bank account or made through payroll deduction with participating employers.

Congratulations to St. Andrew’s School – the Pre-K 3 through 12th grade independent private school on Wilmington Island – for receiving recognition as one of the most challenging U.S. high schools.

For the first time, the Washington Post’s education columnist Jay Mathews included private schools on his annual list of most challenging high schools. St. Andrew’s received the following rankings:
• 8th in Georgia
• 16th for all private schools in the nation
• 249th out of 1,926 public and private schools in America

Read the list of most challenging high schools by clicking here.

“We know that our students benefit from a challenging program that encourages them to fulfill their academic,” said Sara Rubinstein, Upper School Head. “Whereas some schools only believe in letting a small percentage of their students into IB or AP courses, we believe any student admitted to St Andrew’s should have the opportunity to pursue their ambitions in the classroom.”

St. Andrew’s is the only Savannah school to be recognized in the top ten for the state of Georgia and the highest ranked public or private school in the region.

The Challenge Index is determined by dividing the total number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests given at a school each year by the number of seniors graduating in the spring.

Mathews noted in his article that private schools are not as forthcoming with releasing this type of information. He applauds those private schools that are willing to share the data and open themselves up to comparison.

Kudos also to Savannah Arts Academy, a public school which ranked 29th in Georgia & 604^th out of 1,926 public and private schools in America.

Savannah Baby Co. is now carrying cloth diapers! Their 1st shipment of bumGenius and Flip Cloth diapers just arrived!

Savannah Baby Co. also has the cute new Flip training pants, too.

With Flip diapers, you have the choice of three different inserts (organic, disposable and stay-dry) that lay inside the cover and you’re able to toss out the used insert and reuse the cover. Bum genius diapers are all-in-one with no covers and the inserts go in a pocket area on the inside of the diaper.

Savannah Baby Company, 5301 Paulsen at the corner of Paulsen St and 69th in the Medical Arts neighborhood,  912-480-0212, www.savannahbabyco.com, Savannah Baby Company is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

Brandy Williams of Savannah, who lost her leg while texting & driving, poses with her team of therapists at Memorial Health University Medical Center.

No text is worth losing a life or limb over.

Just ask Brandy Williams. A year ago this month, Brandy, 21, of Savannah lost her left leg and suffered a stroke after her Chevy Malibu veered off the road and into a tree. She was texting a friend at the time of the wreck.

Brandy is the focus of my Savannah Morning News column this week. She hopes sharing her story will help you see that texting while driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving. Brandy’s story is definitely one worth sharing with any teen drivers you know or drivers who regularly text while at the wheel. Read Brandy’s story here.

Learn more about distracted driving dangers at www.distraction.gov.

Chances are you’ve considered, however briefly, becoming a foster family as a way to help allieviate Georgia’s foster children crisis and improve the lives of children.

And chances are you’ve thought of all kinds of reasons not to do so. But what if becoming a foster family came with huge amounts of support, a whole churchload of support to be exact? Would that make you more likely to consider taking in a foster child?

If so, then check out a local network called Faith to Foster, a coalition of Chatham County churches that serve families and children in foster care. The goal of Faith to Foster is to make foster parenting less challenging and more appealing to local families.

You’re invited to a Faith to Foster informational meeting, 6-7:30 PM May 7 at Southside Baptist Church, 5502 Skidaway Road, Savannah 31406. Child care will be provided if you call ahead to ministry director, 912-355-9555.

For more info on Faith to Foster including how you can help volunteer to aid local foster families or bring the program to your church, click here or email Faith to Foster ministry director Jenn Menn at jennifermenn@hotmail.com or call 912.925.5074.

Read more about Faith to Foster and the foster mom behind it – who along with her husband have fostered a total of 17 children (not all at once) since 2007 –  in my Savannah Morning News column this week here.

Even though your baby is just a newborn, chances are you’re already trying to figure out how to save for his or her college tuition. Then check out Path2College’s 2011 Newborn Sweepstakes.

The Path2College 529 Plan will award one child born in Georgia during 2011 with $5,529 toward his or her college savings. Parents, grandparents or guardians may go to www.Path2College529.com  until April 14, 2012 to enter for a chance to win a prize that will put them on the path toward a college education and a brighter future.

Visit www.Path2College529.com  for official rules and details. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

 The Sandbox Interactive Children’s Museum is offering a new program, “Parents 411”: Interactive Informational Workshops for new parents. “Parents 411” will be held every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at The Sandbox beginning March 27, 2012.

“Parents 411” is a series of 10 workshops designed to meet the needs of parents of young children, child care providers and grandparents. The program includes local experts who will lead interactive sessions designed to provide information, answer questions and address concerns of new parents.

Please call Caroline Rinehart at 843-842-7645 to sign up for the workshop/s.

The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum, 18A Pope Ave. (located behind St. Andrew’s By the Sea Methodist Church), Hilton Head Island, SC 29928, Tel: 843-842-7645 Email: crinehart@thesandbox.org

Congratulations Dr. Cara DeLeon, DMD Pediatric Dentist in Savannah. Dr. DeLeon recently completed her certification examinations and is now a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry!

Dr. DeLeon’s practice, Pediatric Dentistry of Savannah  is at 310 Eisenhower Drive No. 6. Tel: 912-349-4021. It’s an honor to have become a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry so early in her career.

The Mission of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry is to verify to the public and to the health professionals that a pediatric dentist has successfully completed both an advanced educational program accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation and a voluntary examination process designed to validate the knowledge, application and performance requisite to the delivery of exceptional care in pediatric dentistry. The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry is the only certifying Board recognized by the American Dental Association for the specialty of pediatric dentistry.

Pediatric Dentistry of Savannah, 310 Eisenhower Dr. Building #6 Savannah, 31406 tel: 912-349-4021 email: Drcara@pds-kids.com , www.pediatricdentistryofsavannah.com Pediatric Dentistry of Savannah is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Check out these two classes happening at Just for Baby & More, Savannah

Cloth Diapering Basics
Saturday January 28th
10am-12pm
or
Saturday March 10th
10am-12pm
Come learn cloth diapering 101! Kelli Brown will teach the class and she is sure to load you up on all the information for you to make an informed decision if cloth diapering is right for your family! She will teach you how to cloth diaper and how to take care of your diapers!
This class is FREE but you need to RSVP: casey@justforbaby.net or 912-355-4455

Breastfeeding Basics
Saturday January 28th
1pm -3pm
or
Saturday March 24th
10am – 12pm
Come learn the basics of breastfeeding. This class is taught by Lactation Consultant Sarah Brunson MS, RLS, IBCL. Sarah will share the information about breastfeeding techniques including; positioning, what to expect from yourself and your baby and she will be prepared to answer all of your questions!
$10 per person/ $15 per couple
If you are interested in joining, please email casey@justforbaby.net  or call (912) 355-4455

“Like” Just for Baby & More on Facebook here to stay connected and informed about deals and special events like this.

Just for Baby & More has friendly and knowledgeable staff who would love to show you our variety of products and help you find the perfect items for your family; Sunday Closed. 912.355.4455. Located at 7701 Waters Ave., Savannah, 31406, http://www.justforbaby.net/start.php 

You’re invited to the first Mama Time Webinar. The topic is “Bullying Intervention Strategies for Parents”.

While the Webinar is specifically for parents of children with special needs, all mothers can benefit from hearing about this topic. The webinar is free and is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday night Jan. 17 & 18! Recordings will be available for those that can’t listen that evening, but you must register for the event to listen to the recordings. Click here for more information

Mama Time, , based in Savannah, provides workshops and retreats for all mothers and expectant mothers needing some time to rest, relax, play and grow. Visit www.mamatime.net  to learn more about their other upcoming workshops and events!

Upcoming Mama Time events include:

A Jan 14 2012 retreat for Special Needs Mothers called Grieving Losses/Identifying Gifts. Details here.

A Feb 4 Autism Mama Retreat. Details here.

Mama Time, www.mamatime.net/, email information@mamatime.net Mama Time is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser

We love this!

Mama Time – which provides workshops and retreats for all mothers and expectant mothers needing some time to rest, relax, play and grow – is encouraging local families to go “unplugged” for just a day during the holidays. Go unplugged for a day and you will be entered to win $100 gift card.

No TV, No Internet and no cell phones. Spend a day during this joyous holiday season doing something simple with your family and tell Mama Time about it! Submit a blog telling Mama Time about your unplugged day and a picture of you and your family by Jan. 1, 2012 and the Mama Time Team will select their favorite story to showcase on their blog here. The winner receives a $100 gift certificate to do something fun with your family.

Although only one $100 prize will be awarded, the folks at Mama Time believe that any families that take on this challenge will find the memories they will create during that simple day will make them winners as well! Email your blogs to mamatimechallange@mamatime.net  with your name and contact information.

Read more about the Unplugged for a Day Challenge for the Holiday season here.

At Mama Time, the belief is that self-care is an essential ingredient for our health and the health of our children and families

Mama Time also provides specialized workshops for :
Mothers with Children on the Autism Spectrum and Other Types of Special Needs
Military Mothers
Expectant and New Mothers
Mothers and Babies
Mothers and Daughters
Adoptive Mothers
Mothers living with Fibromylagia, Arthritis, Migraines or Other Chronic Medical Conditions
Recovering Mothers
Single Mothers
Mothers living with Depression, Anxiety or other Psychiatric Conditions
Mothers with a History of Trauma or Abuse

Workshops and Retreat topics and locations are added regularly so visit the Mama Time site often and join the Mama Time contact list and facebook page for workshop notifications

Staff at Mama Time look forward to meeting you at a Mama Time event soon. Upcoming events include:

A Jan 14 2012 retreat for Special Needs Mothers called Grieving Losses/Identifying Gifts. Details here.

A Feb 4 Autism Mama Retreat. Details here.

Mama Time, www.mamatime.net/, email information@mamatime.net  Mama Time is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser  

Telfair BirthPlace at St. Joseph’s/Candler now offers online birth classes and tours.

So you can take birth classes while at your home, or wherever you are, online.

Find everything you need to know about giving birth, how the Telfair BirthPlace at St. Joseph’s/Candler works and more at www.sjchs.org/TelfairBirthPlace .

Along with the online birth classes, you can take a video tour of the Telfair BirthPlace & get familiar with their rooms. And when the new parents head home, they can go back to the Telfair BirthPlace site and get nearly every baby question answered in the online “Oh, Baby’s Home” book.

Other features:

• Information about Telfair BirthPlace lactation services.

• Contact Telfair BirthPlace First Steps program that provides ongoing help to new families.

• Learn about Telfair BirthPlace Special Care neonatal nursery.

We love this! A debate on issues that matter to moms.

The Junior League of Savannah invites you to attend a debate on women and children’s issues between Savannah’s mayoral candidates: Floyd Adams, Ellis Cook, James Dewberry, Jeff Felser, Edna Jackson, and Regina Thomas. The debate will be on Tues. Oct. 18 at the Coastal Georgia Center, 305 Fahm Street. Doors open at 5:30pm.

This event is sponsored by the Chatham-Savannah Youth Futures Authority, Healthy Savannah, The Junior League of Savannah, Savannah-Chatham Family Violence Council, and Voices for Georgia’s Children. The debate, moderated by Mary Willoughby, will feature candidate discussion from 6-7:30 PM of pre-submitted questions, followed by individual questions from the floor. At 7:30 candidates will be available for press interviews and meet and greet with attendees.