Monthly bills can add up fast and it’s not always easy to leave a lot of extra cash in the budget for fun family activities. Thankfully, though, there’s a lot to do in the summer that doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s a small handful of ideas for fun times on a dime.

Take me out to the Ball Game:

Toledo Mud Hens
406 Washington St., Toledo
Mudhens.com | 419-725- 4367
There’s nothing quite like a baseball game on a hot summer night. You and your family can enjoy cheering on the Toledo Mud Hens now through the beginning of September. With tickets starting at just $12, you can get a good view anywhere at Fifth Third Field. The night could get a little pricey if you decide to eat dinner at the stadium, but you can keep costs low if you eat before you go and just treat everyone to snacks (popcorn! peanuts!). Don’t forget to take the kids to Muddy’s Marsh, a fun playground space.

Animal Encounter:

Indian Creek Zoo
2744 Consear Rd, Lambertville, MI
indiancreekzoo.com | 734-224-0390
If you’ve got an animal lover in your family, a trip to Indian Creek Zoo is a must do this summer. Located just three miles north of Toledo in Lambertville, Michigan, this zoo provides the perfect atmosphere for getting up close and personal with a variety of exotic animals – think giraffes, kangaroos, emus, peacocks and camels. Day passes are just $10 each for adults, $8 for children and youngsters two and under are free.

Make a Splash:

Plummer Pool
6940 Maplewood Ave., Sylvania | 419-882-1500
Is there really a better way to beat the heat than a day spent at the swimming pool? Your whole family can make a splash at Plummer Pool – no membership required! Of course, you can join for the summer but daily swim fees are just $5 for ages 12 and up and $4 for ages 3 and under. (Memberships for the entire summer start at $125). Plummer Pool offers a zero entry shallow area complete with fun water elements for little ones and a deeper area for the big kids. Just get there early – this popular spot fills up fast!

Picnic at the Park:

Meet Me at Middlegrounds
111 Ottawa Street, Toledo
metroparkstoledo.com/explore-your-parks/middlegrounds/ | 419-407-9700
One of the best ways to spend time together as a family is outside and thankfully, Toledo is teeming with great parks and green spaces. Middlegrounds in downtown Toledo is one of the newest Metroparks. With 28 acres of greenspace, 1.5 mile walk and bike path, plenty of views of the Maumee River and ample picnic tables, Middlegrounds is the perfect spot for a picnic. Bring lunch or dinner from home and you can spend a few hours enjoying the pretty scenery and the fresh air for free!

Save Your Pennies:

Penny Pony Rides
Meijer Stores, various locations
Meijer.com
Can we really mention Penny-Pinching activities without mentioning the Penny Pony Ride at Meijer? What better way to end a grocery run than with a ride on Sandy? No matter how many times they ride it, it never gets old for kids.Besides, it’s a great way to beat the heat or break up boredom on a rainy day. Encourage your kids to collect their pennies and remember to save your change, too. Seriously, what better way to spend a penny?!

One Tank Trip

Get Away to Fort Wayne, Indiana
Close to home and lots to do, Fort Wayne, Indiana is a great summer destination. Here’s a few items to consider when planning for summer fun on a budget. Win-win for all!

• Check out Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo Recently named “one of the top ten in the nation, here you can pet a stingray, feed a giraffe, enjoy a log ride and more.
• Fort Wayne’s downtown festival park, Headwaters Park, is alive with music, food
  and drink every weekend all summer long. visitfortwayne.com/fesivals has a complete
  list of events.
• Catch a Fort Wayne TinCaps baseball game in a great downtown stadium, where tickets start at just $5.
• Ride a bike or take a walk along Fort Wayne’s 82 miles of trails that wrap around its three rivers. These trails will lead to you to parks, festivals, splash pads (there are more than 12 to chose from!) and more.
• You won’t want to miss Science on a Sphere, Indiana’s very own children’s science museum. There’s also the Botanical Conservatory, Museum of Art and History Center that are worth a look, too.

  For more ideas or information, go to visitfortwayne.
  com or call 1-800-767-7752 to plan your getaway!

What do you envision when you picture your first moments with baby? Most likely, the image you see is one of pure bliss and celebration, bonding with your little one. Yet, when the time comes, juggling the unexpected responsibilities of a newborn coupled with serious sleep deprivation can leave new moms struggling to find time to take care of themselves.
Hormonal fluctuations can bring on intense emotions: mood swings, crying spells, anxiousness, and irritability, all symptoms of “the baby blues.” But when symptoms linger longer than a few weeks and inhibit normal daily activity and relationships or bonding with the baby, ProMedica OBGYN Dr. Jackie Vannuyen, MD, warns postpartum depression (PPD) is likely the culprit.

Being aware of the signs and symptoms of PPD is the first step in managing the situation. Vannuyen encourages moms to give themselves some slack. “Today with social media, there’s so much pressure to be the perfect mom, have the perfect household and know exactly what to do to have the perfect baby. There’s no such thing, and moms need to know that almost every other mom is feeling as they do– unsure, or less than perfect. I tell my patients, your baby wants you regardless, whether the laundry has been done or the house is clean. They want to be with you even if you haven’t taken a shower, made their nursery picture perfect, whether you use organic baby products or eat a pure-clean diet. It’s okay to admit you don’t feel great; you can be scared and unsure, you can feel fatigued and have feelings of sadness,” Vannuyen says.

Postpartum symptom checklist

A History of Depression
Women with underlying tendencies towards depression and anxiety may be particularly vulnerable to postpartum. “These women need to alert their provider during their pregnancy, so they both can be on the lookout for worsening symptoms and signs of PPD after delivery.”

Intense Mood Changes
“Any feelings or thoughts of sadness/anxiety that prevent normal activity and interaction with your baby/partner/spouse/family are common signs.” It’s also common for women with PPD to feel angry, have crying spells, fatigue, weight gain or loss, and even panic attacks.

Difficulty Bonding with Baby
PPD signs often include feelings of being alone/isolated, lack of interest in the baby, changes in eating and sleeping, trouble concentrating, and guilt (especially with the birth of subsequent children).”

Irrational Fear of Harm to Baby
Postpartum anxiety can result in feeling overwhelmed and incapable of caring for yourself or baby, or even fear of something bad happening to the baby. “Thoughts of hurting oneself or the baby are also, of course, very worrisome.”

There is Hope– Treatment for PPD
If you’re a new mom experiencing the above symptoms, the first step is speaking with your doctor; there are solutions. “It’s ok not to have that blissful new mom feeling. It means you’re human, and part of the up to 80 percent that experience postpartum blues or the 10-20 percent that experience PPD/PP anxiety. Talking therapy and permission to express how you feel can be healing. Cognitive behavioral therapy and meditation can also help. In some cases, antidepressant or anxiolytic medications may be needed, or even a combination of all the above,” Vannuyen assures. Above all, know you’re not alone, mama!

No one disputes the fact that it is a privilege to stay home with your children, but working from home all day and night, taking care of demanding, needy, wonderful human beings, can also be exhausting and lonely.

Our winters are brutal, and it can be hard to brave the cold and snow when you have to bundle up an infant or multiple kids, but with summer in full swing, now is the time to venture out.

Outdoor Activities
While not a formal setting, the park can provide a place for meeting other moms and children, creating new friendships and future play dates. You just have to be bold and ask for a number; you may never see that awesome mom with her children who are the exact same ages as yours. The worst that could happen: that super cool mom could give you the wrong number. At least you aren’t likely to see her again!

If you are a stay-at-home dad, this can be tricky. Obviously you don’t want to ask another woman for her number, and the percentage of dads at home is slim. However, if you find a family that clicks, giving your wife’s number to the other mom is a way to bypass any awkwardness.

Lessons and classes
Enrolling your child in some kind of formal lessons can be one of the best ways to interact with other adults while also providing something beneficial for your child. Area facilities have a plethora of activities: swimming, gymnastics, art, cooking, sports of all sorts, soccer, basketball, and much more.

If you have an infant, your options are limited, but swimming lessons can start as early as six months and gymnastics at one year. They offer a variety of hours to accommodate both working and stay-at-home parents.

Local Library
The library is a saving grace for many stay-at-home parents. Most of the branches have storytime for infants and toddlers as well as some educational programs for school-age children.

Everything is free, but many of the popular programs require preregistration.
If the meeting times don’t work for you or your child’s schedule, just bringing your child to the library to play can be fruitful for both of you. Almost always at least one other caregiver is there, and even if you don’t chat, it’s nice to be around others for the same purpose.