August 2016

Lily Goodman of Richmond is the poster child, literally, for human trafficking, though she isn’t herself a victim. A successful child model for more than a decade, at age twelve she was chosen to portray a victim for an ad campaign by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, designed to…

You say you’re not a beach family? Factory tours of American products and brands are a natural fit for families who want to have a more active sight-seeing experience, or families who might prefer a city vacation. Along the way, kids are learning and having fun, and who knows? Maybe…

Some of my fondest memories of elementary school involve playing in the woods during recess. When I taught middle school in New Jersey during the late 1990s, my students received thirty minutes of free play at lunchtime. But times have changed. Recess is not part of my eighth-grade daughter’s schedule,…

For the first sixteen months of her life, my daughter Jayda, who at ten is already two inches taller than me, stayed with my mother or her father during the day while I worked. As she grew older, I knew that despite my discomfort with using childcare, she needed to…

Just look at you now. Thirteen years old and well over five feet tall. At ninety pounds, you weigh far more than I did when I was your age, and you keep growing out of everything you have in your closets and drawers. And I must confess that I’ve completely…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I refuse to buy into the retail notion that summer is over and I’m behind on my back-to-school shopping (and Halloween and Christmas shopping too, if I’m to believe the store shelves!). We still have a whole month of the summer…

Breakfast Bites Defrost ½ pound breakfast sausage, and cut into bite-size pieces. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage for 7 to 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, stir 1½ cups of your favorite pancake mix,…

To some, a credit score might seem like an arbitrary number we’re given. But it’s really data representing your credit responsibility and future financial wellbeing. Credit scores determine what steps you can take in life to own the things you want – like a home. Credit is a crucial factor…

You’re a parent. You are busy. All the time. If you had one wish, you would choose to stop the world for a few hours, just long enough to catch up. Maybe you would choose to sit down and drink your coffee the way it was intended – in peace…

The oldest private club in Richmond was founded in 1876 by seven men with one six-person boat. With the addition of a coxswain in the stern, the Virginia Boat Club fit in that boat for rowing exercises on the James River. Over the next ten years, the rowing club merged with two…

Organization at a young age is critical. Just as a messy desk can cause you to feel overwhelmed, when your children are surrounded by disorganization, they often become mentally over-stimulated, and that feeling can then manifest in behavioral issues at home and at school. But kids are just innately messy,…

The massacre at an Orlando nightclub in June raised many questions about our society’s acceptance of sexual and gender diversity, and the safety of individuals in the LGBTQ community. As a child advocate who works so that all children can thrive, I wondered how welcoming Richmond is for youth who…

Maracas are a musical instrument often used in Caribbean and Latin music. Usually played in pairs and originally made with gourds, you can make these maracas with plastic water bottles and a variety of filler items to create different sounds. Use them to cheer on Team USA at home! What…

There is no relationship quite like that of a grandparent and grandchild. Grandparents universally speak of the joy it brings. In her book, Becoming Grandma, Leslie Stahl writes, “There is no weariness that competes with the elation and joy of being with grandchildren.” On the flip side, family relationships can…

My twins will turn five at the end of this month. They are currently signed up for kindergarten in September, but I am concerned that my little boy is not ready. My daughter seems more prepared, but I still have reservations. I have talked to so many people about this,…

The air is thick with excitement. All 680 students from pre-K through fifth grade know the adventure is beginning. This assembly at Richmond’s Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School starts everyone in the school and their families on a path filled with fun and challenges as a new story unfolds. Here, every…

Having comfort options is important to any woman who hopes to approach her birth as a natural process. Nitrous oxide – more commonly known as laughing gas – is one such option.  Many women in the U.S. have never heard of nitrous, and some may only be familiar with it…