No-Fear Parenting
I was four years old when I was kidnapped. If anyone should be a paranoid parent, it should be me. But living through a traumatic ordeal has made striving for normalcy in my daughter's lives that much more important. I…
Smarts & Arts
We crank up the radio in the car on the way to school, and we often form our own little marching band, complete with maracas (uncooked rice inside plastic eggs), drums (empty Quaker oatmeal canisters) and plastic recorders. As it turns…
The Art Connection
Alex Nyerges, director of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, has a message for all of us: “This is your museum.” Indeed, VMFA’s $150 million expansion and transformation project, underway since November 2005, seems to reinforce Nyerges’ point – that art…
Learning Disabilities
When her son’s teacher contacted her about his inability to stay focused and complete tasks, Alisa Brookshire was angry. She says, “At first, I thought it was the teacher. I thought she was making issues out of minor differences in…
Beat the Winter Blahs!
It’s winter and cabin fever can hit before the end of the first week, especially after the twentieth chorus of There’s nothing to do! However, when it comes to beating winter boredom, we Richmond parents are both experienced and creative.…
Take the Plunge
February is the perfect time to escape wintertime doldrums and plunge into a world of water-based entertainment – the warm weather kind. Give your kids the thrill of facing off with a leopard shark or conquering the perfect surfer’s wave.…
Team Teaching
When Aimee Boiset’s son, Spencer, came home and told her he was learning how to ride a bike at school, she was floored. Most kids learn before second grade, but her sixthgrader had skipped that particular milestone. Part of the reason…
5 Ski Resorts You’ll Love!
The Winter Olympics are upon us and with them come the amazing feats of alpine skiers, cross-country competitors, and snowboarders. This month, capture a bit of Olympic fever and take your family skiing to experience some of the thrills and…
Keeping Babies Safe
Like every mother, Kyra Oliver of Richmond loves to recall the early days of parenthood. She vividly remembers the days spent bonding with her infant son. “Hayes was a very contented baby,” she says. “He loved to laugh, and he…
Kids and Media Culture
As a girl, my introduction to sex came from Judy Blume’s books. A friend of mine says she remembers sharing an old tattered copy of Forever with all the steamy parts highlighted and earmarked. It felt like the book had…
