August 2014

A local teen’s disaster preparedness training kicked in when a young female friend crashed her bicycle into a tree on a bike trip. The young woman took action immediately, checking out the situation to determine her friend’s injuries. She led the girl through a series of exercises to see if she…

When I moved from New Jersey to Virginia ten years ago, Baltimore immediately became my family’s annual getaway. Once a year, my daughters and I would drive up to meet my mom for a girls’ weekend. While our first trip involved perhaps the most popular stop – a trip to…

Five-year-old Jerhmontey struggled with anger management and had difficulty with authority figures. In kindergarten, he was suspended for his behavior. After spending time at an afterschool and summer program for at-risk children on Richmond’s Northside, everything changed for him. Here he spent hours working with role-model teachers and mentors and…

Sam, our younger son, recently injured his hip. Nothing terrible, but enough to land him on crutches for ten days. As parents, Dena and I have had to manage the requisite injuries one might expect in a household with two boys. Sam has had several rounds of stitches. Ben broke…

It was my 6-year-old who set me straight on twenty-first century bullying. “Mommy, please don’t pack raisins in my lunch anymore,” she said flatly. “Nobody likes raisins and I shouldn’t eat them.” “But you like raisins. A lot,” I said. “Doesn’t that count for something?” Apparently not, because one girl…

Call it a guilty pleasure, but we’re giving you permission to put your feet up and soak in the last full month of summer, right along with this issue of RFM. Just moments before I sat down to pen this note, our house went under contract for sale. After what…

Having taught math to over six hundred area elementary school students, I am a firm believer that children need to learn math concepts – not just math procedures. Let’s take cooking as an analogy. Right before my husband and I celebrated our thirtieth wedding anniversary, I was cooking a family…

Q. My seventh-grade son has started wearing a lot of black, goth-type clothing this summer and he gets strange looks in public. How do I get him to wear something else without shutting down his sense of individuality? A. Pre-teens and teens frequently use their appearance as a way to…

If you have struggled calming your fearful dog, you are not alone – especially in Central Virginia, where intense thunderstorms are typical. Fear in dogs seems to be a very common issue, no matter the dog’s size or breed. Whether your pet is anxious about thunder, sirens, the vacuum cleaner,…

"It’s not just a school. AJC is more like a  community center where people really know you.” That’s what Lorin Johnson has to say about her experience at Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School, an independent middle school serving low-income students and families in Richmond’s East End. Lorin is from the…

For years, parents have been taught to swaddle their infants, to bundle them up like a “bug in a rug.” Picture a baby burrito. Products abound to assist new parents in this task, including Velcro® swaddlers and blankets with an X marking the spot to place the infant’s head. However,…

Shrimp Summer Rolls Bring water to a boil and cook 2 ounces Thai rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and cool (makes about 2 cups). In small prep bowls, have ready 6 rice paper rounds, 12 fresh Thai basil leaves (or shredded Italian basil), 6 cooked medium shrimp cut…

What if the teacher calls on me in math? Do tornadoes happen here? Why does Daddy look upset? These are some of the thoughts that may cause anxiety for our kids. As adults, we worry about our routines, new circumstances, 
and the unknown. Our children are no different. They experience…

Do you think money grows on trees? How many times did you hear that one  as a child? During my teen years, when fashion trends were dictated by Izod and Calvin Klein, my parents must have thought I really did believe in those money trees. Now, as a parent, I…

Ever take one of those “How Virginia?” or “How Richmond Are You” tests on Facebook? I know, not the headiest things in the world, but they can be amusing. And, what other opportunity do I have to showcase my secret knowledge about Hollywood Cemetery, hipster thrift stores, local craft beers,…

Artists of all ages and abilities will enjoy this fun and creative game. Just put pen (or pencil, marker, or crayon) to paper and don’t hold back. Whether you draw a stick figure or a detailed sketch, the end product will be a crazy collective masterpiece for guaranteed giggles around the…