January-February 2017

Our children are bombarded with news of racially motivated crime. White police officers killing innocent black men. Black men killing blameless police officers. How do we begin to explain the roots of racial intolerance to our children? My friend, Susan, and I embraced a mission and set out to educate…

Entering the new outpatient facility built for kids and families is a breathtaking experience. The 15-story, glass-faced building sparkles against the traditional brick facades of downtown RVA. Its architecture celebrates color, light, air, and art. For Stephanie Rasmon, mom of 2-year-old Luca, the outpatient facility for children goes beyond beautiful…

Thinking of booking a family cruise but don't know where to start? Our travel mom breaks down what to look for before you book your vacation on the high seas. Has it been eons since you cruised (and long before the kids appeared)? Or perhaps, you’ve never sailed the Big…

Ivy MacCurtin’s birthing process at The Women’s Hospital this past September was very different than her previous births. The Caroline County mom has three children of her own, ranging in age from six to eleven, and has served as a surrogate three times. She had her latest surrogate birth in…

As temperatures warmed last spring, two expectant women, Katie Plum of Williamsburg and Terrail Williams of Raleigh, North Carolina, gradually prepared for the babies who were supposed to make their grand entrances into the world in several months. Neither knew at the time that their babies would be among the…

I used to be a parenting expert. Then I had children. Back when I knew everything, I swore that my children would never touch anything containing Yellow No. 5 or high-fructose corn syrup. They would never slurp their fruit directly from a pouch, or eat anything festooned with a licensed…

I know, I know. It seems like it might cost a lot. Plus, they’ll just dry up and start to droop after a few days. And she already knows you love her, so why must you prove it again and again? Because Valentine’s Day is coming, bud. And since you…

Can you even believe it?! After all that build-up, the 2016 holiday season is a wrap, and a shiny new year full of possibilities awaits us. I’m torn between recommending total hibernation for the next two months and an immediate launch into your healthy 2017 resolutions. Fortunately, I have advice…

A new year is upon us, and new leaders are taking office at the federal and local levels. At the state level, our elected officials are the same, but the state faces a sizeable revenue shortfall. What does this new landscape mean for Virginia’s children and families? RVA Landscape:  Levar…

Often, science experiments are used to help us learn about ideas or explain concepts, that, on the surface, might seem unrelated to the experiment. For example, let’s look at what happens to the surface of teeth when you eat sugary foods. Have you ever wondered why you have to brush…

Ever since the Terri Schiavo right-to-die case, which spanned from 1990 to 2005, people have realized what can happen if you do not have an advance medical directive in place. As many of us recall, at the young age of twenty-seven, Terri suffered a massive heart attack. She was resuscitated,…

Working with families over the years in my role as a parenting counselor and coach, several themes have become crystal clear. While I realize that simply reading it doesn’t make it so, I also believe some of us might benefit from seeing these ideas in print in Richmond’s trusted family…

It was a new beginning and a new start,” Diana said, after she picked out furniture and other household goods for her new home. Diana was trapped in a cycle of domestic violence at home. She tried for years to get out to protect both herself and her children. Not…

Do you know the warning signs of  heart attacks and strokes? If you do, it could save your life.  Sweating. Pressure. Nausea. Jaw pain. Fatigue. Believe it or not, these can all be symptoms of a heart attack or heart disease in women. They are also symptoms that women can…

Vegetables and fruits provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other plant compounds that have been found to have cancer-protective effects. Not only are vegetables and fruits helpful for cancer prevention, they are also important components for the prevention of other chronic diseases. Avocado Strawberry Caprese Salad In a small saucepan,…

Just when you start to recover from the holiday season, another wonderful season comes along! The difference is, no one loves tax season or doing their taxes. Well, except for me! Fortunately, there are a lot of deductible items out there to help you save on your tax bill or…

You’ve seen service dogs in the community. These dogs are trained to aid people suffering from various disabilities or diseases. They assist us in managing disabilities like autism, PTSD, visual and hearing impairments, and diseases such as epilepsy, cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Individual service dogs are trained to deal with…

When my son Charles was nine, I found a collection of candy wrappers under his bed and I cried. Substance use disorder ran on both sides of the family, and I knew that his stash of sweets meant he had a sugar addiction. I was determined I could prevent a…

Named after a 21,000-foot inactive volcano in Ecuador, Chimborazo Hill has a dramatic, if not explosive, history of racial conflict that spans more than two centuries. In 1656, it was the suspected site of the Battle of Bloody Run, which pitted English colonists and the Pamunkeys against the Rickohockan, a tribe…

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive decay product of uranium, which is found in trace amounts in certain types of bedrock and soils. In Virginia, uranium and its radioactive decay products are most often found in certain types of granite and shale. Emitted as a gas, radon naturally works its…