January-February 2023

In many ways, Gretchen Gregor is a typical teenager. An only child, she lives with her parents, Stacy and Jeff, in their West End home. She loves animals, enjoys a good movie night, and looks forward to frightening the masses at her job in a haunted house every Halloween. But…

Is your child a selective eater? Tips and strategies from parents and experts that will help expand your mealtime options. When I was a girl, my family traveled about thirty minutes after church each Sunday from our small North Carolina town to the closest city for lunch at Long John…

During a summer vacation at the Jersey Shore years ago, my then-thirteen-year-old son returned from a day of solo exploration and told us about a game he had learned at the community center, thanks to a bunch of adults his grandparents’ ages: pickleball. He had fun with the new activity…

Yes, Your Honor, I understand the nature of these charges. And yes, I am aware that these proceedings allow me the right not to incriminate myself.  Most of all, I recognize that anything I say can and will be held against me, and that even the slightest acknowledgment that I…

Years ago, I read somewhere that it wasn’t a good idea to make the television the focal point of a room.  “TVs are nothing more than ugly black boxes the majority of the time,” the article stated. “Why make one the center of attention in your home?”  When we moved…

And just like that, 2022 is in the rearview mirror, and a shiny new year has arrived, filled with possibilities. If I were to look back at all of my past RFM Publisher’s Notes from Januarys gone by, I’ll bet there are more than a few New Year’s resolutions that…

There I was, standing in the laundry room with my back against the door stuffing cookies in my mouth. Yes, I was hiding from my toddler. Eating a cookie in front of an almost three-year-old without offering him one is not exactly easy. But this was not stress eating or…

Is your child a selective eater? Tips and strategies from parents and experts that will help expand your mealtime options. When I was a girl, my family traveled about thirty minutes after church each Sunday from our small North Carolina town to the closest city for lunch at Long John…

The allure of skating – gliding free from gravity – is undeniable. Ice skating is so old that historians are unsure when it was even invented. Some believe it existed as early as 1,000 BC, in Scandinavia, where it would have been a practical way to get around. In Richmond – with…

It was one year ago this January that many of us watched the local and national news in disbelief as vehicles of all makes and models were stuck in a backup that stretched from the outskirts of Richmond to Northern Virginia.  Folks stranded on a frozen I-95 spent more than…

Start with craft paint and paper bags, and create fun, colorful valentine cards and decorations. Paint your favorite colors and patterns on a paper bag canvas that can be cut up into hearts, letters, or any shapes you want to create Valentine’s crafts. What you need: • Paper bags •…

Three years ago, Erica’s family of three became a family of two. As a newly single mom, providing for and parenting then nine-month-old Eris fell on Erica’s shoulders alone. The challenges of working full time, paying for child care, and being Eris’ whole world were suddenly very real and daunting. That’s…

My twin 12-year-olds received phones for Christmas, and it’s clear that we need to establish some rules. Do you have general guidelines to help keep them from becoming addicted – like their parents and so many people already are? Before looking at some general guidelines, it may be helpful for…

Decades ago, all cancer patients were treated with similar drugs. Scientists now understand that cancers which originate in various parts of the body are more affected by certain drugs than others. As we gained a better understanding about the biology of cancer, we developed new therapies that honed in on…

What is carbon monoxide and why is it so dangerous? Virginia Poison Center has strategies for keeping your family safe from carbon monoxide. As the weather turns colder, the Virginia Poison Center sees more kids (and adults) with carbon monoxide poisoning. Sadly, hundreds of Americans die from breathing too much…

No-Bean Beef Chili 1 pound grass-fed ground beef 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil 1 large yellow onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced 1½ cups frozen corn 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes 1 14-ounce can fire…