June 2018

Full disclosure: I am not wild about theme parks. That said, I adore LEGOLAND Florida. If your kids are under twelve and are LEGO-fanatics, they’ll also fall in love with a park that’s dedicated to their age group and their obsession: the LEGO brick that has inspired creativity galore in…

Have you ever seen that parenting meme with Gandalf from Lord of the Rings staring stoically and bravely off into the distance? Beneath him are the words: “When you hear your kids wake up in the morning … so it begins.” That meme always makes me laugh, while also giving…

Virtuoso Charles Overton didn’t find the harp. It found him. It’s such a warm instrument. You can feel the vibrations as you play. They reverberate through you,” says the talented 23-year-old, explaining his interest in the harp. “It’s one of the few instruments where you have direct contact and control…

Do you remember the Huggies Dad Test commercial? People complained, and it was yanked after a few weeks because it portrayed fathers as unable to care for their own babies. This spot I’m thinking about showed a group of dads in a house – with their babies and without motherly…

Have you ever wondered how to ensure your children understand the importance of lifelong learning? I started by showing my daughters, ages four and two, where it can take place – at the library. Not only is the library a place that offers learning as entertainment, it also provides bonding…

My family is going to the beach this summer. I’m writing it here so it absolutely, definitely happens … maybe. Sharing it here increases the likelihood that we will go to the beach to at least greater than 50 percent. For the past three years, we’ve said we would go to…

June greetings, readers! Whether you love it or hate it, summer arrives this month, in all its steamy glory. Our May reader poll showed that the majority of you are fans of summer, with its more laid-back attitude, relaxed bedtimes, and a break from homework and lunches to pack (yay!).…

For nearly twenty years, a giant party overtook Richmond each June. Founded in 1976 to celebrate the arts, the June Jubilee was coordinated by the Arts Council of Richmond and the City of Richmond, with main funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts…

Not all kids are college-bound after high school, but many are. For parents who are sending a child off to college for the first time, reactions are often a mixed bag of pride and worry as they contemplate where their precious baby is going to land. For teens, becoming independent…

Often, families who become passionate advocates for a particular cause find their way to action through hardship and suffering. That is definitely the case for Henrico mom Cindy Maynard and her son, Jake. Jake, a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Kentucky, does not remember a time when he has…

Today’s families want a comfortable living space that is aesthetically pleasing, yet functional. I often meet with clients in their homes and they have an idea of what they want, but don’t know where to start. Before you embark on a costly overhaul, you may be surprised by what a…

Get artsy with an activity that blends every kid’s favorite activity – bubbles! – with painting! With a few simple supplies, young artists can create their own abstract bubble paintings. Families can frame the artwork, turn it into notecards to share with friends, or use large sheets of paper to…

As June days peel off, we all look forward to summertime when life can be more relaxing and enjoyable. For parents who are separated or divorced, making summer plans for kids can make or break whether everyone has a good summer. Trust me, it’s not about trips or camps or…

So you’re not touring Europe, visiting the birthplace of civilization, checking in with our southern neighbors, or traveling to Thailand this summer? To explore the world in a less extravagant way, try shopping locally and eating globally with your family. Richmond has a ton of shops for all your culinary…

My kids are eleven and thirteen, and they get along pretty well. I think they can stay home alone this summer while I work, but friends and family members have been making me question this decision. What do you think about leaving kids at home alone?   There are many…

Suzanne Allen of Ashland had always considered herself a pet person, but after losing her beloved schnauzer Charlie Brown two years ago, she thought she might never adopt again. “It was too painful to lose a friend,” she said. In time, however, Suzanne began to miss the unconditional love and…