March-April 2023

How local nonprofits – Read to Them, Lit Limo, Reach Out and Read, CMoR, Little Free Library – are helping connect kids with books in in under-invested regions. A re-purposed school bus driving around Richmond. An intersection in Church Hill. A doctor’s office off Patterson Avenue. The Children’s Museum of…

Record-breaker, All-American, elite runner and marathon mom next door Keira D’Amato runs Richmond and the world – get to know this elite runner! Remember the annual required run at school that was part of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program for generations? Lots of students dreaded it, and some kids absolutely…

What’s so special about the new Virginia Rep Center for Arts and Education? It's 50,000 square feet of awesome with amazing programming for kids and families. When you ask people what they love about the theatre, their responses are likely to include the word magic. By their very nature –…

Margaret weighs in on Amazon and Good Reads’ book of the year – Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. This love story like no other is featured on the RFM Bookshelf. Before I could get started on my 2023 reading list, I had to see what all the fuss was about for…

What do cup-stacking and early-morning rising have in common? See how John Morgan is learning to treasure every moment of dad life.Dad, film this. I’m gonna crush my record.” “Dad, film this. I’m gonna crush my record.” Levon was stacking cups in his room one night. It was the 3-3-3,…

What’s a mom to do when her kids aren’t keeping her moving anymore? Running the Sports Backers Monument Avenue 10K is one way to exercise. My husband once accused me of lying in bed and dreaming up ways to injure our children. “What do you think about a zipline?” I…

Spring is in the air, friends! It’s sprinkled throughout this issue, too, with everything from spring cleaning tips to Earth Day-themed crafts and books. We have Easter events on the calendar, plus spring break camps, and yay! – baseball is back! (Be sure to check out the next column over…

Tiffany Allen and her daughter Maggie are butterfly-saving “sheroes.” You can take these four simple steps and save the monarch butterfly, too! Toward the end of summer in Central Virginia, little orange fluttering travelers will make their appearance. Monarch butterflies are on an annual journey and reproducing wherever they can,…

One of the best things about RVA is the variety of activities right here! You don’t need to travel far to find unique shopping, stunning gardens or educational, engaging museums. If you haven’t made plans for Spring Break, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with our Spring Break Staycation List…

How local nonprofits – Read to Them, Lit Limo, Reach Out and Read, CMoR, Little Free Library – are helping connect kids with books in in under-invested regions. A re-purposed school bus driving around Richmond. An intersection in Church Hill. A doctor’s office off Patterson Avenue. The Children’s Museum of…

Record-breaker, All-American, elite runner and marathon mom next door Keira D’Amato runs Richmond and the world – get to know this elite runner! Remember the annual required run at school that was part of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program for generations? Lots of students dreaded it, and some kids absolutely…

What’s so special about the new Virginia Rep Center for Arts and Education? It's 50,000 square feet of awesome with amazing programming for kids and families. When you ask people what they love about the theatre, their responses are likely to include the word magic. By their very nature –…

Find out how talking about suicide and listening to people who want to share their experiences can save lives in this article by expert Anne Moss Rogers. Let’s face it, when it comes to communicating with your kids, you’d probably rather talk about sex than suicide. But as a mom…

When, how, where, and why to introduce baby's first foods! The ins and outs of starting baby on something other than breast milk or formula. As a registered dietitian who works with families, I love asking parents, “What is your baby’s favorite food?” There’s usually an excited response. “Suddenly she…

Are you financially fit? Does your knowledge of money go beyond the budgets? Enhance your knowledge with these nine steps for fitness. Are you financially fit? What does that even mean? Just like physical fitness, financial fitness is different for everyone. A workout and nutrition plan for one person doesn’t…

Looking to clear your mind and your home? Follow these decluttering steps from local organizer Lynda Reider with Cut the Clutter RVA. We all have spaces in our homes that cause us to feel anxious. Maybe you’re frustrated because you can’t find what you need when you need it. Perhaps…

Birds need our help! Here’s a craft with easy steps for kids who want to help our animal friends. There’s never a wrong time to be a bird advocate. Bird feeding is most helpful when birds need the most energy – think during temperature extremes, migration, and in late winter…

Sleeping, naps, bedtime – some of our kids’ biggest struggles are connected to sleep. These parenting strategies might help. How do I keep my 5-year-old in her own bed at night? She used to wake me up and ask, but lately she has been sliding in while my husband and I…

Groundwork RVA is empowering teens with environmental knowledge and green job skills and it's making a difference in Richmond. When high school student Bea first came to Camp Spokes, a bicycle mechanics and adventure camp for girls and gender non-conforming youth, she had never repaired a bike. That changed –…

What are some common bone breaks and fractures – and when should we go to the ER? Here's important insight from a VCU doc. Your child just took a nasty spill, and now you’re wondering if they have a broken bone or just a bruise that’ll fade in a few…

Power your family’s day with these protein-packed recipes from Brittany Mullins at Eating Bird Food. Protein-Rich Quinoa Vegetable Soup 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped ½ cup mixed mushrooms, chopped…

Confederate spy, Poe’s friend, hearing impaired – a complicated figure in southern history, see why Susan Archer Talley’s life is the stuff of novels. In 1830, Thomas Talley moved his family from his Hanover County plantation to live in Richmond. The reason for the move was remarkable for that era:…