May 2011

At first, my husband couldn’t understand why I was so passionate about this huge undertaking. He had visions of the triplet part of the equation – our son’s kids are 11 going on 30 – scattering and slipping out of his sight, causing him great distress. I first had to…

You may find it difficult to acknowledge that one day your children will be sexually active. However, taking steps to keep them healthy when they are, is an action you can take as a parent. Vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) with Gardasil, provides nearly 100 percent protection against the…

Every parent has surely dealt with the challenge of a picky eater at some point or another. I have a friend with a seven-year-old son and four-yearold twins who, desperate to get some protein into her boys, resorted to telling them eating beans would make them toot. After that, they…

The call comes just as I am trying to pry open her stuck bedroom window. It’s almost time for dance class, and she’s forgotten her jazz pants. They’re in the bottom drawer of her dresser, she says. And can I bring them right away? Here in this quiet room, I…

  Grandma had been in the house for less than twenty-four hours. I had just finished explaining to a grumpy Robin that while ordinarily she and her sisters were pretty high on my list, this week, things were going to be different. Grandma was in town, I told her, and while…

Happy Mother's Day, RFM Moms! We strive to have something for you in every issue of Richmond Family Magazine, no matter what stage of the mom game you’re in. In this issue alone, we have feature stories on Gardasil for preteens and teens, dealing with younger picky eaters, and the…

  If you grew up in these parts, chances are you come from farming roots. Many of us Richmonders can remember our grandparents (or even greatgrandparents) growing vegetables and serving them at family dinners Personally speaking, a shiny, ripe, red, sweet Hanover tomato, sliced generously and placed on white bread…

Waiting for my daughter’s lacrosse practice to finish, I observed a father and son pitching a baseball. As a physical therapist with a keen interest in human biomechanics, I was interested in the boy’s throwing technique. The young boy was doing a pretty good job pitching the ball to his…

Q: Can a 9-year-old have a meltdown? My son seems to have such a short fuse and gets very emotional when he is upset, often yelling and even crying. How can i help him to react more appropriately when he is angry? A: We are born into this world with…

You’ve explored all the options, even tried couples and family counseling, but despite your best efforts, you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage. How can you protect your children throughout this process? How is custody going to play out? Who will get the house? What about child-support?…

Working as a housekeeping supervisor, Mary first heard about Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity (RMHFH) from a friend “She bought a Habitat house, and told me just to sign up,” says Mary. “One Saturday, I got up and went [to the orientation].” She applied to the program, but wasn’t exactly…

1. Yum Yum Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry  Cube 1½ lbs. Chicken breast and toss with 1 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp corn starch, 2 tbsp sherry wine, and 2 tsp sesame oil. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp canola…

1. Asian Marinated Flank Steak  Mix ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup sesame seed oil, 2 cloves of minced gar lic, 1 tsp sesame seeds, ¼ tsp dry mustard, ¼ tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp sliced green onions. Pour into a zip-lock…