September 2010

How to spot prescription drug use and what parents can do to prevent it. Wayne Frith finds the ever-increasing number of teens abusing prescription and over-the-counter medications alarming. “[It] has grown exponentially over the last three to five years,” says Frith, father of two and executive director of Substance Abuse…

Carving a budget out of one salary instead of two was a scary undertaking for Andrew Yanoschak. But after 11 years of being a stayat- home dad, he’s become a pro at stretching a dollar. “The key is not to overextend ourselves,” he said. Andrew and his wife, Cheryl, were…

Each year, as summer wraps up and store shelves fill with backpacks, lunchboxes and colorful new notebooks, American families take on a rite of passage: sending their children off to school. But for more families than ever before, the falling leaves will not come with school buses, lunch money or…

How to spot prescription drug use and what parents can do to prevent it. Wayne Frith finds the ever-increasing number of teens abusing prescription and over-the-counter medications alarming. “[It] has grown exponentially over the last three to five years,” says Frith, father of two and executive director of Substance Abuse…

Wouldn’t you like to know? Every once in a while, I’ll find a local Richmonder we’d all like to know a bit morabout. Same questions each time, from the Prying Publisher (that’s me!) and the answers are just for you. This month, I talked to Robin Starr, chief executive officer of…

Author’s note: In order to preserve the dignity of this fine family magazine, underlined words in this column are to be pronounced backwards. Thank you. If you have a child in elementary school, you probably have opportunities to read to his or her class. Dads, such opportunities are not for…

  So, what’s his name again?” I was asked, over and over, after my family had learned that I, an African American Virginian, was dating a half-Mexican, half-Caucasian kid, also from Virginia. “It’s Enrique, but everybody calls him Rick or Ricky,” I’d respond. “His last name is Rodriguez.” My mother…

Sleeping through the night at eight weeks. Nursing like a champ every four hours. Potty training at two. “This one’s reading all the baby books,” the pediatrician joked. He meant the baby, not me. My mother maintains God gave my husband and me this kind of easy baby for one reason:…

What you need: Non-porous work surface Ruler Duct tape (two colors) Scissors What you do: 1. Working on a non-porous surface (glass, marble, hard plastic), begin layering duct tape sticky side down in 8½ inch long strips to create a duct tape sheet measuring 7 x 8½ inches. Leave an…

When Megan’s parents and the staff at her elementary school met to discuss her school performance, there was an unexpected revelation: The family was struggling to provide food and other basics for their daughter. Megan’s mom talked to the assistant principal about some of the family’s difficulties. She “told us…

  One of the earliest decisions as a new parent will be what to feed your newborn. Will your baby be breast- or bottle-fed? Both the Office of the Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. This means your baby needs…

Q: I’ve seen a friend try to give time-outs to her 2-yearold. She’s holding the child in a chair and telling him it’s a time-out. I thought the idea was to take attention away. Is he too young? Is this really working? A: Time-outs are often controversial for parents. However,…

1. Tilapia Piccata Season 4 tilapia fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Swirl olive oil in large pan and heat over medium high. Add fish to pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily. Remove fish from pan and keep…