There are so many events on this month’s RFM calendar, we couldn’t fit them all into this issue, so be sure to hit our online calendar for more fun ways to get out and enjoy Richmond!
As the weather warms up, Maymont is sure to be on your list of outdoor destinations, and after a year-long renovation, the Maymont Farm is ready for visitors. Joan Tupponce tells us all about the changes and shares the fascinating history of the area’s most-beloved park, beginning on page 14.
There is a ton of useful information for families in this issue, too, and so much of it really hit home for me as I read it. Wendy Irvine brings us a fascinating look at our friend the shark, and shares some of her favorite beaches within a manageable drive of RVA (that’s on page 26). I was especially interested in what she had to say about riptides, as I found myself caught in one just last summer (they are no joke, even for this gal who’s been swimming in the ocean all her life). On page 31, Susan Brown is back in Parental Guidance with a topic that caught this mom of boys attention – guns for play. Have I ever mentioned that my brother accidentally shot me in the neck with a BB gun when I was a kid? That little pellet went in one side of my trachea and out the other, lodging against my esophagus. After that near-death experience, it’s safe to say that my boys won’t be getting that Red Ryder under the Christmas tree. Heck, we don’t even watch the movie!
And the number one most relevant article for me this month is on page 18, and comes from Real Mom Jordan Langley. She tackles the homework versus after-school activities issue, and I’m sure lots of us with school-aged children can relate to this one. When it comes to extracurricular activities, I feel like my boys aren’t all that overloaded, and yet it still seems like we are in an almost constant state of hurrying around, from the time they get off the bus until the time they go to bed. And sadly, yes, homework (and a nutritious dinner…and an early bedtime…) does seem to get the short end of the stick all too often. It’s so hard to know when and what to eliminate from the weekly schedule when there are so many wonderful opportunities to learn new skills, meet new friends, and grow in so many valuable ways. But at the end of the day, my whole family really likes being at home, so we are picky about what activities get a piece of our precious together time.
If only the kids had the same interests – wouldn’t that make things easier?! But of course, it rarely works out this way, so there is dividing and conquering, and almost always meeting back up for dinner together. There’s a lot of juggling in this parenting gig, that’s for sure.
In any case, you’re taking a little break and reading this now, so thanks for making time for your monthly dose of RFM. There’s no WiFi needed, so you can bring it along and read it wherever your busy life takes you!
