RFM January -February 2024

In this issue:

Getting real in 2024! Sarah Bloom on life with a child with extraordinary needs, a teen’s story of organ transplant, upping kids’ veggie intake, Live Red Foundation, fish recipes, and more!

The Fourth Trimester and Why It’s So Important

A pregnancy consists of three periods, known as trimesters. Most new parents are familiar with this concept. Folks who have welcomed a new baby have noted milestones and changes unique to each of these periods, but how many parents are aware that there is a crucial fourth trimester?  The word…

In a Blink

On a recent walk through my neighborhood, I passed a dad carrying a bundled-up infant against his chest. He was walking briskly with an extra bounce in his step – a style my Dad Senses instantly recognized as an appeal to the universe to please, please let this child take…

RFM Bookshelf: “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick

Perfect for book clubs – a hugely compelling story about the power of time and human connection. If you were given the chance to learn how much time you had on this earth – or the exact measure of your life – would you take it? That’s the premise of…

You, Too, Are An Influencer

My daughter took a bite of her oatmeal and glared at me. “Is that your breakfast?” At four, she had already mastered the art of raising one eyebrow in judgment. Her tiny arms were draped over her chest. At that moment, she looked more like my mother than ever. I…

Speaking Up and Speaking Out at the General Assembly

In the gray days of early January, when Richmonders are trudging through the coldest part of the year, another environment begins to heat up: the Virginia General Assembly. The one hundred delegates and forty senators in Virginia’s legislature meet every winter for either forty-five or sixty days to consider thousands…

Make Your Own Snowflakes This Winter!

Winter is here, and there’s one way to guarantee we’ll see snow: Make your own at home! These salty snowflakes are easy and fun to make with just a few supplies and a little patience. And unlike real snowflakes, these crystalline beauties can be colorific! Photo / Scott Schwartzkopf What…

Preventing Child Abuse Isn’t Easy

Q: Last week in the grocery store, I saw an adult completely lose her temper and scream and threaten a child. It made me think of other situations, even with my friends, when parents have crossed a line with their kids when I know they are just frustrated and overwhelmed.…

Pets, People, and Physical and Mental Fitness

Caring for a pet can be a huge responsibility, but there are equally huge payoffs. When we nurture the unique bond we share with our pets, we can improve our mental and physical health, as well as the animal’s. Through their companionship, pets may inspire a more active lifestyle that…

Happy 2024, Everyone!

We are so excited to kick off this new year with the articles we’re sharing in this issue, especially the one by Joan Tupponce about a very special mother and daughter, who also happen to be our first RFM cover repeat. Who could forget the beautiful cover featuring Sarah Bloom…

Live Red Foundation

Children laughed as they ran, performed strength exercises, and recited life skills to their coaches during this special race in Richmond. After the race, eleven-year-old Na Riyah was excited to share the goal board she made about life skills she learned during a weekly program at STEP Richmond, a nonprofit…

Super-Size Your Kids’ Veggie Intake!

I grew up in a rural town outside Nashville with the luxury of having fresh produce – squash, cabbage, turnip greens, collard greens, zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers – right in my backyard. With childhood memories of home-grown vegetables at the center of our family’s dinner table, we have tried to…

Getting Fishy with the Family!

Photo / Brittany Mullins Teriyaki Salmon Bowls ⅓ cup teriyaki sauce 
(homemade or store-bought)2 (4-oz) salmon filets3 cups broccoli florets chopped½ tablespoon avocado 
or melted coconut oil1 cup cooked white or brown rice1 cup shredded red cabbage½ cup shredded carrots½ bunch green onions, chopped½ avocado quartered and sliced1 lime quarteredSesame…

Transplant for a Teen

When Delano Dulin got sick in June of 2021, his parents assumed that it was a bout of COVID or some other kind of virus. Until that time, he was a normal and healthy fourteen-year-old boy who enjoyed playing video games. Delano’s mom Jessica says her son looked horrible.After multiple…

Faith. Hope. Love. Marian.

Sarah Bloom loves hearing the laughter of her five-year-old daughter Marian. As a mom, she melts when Marian breaks into a big, wide smile. But in March 2020, when Marian was two, Sarah worried that those happy moments would fade into a memory. Through it all, she never gave up…

Fab 5 Cruise Lines for Families!

So your kids are a little older, and you’re considering a family cruise? But, of course, you have a million questions like…Which ship is right for the kids? What about bringing along the grandparents? And the big one: Will I need to get a side gig robbing banks to pay…