August 2015 | Richmond Parents Monthly

Parents’ First Choice For 25 Years!

August 2015 • Priceless

Caston Studio

Portraits With Distinction Class of 2014 70 proofs or more 5 changes of clothes outdoor studio, many extras NO sitting fees!

Address: 9000 Quioccasin Rd Richmond, VA 23229 Phone: (804) 754-2800 E-mail: info@castonstudio.com Web: www.castonstudio.com

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Fridays 2820 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221 (Cartwheels and Coffee) Saturdays 3100 Grove Ave, Richmond, VA 23221

Adina Silvestri, EdD, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor Phone: (804)536-9143

• Substance Abuse Counselor Fax: Phone: (804)536-9143 (804)288-0067 • Child & Family Counselor Fax: (804)288-0067 Adina@AdinaSilvestri.com

ENB Languages 4 Kidz programs are specifically designed to introduce 3 to 6 year olds to languages through theme-based lessons. We also offer French-Spanish-Italian for 7-13 year olds.

Our unique approach to teaching language aims for children to acquire language naturally as well as foster their innate curiosities for learning about the multicultural World in which they live.

https://www.facebook.com/lifecyclesc

http://www.adinasilvestri.com

2000 Bremo Bremo Rd. 106 2000 Rd. Suite Suite 203 Richmond VA 23226 Richmond VA 23226

LUTHER MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Heartwood Grove School French Immersion | Arts Focused Now enrolling pre-k — elementary

www.HCAVirginia.com • 804-320 DOCS

2u

HeartwoodGrove.com

To Advertise here and on www.richmondparents.com call Mark Fetter 804.673.5215 WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

www.HCAVirginia.com • 804-320 DOCS

804-321-6420 WWW.LUTHERMEMORIAL.COM

To Advertise here and on www.richmondparents.com call Mark Fetter 804.673.5215 RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 3 WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Caston Studio

Portraits With Distinction Class of 2014 70 proofs or more 5 changes of clothes outdoor studio, many extras NO sitting fees!

Address: 9000 Quioccasin Rd Richmond, VA 23229 Phone: (804) 754-2800 E-mail: info@castonstudio.com Web: www.castonstudio.com

Get Seen More

Get Seen More

Print & Web Advertisement

Print & Web Advertisement

A Link to Your Website

A Link to Your Website

Boost Internet Traffic to Your Website

Boost Internet Traffic to Your Website

Click on advertiser logo and link directly to their website at

Click on advertiser logo and link directly to their website at

www.richmondparents.com

www.richmondparents.com (804) 441-4882

Fridays 2820 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221 (Cartwheels and Coffee) Saturdays 3100 Grove Ave, Richmond, VA 23221

Adina Silvestri, EdD, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor Phone: (804)536-9143

• Substance Abuse Counselor Fax: Phone: (804)536-9143 (804)288-0067 • Child & Family Counselor Fax: (804)288-0067 Adina@AdinaSilvestri.com

ENB Languages 4 Kidz programs are specifically designed to introduce 3 to 6 year olds to languages through theme-based lessons. We also offer French-Spanish-Italian for 7-13 year olds.

Our unique approach to teaching language aims for children to acquire language naturally as well as foster their innate curiosities for learning about the multicultural World in which they live.

https://www.facebook.com/lifecyclesc

http://www.adinasilvestri.com

2000 Bremo Bremo Rd. 106 2000 Rd. Suite Suite 203 Richmond VA 23226 Richmond VA 23226

LUTHER MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Heartwood Grove School French Immersion | Arts Focused Now enrolling pre-k — elementary

www.HCAVirginia.com • 804-320 DOCS

2u

HeartwoodGrove.com

To Advertise here and on www.richmondparents.com call Mark Fetter 804.673.5215 WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

www.HCAVirginia.com • 804-320 DOCS

804-321-6420 WWW.LUTHERMEMORIAL.COM

To Advertise here and on www.richmondparents.com call Mark Fetter 804.673.5215 RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 3 WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

contents 2015

A special section highlighting education and private schools in the Richmond Metro Area and surrounding counties.

features 6 8

Priva te Sch o o Featu l re

Family Films

Lessons learned from some great family films.

Lost Horizon

Why are we so afraid that our children will get hurt that we practically make them prisoners?

12 Growing Up Online

Teaching modern children how to be generous and giving.

14 Gardening

How to find out why that tree died. Master Gardener Lela Martin explains.

17 Let’s Go

Spend August with activities around Richmond for the whole family.

Coming in October!

Spotlight all Your School has to offer!

Introduce Your Curriculum to thousands of local families!

Don’t miss this cost-effective opportunity to tell 70,000 readers about your school!

Save 35% off the regular rate for a 1/2 page advertisement in

On the Cover: Photo Credit (c) Igor Menezes via Flickr. Above: Photo Credit (c) Disney’s Toy Story 2. See page 6 for Family Films article by Greg Weatherford.

Editorial Mission: Richmond Parents Monthly is dedicated to providing parents and professionals with the best information and resources available to enhance all aspects of parenting and family life. It is also an avenue to facilitate a shared sense of community among parents by providing useful information, support and a forum for dialogue on issues that are important to all parents and families.

Volume 25, No. 8, AUGUST 2015

Publisher: Mark E. Fetter Editor: Greg Weatherford Art Director: Jennifer G. Sutton Contributing Writers: Lela Martin, Carolyn Jabs, Greg Weatherford

Call Mark E. Fetter today! (804) 673-5215

Deadline to guarantee space reservation is September 18, 2015.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Richmond Parents Monthly 8010 Ridge Road · Suite F · Henrico, VA 23229 804-673-5203 • Fax: 673-5308 E-Mail: mail@richmondpublishing.com • www.richmondparents.com Richmond Parents Monthly is published 12 times a year and distributed free of charge. The advertising deadline is the 10th of each month for the upcoming issue. Richmond Parents Monthly welcomes reader comments and submissions; however, the publication is not responsible for unsolicited materials. All materials received become the property of the publisher and will not be returned. We reserve the right to edit any material used for publication. The entire content of Richmond Parents Monthly is ©2014. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed by writers and columnists do not necessarily represent those of Richmond Parents Monthly or its staff.

Talk to us!

Send your comments, opinions or feedback to

Richmond Parents Monthly, 8010 Ridge Rd, Suite F, Henrico, VA 23229 or e-mail to: rpmeditor@richmondpublishing.com.

Please include your full name and address.

Comments selected for publication may be edited for clarity and length.

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 5

contents 2015

A special section highlighting education and private schools in the Richmond Metro Area and surrounding counties.

features 6 8

Priva te Sch o o Featu l re

Family Films

Lessons learned from some great family films.

Lost Horizon

Why are we so afraid that our children will get hurt that we practically make them prisoners?

12 Growing Up Online

Teaching modern children how to be generous and giving.

14 Gardening

How to find out why that tree died. Master Gardener Lela Martin explains.

17 Let’s Go

Spend August with activities around Richmond for the whole family.

Coming in October!

Spotlight all Your School has to offer!

Introduce Your Curriculum to thousands of local families!

Don’t miss this cost-effective opportunity to tell 70,000 readers about your school!

Save 35% off the regular rate for a 1/2 page advertisement in

On the Cover: Photo Credit (c) Igor Menezes via Flickr. Above: Photo Credit (c) Disney’s Toy Story 2. See page 6 for Family Films article by Greg Weatherford.

Editorial Mission: Richmond Parents Monthly is dedicated to providing parents and professionals with the best information and resources available to enhance all aspects of parenting and family life. It is also an avenue to facilitate a shared sense of community among parents by providing useful information, support and a forum for dialogue on issues that are important to all parents and families.

Volume 25, No. 8, AUGUST 2015

Publisher: Mark E. Fetter Editor: Greg Weatherford Art Director: Jennifer G. Sutton Contributing Writers: Lela Martin, Carolyn Jabs, Greg Weatherford

Call Mark E. Fetter today! (804) 673-5215

Deadline to guarantee space reservation is September 18, 2015.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Richmond Parents Monthly 8010 Ridge Road · Suite F · Henrico, VA 23229 804-673-5203 • Fax: 673-5308 E-Mail: mail@richmondpublishing.com • www.richmondparents.com Richmond Parents Monthly is published 12 times a year and distributed free of charge. The advertising deadline is the 10th of each month for the upcoming issue. Richmond Parents Monthly welcomes reader comments and submissions; however, the publication is not responsible for unsolicited materials. All materials received become the property of the publisher and will not be returned. We reserve the right to edit any material used for publication. The entire content of Richmond Parents Monthly is ©2014. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without the express written consent of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed by writers and columnists do not necessarily represent those of Richmond Parents Monthly or its staff.

Talk to us!

Send your comments, opinions or feedback to

Richmond Parents Monthly, 8010 Ridge Rd, Suite F, Henrico, VA 23229 or e-mail to: rpmeditor@richmondpublishing.com.

Please include your full name and address.

Comments selected for publication may be edited for clarity and length.

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 5

Family Films

Family Films continued from page 6

Lessons from Animation ~ By Greg Weatherford ~

to make that is worth making. I’ve run through some of those below, in rough chronological order.

“Bambi” Everyone knows this one, right? I thought I did, at least until my son, who was 3 at the time, insisted on making that his movie choice every night for three months. About 30 viewings later, I concluded that Ted Nugent (of all people) was correct when he said “Bambi” is the best example of a children’s story that describes real life. From birth to sex to death, the story of the little deer embraces all of life in all its wonder and exultation ... and sorrow. Big lesson: Growing up can be hard, but it’s

6 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

“Up”

Its first 10 minutes are justly famous, as this Pixar film elegantly summarizes a long love and marriage — joyous, courageous, heart-

When school is out, the fun just beginning!

RVCisSummer Volleyball Camps When school is out, the fun is just beginning!

Multi-day camps for boys & girls ages 5-18 No experience required Full- or half-day camps Beginner to advanced camps Early registration deadline: May 29 First camp: June 15 Last camp: August 10 Free t-shirt for early registration!

For more information and to register, visit www.rvc.net/juniors.htm Richmond Volleyball Club •• 804-358-3000 • www.RVC.net Multi-day camps for boys & girls ages 8-18

PHOTOS SAXMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

• No experience required • Full- or half-day camps • Beginner to advanced camps • Early registration deadline is 6/1 - First camp: June 18 - Last camp: July 31 • Free t-shirt for early registration

ww.vaispine.c om

L

ike a lot of us, I spent quite a bit of my children’s early lives doing what they wanted to do. Sometimes that meant endlessly piling up wooden blocks so they could knock them down endlessly. Sometimes that meant walking around the block so they could collect sticks and feathers and other curious things. And sometimes that meant watching a movie with them ... over and over and over.

Some were terrible; most were mediocre. But a few were amazing. And like all parents I wanted to be aware of what these stories were teaching my children. My favorite films were the ones that not only kept our attention, they had a point

“Toy Story 2” The first in the series kicked off the computer-animation boom and introduced us to characters we all came to know, if not through movies certainly through merchandising. But Pixar’s first-ever sequel managed to evade the very real potential to be a crass cash-in and found a story with real soul — never better realized than when Jesse the Cowgirl recalls the moment she was no longer wanted by her little girl — and a heartwarming finale. Big lesson: Friends can be family too.

RVC Summer Volleyball Camps

For more information and to register: visit www.rvc.net/juniors.htm Richmond Volleyball Club • 2921 Byrdhill Road Henrico, VA 23228 • 804-358-3000 • www.RVC.net PHOTOS SAXMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

• Multi-day camps for boys & girls ages 8-18 • No experience required • Full- or half-day camps • Beginner to advanced camps • Early registration deadline is 6/1 - First camp: June 18 - Last camp: July 31 • Free t-shirt for early registration

Is back pain getting in more and to register: the For way ofinformation your life? visit www.rvc.net/juniors.htm

We accurately diagnose painful disorders of the spine and pelvis toVolleyball definitively reduce medications, and Richmond Club treat • 2921them, Byrdhill Road Henrico, VA 23228 • 804-358-3000 • www.RVC.net improve your level of function and quality of life.

“Spirited Away” Hayao Miyazake has made many wonderful films — “Princess Mononoke” riveted

Vis it u

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) Igor Menezes via Flickr

“The Iron Giant” Director Brad Bird and his team took the bare bones of a story by poet Ted Hughes and turned it into a riveting, fabulous parable about fear and love. The titular robot that crash-lands into a boy’s life in 1950s America shakes up his family, his future and his world. It also teaches some pretty valuable lessons about loyalty and why we shouldn’t fear the unknown, along with one of the great tear-jerking movie moments of all time: “Superman.” If you’ve seen it, you know. Big lesson: Love trumps fear, every time.

my sons from the first frame, and “Howl’s Moving Castle” is spectacular — but now that I’ve had time to let it sink in, “Spirited Away” is my choice as his best. The tale of a stubborn young girl who wanders into a mysterious bath house of nature spirits and demons, it never makes its characters any other than who they are — sometimes irritable, sometimes joyous, always surprising. And the visuals are astonishing: a spiderlike spirit that tends a coal furnace and gives our protagonist a job; the monstrous river spirit that arrives at the bath house to be cleaned of pollution; the horrifying witch who runs the place. Big lesson: Hard work pays.

s online to learn more: w

worth it.

breaking — without a word. But I also love the adventure that follows, complete with talking dogs, a loveable gigantic bird named Kevin, a zeppelin, and of course at the center of it all the thawing of a sad old man’s heart. Big lesson: Never regret a life spent with those you love. Even if it’s spent doing something you didn’t really mean to be doing.

9020 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 140 (804)330-0303 • www.vaispine.com

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Voted “Top Doc” by Richmond Magazine 2008, 2011 and 2012

Michael J. DePalma, MD

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 7

Family Films

Family Films continued from page 6

Lessons from Animation ~ By Greg Weatherford ~

to make that is worth making. I’ve run through some of those below, in rough chronological order.

“Bambi” Everyone knows this one, right? I thought I did, at least until my son, who was 3 at the time, insisted on making that his movie choice every night for three months. About 30 viewings later, I concluded that Ted Nugent (of all people) was correct when he said “Bambi” is the best example of a children’s story that describes real life. From birth to sex to death, the story of the little deer embraces all of life in all its wonder and exultation ... and sorrow. Big lesson: Growing up can be hard, but it’s

6 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

“Up”

Its first 10 minutes are justly famous, as this Pixar film elegantly summarizes a long love and marriage — joyous, courageous, heart-

When school is out, the fun just beginning!

RVCisSummer Volleyball Camps When school is out, the fun is just beginning!

Multi-day camps for boys & girls ages 5-18 No experience required Full- or half-day camps Beginner to advanced camps Early registration deadline: May 29 First camp: June 15 Last camp: August 10 Free t-shirt for early registration!

For more information and to register, visit www.rvc.net/juniors.htm Richmond Volleyball Club •• 804-358-3000 • www.RVC.net Multi-day camps for boys & girls ages 8-18

PHOTOS SAXMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

• No experience required • Full- or half-day camps • Beginner to advanced camps • Early registration deadline is 6/1 - First camp: June 18 - Last camp: July 31 • Free t-shirt for early registration

ww.vaispine.c om

L

ike a lot of us, I spent quite a bit of my children’s early lives doing what they wanted to do. Sometimes that meant endlessly piling up wooden blocks so they could knock them down endlessly. Sometimes that meant walking around the block so they could collect sticks and feathers and other curious things. And sometimes that meant watching a movie with them ... over and over and over.

Some were terrible; most were mediocre. But a few were amazing. And like all parents I wanted to be aware of what these stories were teaching my children. My favorite films were the ones that not only kept our attention, they had a point

“Toy Story 2” The first in the series kicked off the computer-animation boom and introduced us to characters we all came to know, if not through movies certainly through merchandising. But Pixar’s first-ever sequel managed to evade the very real potential to be a crass cash-in and found a story with real soul — never better realized than when Jesse the Cowgirl recalls the moment she was no longer wanted by her little girl — and a heartwarming finale. Big lesson: Friends can be family too.

RVC Summer Volleyball Camps

For more information and to register: visit www.rvc.net/juniors.htm Richmond Volleyball Club • 2921 Byrdhill Road Henrico, VA 23228 • 804-358-3000 • www.RVC.net PHOTOS SAXMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

• Multi-day camps for boys & girls ages 8-18 • No experience required • Full- or half-day camps • Beginner to advanced camps • Early registration deadline is 6/1 - First camp: June 18 - Last camp: July 31 • Free t-shirt for early registration

Is back pain getting in more and to register: the For way ofinformation your life? visit www.rvc.net/juniors.htm

We accurately diagnose painful disorders of the spine and pelvis toVolleyball definitively reduce medications, and Richmond Club treat • 2921them, Byrdhill Road Henrico, VA 23228 • 804-358-3000 • www.RVC.net improve your level of function and quality of life.

“Spirited Away” Hayao Miyazake has made many wonderful films — “Princess Mononoke” riveted

Vis it u

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) Igor Menezes via Flickr

“The Iron Giant” Director Brad Bird and his team took the bare bones of a story by poet Ted Hughes and turned it into a riveting, fabulous parable about fear and love. The titular robot that crash-lands into a boy’s life in 1950s America shakes up his family, his future and his world. It also teaches some pretty valuable lessons about loyalty and why we shouldn’t fear the unknown, along with one of the great tear-jerking movie moments of all time: “Superman.” If you’ve seen it, you know. Big lesson: Love trumps fear, every time.

my sons from the first frame, and “Howl’s Moving Castle” is spectacular — but now that I’ve had time to let it sink in, “Spirited Away” is my choice as his best. The tale of a stubborn young girl who wanders into a mysterious bath house of nature spirits and demons, it never makes its characters any other than who they are — sometimes irritable, sometimes joyous, always surprising. And the visuals are astonishing: a spiderlike spirit that tends a coal furnace and gives our protagonist a job; the monstrous river spirit that arrives at the bath house to be cleaned of pollution; the horrifying witch who runs the place. Big lesson: Hard work pays.

s online to learn more: w

worth it.

breaking — without a word. But I also love the adventure that follows, complete with talking dogs, a loveable gigantic bird named Kevin, a zeppelin, and of course at the center of it all the thawing of a sad old man’s heart. Big lesson: Never regret a life spent with those you love. Even if it’s spent doing something you didn’t really mean to be doing.

9020 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 140 (804)330-0303 • www.vaispine.com

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Voted “Top Doc” by Richmond Magazine 2008, 2011 and 2012

Michael J. DePalma, MD

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 7

Lost Horizon

Why are we so afraid that our children will get hurt?

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) Rusty Run Away by Jenni C

~ By Greg Weatherford ~ the rest of their money.

They’d coasted bikes down a road that ran on a fairly steep incline.

They had pulled over to let an SUV go past.

They had found — and this inspired a great deal of talk — a dead squirrel.

I was impressed ... and a little shocked.

What would have been a mundane afternoon for my childhood, less than two hours spent wandering a sedate, sidewalk-lined neighborhood near Libbie and Grove, was for them a wild outing.

It turned out that none of them — not even my own boy — had ever spent so much time away from home without parental supervision. Not ever.

A few weeks later I got a hint about why that would be. After the grand success of that first outing, I called to invite the boys back over. Two of the parents politely but primly declined the invitation.

I asked if something was wrong.

Oh no, came the reply. Not at all. They just preferred their children be more ... supervised.

I sighed and said I understood.

One of the boys never came over again.

N

ot long ago, my 11-year-old son invited three classmates over to our house. It’s not a big place, and the four boys soon became restless. I did what my mother used to do when my brother and I got rambunctious: I sent them out of the house.

Not exactly the way she did, of course — she’d just order us to stay away until dinner time. Times have changed. I rounded up some

bikes — two of the kids were big enough to ride an adult bicycle. Before I let them go I warned them all to stay within the neighborhood and to avoid crossing the two-lane roads that bounded it. I equipped my son with a cell phone and told him I would call now and then to check in. And I gave him a $10 bill so they could provision themselves at the local convenience store.

Satisfied they all knew the

8 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

rules, I sent them out and settled down to read for a few hours.

In all, they were gone about 90 minutes. They came back flushed with excitement and chattering of their adventures. The boys had ridden around the neighborhood.

They’d stopped by their school playground, four blocks away. They’d bought bottled drinks. They were inspired to visit a nearby frozenyogurt shop, where they ran through

ents’ home and died in a snowstorm I feel horror and misery twisting in my chest. When I think of my own children lost or stolen or hurt ...

So yes. I get it. We want to protect our children. Isn’t that the foundation of being a parent, to protect? When each of my two children were born I held their tiny bodies and I leaned in, my cheek next to theirs, and I whispered that I would take care of them forever and always.

And I meant it.

Perhaps you did the same.

And you meant it, I’m sure.

Probably parents have promised such things since the first child was born. And they meant it too.

But something has changed.

We’ve shifted our perceptions of what that promise could mean. Now, studies say, parents spend far more time with their children than in previous generations, even with more parents spending more time at work.

It’s not unusual now for children to spend every moment of every day under the watchful eye of an adult — a teacher, a nanny, a mother or father or coach — day in, day out.

Most children don’t walk to school until they’re almost out of it. Most parents wouldn’t dream of dropping their children off at the park to play for a Saturday afternoon. Or of doing what my mother did and ordering us out of the house, out of her view until she called us in for dinner.

And no surprise. Even if some of us think we should, there are

plenty of reasons we wouldn’t dare.

Take the case of Danielle and Alexander Meitiv, parents of 6- and 10-yearolds in Montgomery County, Maryland. They encouraged their children to be independent and play on their own. In December 2014 they sent their children to the neighborhood park a few blocks away. On the way back home after playing, they were detained by police. The Meitivs were accused of child endangerment, and after a hearing by county child protective services were found responsible of “unsubstantiated child neglect” — an Orwellian phrase that, as Danielle Meitiv told Psychology Today earlier this year, simultaneously means nothing and also convicts them of being awful parents.

You probably remember a different sort of childhood than the one our children know. One in which you and your friends wandered through aimless summer days, inventing games and sometimes doing things your parents would not have liked. Or one in which you spent hours exploring on your own. Or one with afternoons spent happily hidden in a neighborhood grove, a book for a companion and a sunwarmed sandwich for a lunch.

You might wonder if you imagined this childhood — it seems so alien now. Our children might be at risk. We would never allow it.

But are children today really any more at risk than before? It feels

as if they are. We hear of every Amber Alert, every frightened mother whose child has vanished.

It turns out, though, that children no more in danger than they ever were. The Crimes Against Children Research Center, which tracks child sexual abuse and abduction, reports that cases in which a child is snatched or murdered by a stranger are no more common, and probably less so, than in the 1970s and ’80s. Indeed, crimes against children are declining, as part of the overall decline in crime since the 1990s.

What has increased, as Hanna Rosin observed in The Atlantic earlier this year, is the number of children who are taken by their parents. As divorces and custody battles have become more common, more parents have abducted their children. Rosin writes: “If a mother is afraid that her child might be abducted, her ironclad rule should not be Don’t talk to strangers. It should be Don’t talk to your father.”

As we’ve pulled our children away from open, unsupervised public spaces — the parks and vacant lots so many of us remember fondly from our own childhoods — almost unconsciously we’ve made our homes larger and more accommodating. Playrooms and basements now stand in for parks. Backyard swing sets stand in for climbing trees. And, of course, YouTube and video games stand in for unfettered

imagination.

What are we losing? We’re losing generations of people who know how to occupy their time. Most of the young people I meet now are frozen with anxiety at the thought of unplanned, unsupervised activities. They spend their lives under the direction of adults and their schoolwork under the direction of SOLs.

We’re losing generations of children who know how to take risks and what it feels like to overcome them. Ellen Sandseter, who studies early childhood education in Norway, argues that taking on risks as children — for example, climbing high in a tree — teaches how to conquer fear. Paradoxically, Sandseter found, children who have been injured by falls as children are less likely to have phobias about heights.

It seems that the experience of risks and bruises teach us confidence and fearlessness.

And we’re losing generations of children who will never know what it’s like to take care of themselves, even for an afternoon.

Who will never fall and skin a knee and limp home to show it off. Who will never find a secret hideaway in the woods, a secret path, a secret place only children know.

And that, it seems to me, is an important thing — it seems to me the very soul of childhood. And that is something worth fighting for.

I told those parents I understood. And I do. As a parent, I understand. As a person who lives in this society, I get it.

We are terrified.

We are afraid of what could happen if we’re not watching.

When I hear a story about a little girl who was abducted, I feel a stab of horror. When I hear about a toddler who wandered from his par-

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 9

Lost Horizon

Why are we so afraid that our children will get hurt?

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) Rusty Run Away by Jenni C

~ By Greg Weatherford ~ the rest of their money.

They’d coasted bikes down a road that ran on a fairly steep incline.

They had pulled over to let an SUV go past.

They had found — and this inspired a great deal of talk — a dead squirrel.

I was impressed ... and a little shocked.

What would have been a mundane afternoon for my childhood, less than two hours spent wandering a sedate, sidewalk-lined neighborhood near Libbie and Grove, was for them a wild outing.

It turned out that none of them — not even my own boy — had ever spent so much time away from home without parental supervision. Not ever.

A few weeks later I got a hint about why that would be. After the grand success of that first outing, I called to invite the boys back over. Two of the parents politely but primly declined the invitation.

I asked if something was wrong.

Oh no, came the reply. Not at all. They just preferred their children be more ... supervised.

I sighed and said I understood.

One of the boys never came over again.

N

ot long ago, my 11-year-old son invited three classmates over to our house. It’s not a big place, and the four boys soon became restless. I did what my mother used to do when my brother and I got rambunctious: I sent them out of the house.

Not exactly the way she did, of course — she’d just order us to stay away until dinner time. Times have changed. I rounded up some

bikes — two of the kids were big enough to ride an adult bicycle. Before I let them go I warned them all to stay within the neighborhood and to avoid crossing the two-lane roads that bounded it. I equipped my son with a cell phone and told him I would call now and then to check in. And I gave him a $10 bill so they could provision themselves at the local convenience store.

Satisfied they all knew the

8 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

rules, I sent them out and settled down to read for a few hours.

In all, they were gone about 90 minutes. They came back flushed with excitement and chattering of their adventures. The boys had ridden around the neighborhood.

They’d stopped by their school playground, four blocks away. They’d bought bottled drinks. They were inspired to visit a nearby frozenyogurt shop, where they ran through

ents’ home and died in a snowstorm I feel horror and misery twisting in my chest. When I think of my own children lost or stolen or hurt ...

So yes. I get it. We want to protect our children. Isn’t that the foundation of being a parent, to protect? When each of my two children were born I held their tiny bodies and I leaned in, my cheek next to theirs, and I whispered that I would take care of them forever and always.

And I meant it.

Perhaps you did the same.

And you meant it, I’m sure.

Probably parents have promised such things since the first child was born. And they meant it too.

But something has changed.

We’ve shifted our perceptions of what that promise could mean. Now, studies say, parents spend far more time with their children than in previous generations, even with more parents spending more time at work.

It’s not unusual now for children to spend every moment of every day under the watchful eye of an adult — a teacher, a nanny, a mother or father or coach — day in, day out.

Most children don’t walk to school until they’re almost out of it. Most parents wouldn’t dream of dropping their children off at the park to play for a Saturday afternoon. Or of doing what my mother did and ordering us out of the house, out of her view until she called us in for dinner.

And no surprise. Even if some of us think we should, there are

plenty of reasons we wouldn’t dare.

Take the case of Danielle and Alexander Meitiv, parents of 6- and 10-yearolds in Montgomery County, Maryland. They encouraged their children to be independent and play on their own. In December 2014 they sent their children to the neighborhood park a few blocks away. On the way back home after playing, they were detained by police. The Meitivs were accused of child endangerment, and after a hearing by county child protective services were found responsible of “unsubstantiated child neglect” — an Orwellian phrase that, as Danielle Meitiv told Psychology Today earlier this year, simultaneously means nothing and also convicts them of being awful parents.

You probably remember a different sort of childhood than the one our children know. One in which you and your friends wandered through aimless summer days, inventing games and sometimes doing things your parents would not have liked. Or one in which you spent hours exploring on your own. Or one with afternoons spent happily hidden in a neighborhood grove, a book for a companion and a sunwarmed sandwich for a lunch.

You might wonder if you imagined this childhood — it seems so alien now. Our children might be at risk. We would never allow it.

But are children today really any more at risk than before? It feels

as if they are. We hear of every Amber Alert, every frightened mother whose child has vanished.

It turns out, though, that children no more in danger than they ever were. The Crimes Against Children Research Center, which tracks child sexual abuse and abduction, reports that cases in which a child is snatched or murdered by a stranger are no more common, and probably less so, than in the 1970s and ’80s. Indeed, crimes against children are declining, as part of the overall decline in crime since the 1990s.

What has increased, as Hanna Rosin observed in The Atlantic earlier this year, is the number of children who are taken by their parents. As divorces and custody battles have become more common, more parents have abducted their children. Rosin writes: “If a mother is afraid that her child might be abducted, her ironclad rule should not be Don’t talk to strangers. It should be Don’t talk to your father.”

As we’ve pulled our children away from open, unsupervised public spaces — the parks and vacant lots so many of us remember fondly from our own childhoods — almost unconsciously we’ve made our homes larger and more accommodating. Playrooms and basements now stand in for parks. Backyard swing sets stand in for climbing trees. And, of course, YouTube and video games stand in for unfettered

imagination.

What are we losing? We’re losing generations of people who know how to occupy their time. Most of the young people I meet now are frozen with anxiety at the thought of unplanned, unsupervised activities. They spend their lives under the direction of adults and their schoolwork under the direction of SOLs.

We’re losing generations of children who know how to take risks and what it feels like to overcome them. Ellen Sandseter, who studies early childhood education in Norway, argues that taking on risks as children — for example, climbing high in a tree — teaches how to conquer fear. Paradoxically, Sandseter found, children who have been injured by falls as children are less likely to have phobias about heights.

It seems that the experience of risks and bruises teach us confidence and fearlessness.

And we’re losing generations of children who will never know what it’s like to take care of themselves, even for an afternoon.

Who will never fall and skin a knee and limp home to show it off. Who will never find a secret hideaway in the woods, a secret path, a secret place only children know.

And that, it seems to me, is an important thing — it seems to me the very soul of childhood. And that is something worth fighting for.

I told those parents I understood. And I do. As a parent, I understand. As a person who lives in this society, I get it.

We are terrified.

We are afraid of what could happen if we’re not watching.

When I hear a story about a little girl who was abducted, I feel a stab of horror. When I hear about a toddler who wandered from his par-

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 9

Medicine Safety: As Important for Teens as Toddlers Courtesy of BPT

M-F | 5-9 AM

Kick start your day Hosts Rene Montagne and Steve Inskeep

For over three decades, NPR’s Morning Edition has taken listeners around the country and the world with two hours of multi-faceted stories and commentaries that inform, challenge and occasionally amuse.

FREE monthly e-newsletter It’s easy! Sign-up at ideastations.org/learn to stay informed about the latest PBS KIDS news.

• • • • • •

PBS KIDS character appearances around town Exciting family events in the community Fun, educational activities for kids at home Early childhood parenting tips Prepare your child for success in school New PBS KIDS program updates

P

rotecting children from harm is a priority for every parent. We are encouraged to child-proof the entire house to keep curious toddlers safe. Eventually, as kids mature, parents tend to give them new freedoms and responsibilities. But new data shows that parents need to be particularly watchful about medicine safety, not just for toddlers, but for teens as well.

While younger kids generate far more calls to poison centers for medicine poisonings, teens are at greater risk for serious outcomes related to medicine errors, according to the Safe Kids research study “Medicine Safety for Children: An In-Depth Look at Calls to Poison Centers.”

In the report, Safe Kids Worldwide, in partnership with the American Association of Poison Control Centers and with the support of McNeil Consumer Healthcare, analyzed more than 547,000 calls that came into the poison cen-

ters for children 19 and younger.

While the majority of calls to the poison centers (more than 1,100 per day) are about a young child getting into medicine or getting too much medicine, the more surprising insight is that the percent of teens ages 15-19 who experience a serious outcome is more than six times greater than the percent for 1 to 4 year-olds.

Teens in charge of managing their own medicine can make mistakes, such as forgetting to take medicine and then doubling up later, taking two medicines with the same ingredient, or taking the wrong medicine. There are about 10,000 emergency room visits a year for medicine overdose by teens taking over-the-counter medicine incorrectly.

Medicine safety tips for parents of pre-teens and teens: 1. Educate pre-teens and teens on how to read over-the-counter drug facts and prescription labels.

Take the time to teach your child about each section of a drug facts label and its purpose. For a great

resource on this topic, visit: http://bit. ly/18xpWLB. 2 .

Communicate to pre-teens and teens the importance of taking only those medicines that are meant for them.

Taking medicine that belongs to someone else or misusing medicines (even overthe-counter) can cause harm.

3. Teach pre-teens and teens that medicine labels are rules, not guidelines. Be sure they know that taking more than the recommended dose will not help them get relief any faster, and it could hurt them.

4. Check in with them and talk about any medicine they are taking regularly. Even pre-teens and teens who need to take medicine daily may make errors in dosage or

frequency, so it is important to communicate with them regularly about taking medicine responsibly.

The best tip for all parents, caregivers and teens is to save the toll-free Poison Help line number on your phone: (800) 222-1222. The 55 poison centers in the United States have highly trained poison experts standing by 24/7 to help parents at no cost.

Victory Christian Academy Teaching and Learning Without Compromising the Word of God est. 1985

(804) 262-8256

35 Years In Operation

●

www.vca-edu.org

Community Service In 2015 over 1,500 volunteer hours

Average National Percentile Rank for VCA Students in:

High School are 86% Middle School are 86% Elementary are 88% HIGHER than the National Norm Group in Reading, Language & Math

2015-Seniors received over $580,000 in academic scholarships (there are 11 students in the class)

Victory Christian Academy 8491 Chamberlayne Road Richmond, VA 23227

10 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 11

Medicine Safety: As Important for Teens as Toddlers Courtesy of BPT

M-F | 5-9 AM

Kick start your day Hosts Rene Montagne and Steve Inskeep

For over three decades, NPR’s Morning Edition has taken listeners around the country and the world with two hours of multi-faceted stories and commentaries that inform, challenge and occasionally amuse.

FREE monthly e-newsletter It’s easy! Sign-up at ideastations.org/learn to stay informed about the latest PBS KIDS news.

• • • • • •

PBS KIDS character appearances around town Exciting family events in the community Fun, educational activities for kids at home Early childhood parenting tips Prepare your child for success in school New PBS KIDS program updates

P

rotecting children from harm is a priority for every parent. We are encouraged to child-proof the entire house to keep curious toddlers safe. Eventually, as kids mature, parents tend to give them new freedoms and responsibilities. But new data shows that parents need to be particularly watchful about medicine safety, not just for toddlers, but for teens as well.

While younger kids generate far more calls to poison centers for medicine poisonings, teens are at greater risk for serious outcomes related to medicine errors, according to the Safe Kids research study “Medicine Safety for Children: An In-Depth Look at Calls to Poison Centers.”

In the report, Safe Kids Worldwide, in partnership with the American Association of Poison Control Centers and with the support of McNeil Consumer Healthcare, analyzed more than 547,000 calls that came into the poison cen-

ters for children 19 and younger.

While the majority of calls to the poison centers (more than 1,100 per day) are about a young child getting into medicine or getting too much medicine, the more surprising insight is that the percent of teens ages 15-19 who experience a serious outcome is more than six times greater than the percent for 1 to 4 year-olds.

Teens in charge of managing their own medicine can make mistakes, such as forgetting to take medicine and then doubling up later, taking two medicines with the same ingredient, or taking the wrong medicine. There are about 10,000 emergency room visits a year for medicine overdose by teens taking over-the-counter medicine incorrectly.

Medicine safety tips for parents of pre-teens and teens: 1. Educate pre-teens and teens on how to read over-the-counter drug facts and prescription labels.

Take the time to teach your child about each section of a drug facts label and its purpose. For a great

resource on this topic, visit: http://bit. ly/18xpWLB. 2 .

Communicate to pre-teens and teens the importance of taking only those medicines that are meant for them.

Taking medicine that belongs to someone else or misusing medicines (even overthe-counter) can cause harm.

3. Teach pre-teens and teens that medicine labels are rules, not guidelines. Be sure they know that taking more than the recommended dose will not help them get relief any faster, and it could hurt them.

4. Check in with them and talk about any medicine they are taking regularly. Even pre-teens and teens who need to take medicine daily may make errors in dosage or

frequency, so it is important to communicate with them regularly about taking medicine responsibly.

The best tip for all parents, caregivers and teens is to save the toll-free Poison Help line number on your phone: (800) 222-1222. The 55 poison centers in the United States have highly trained poison experts standing by 24/7 to help parents at no cost.

Victory Christian Academy Teaching and Learning Without Compromising the Word of God est. 1985

(804) 262-8256

35 Years In Operation

●

www.vca-edu.org

Community Service In 2015 over 1,500 volunteer hours

Average National Percentile Rank for VCA Students in:

High School are 86% Middle School are 86% Elementary are 88% HIGHER than the National Norm Group in Reading, Language & Math

2015-Seniors received over $580,000 in academic scholarships (there are 11 students in the class)

Victory Christian Academy 8491 Chamberlayne Road Richmond, VA 23227

10 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 11

GROWING UP ONLINE

BY CAROLYN JABS

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) blog.givingworks.ebay.com

Charity for Every Day of the Year

W

hat’s the best way to raise generous kids? That question takes on new urgency during the holidays when families are urged to participate in national events like Make a Difference Day (the Fourth Saturday in October) and Giving Tuesday (the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving) as well as local projects such as canned food drives and angel trees.

Valuable as these seasonal efforts may be, some experts argue that kids benefit more when they have year round opportunities to think about and respond to needs that resonate with them. One study done by the Philanthropy Institute at the University of Indiana found that children were 20 percent more likely to be generous givers if their parents talked with them regularly about the good they could do by contributing time and money.

The best charitable projects connect with the interests of the child as well as the your family’s resources and values. The following websites offer a wide variety of ways families can get involved in doing good, throughout the holidays and beyond.

Micro giving. A number of websites allow visitors to make tiny donations simply by doing things that are part of their daily routine.

These websites aren’t a substitute for other projects but they do create a kind of mindfulness about causes that deserve your support. And, for kids, they also demonstrate the cu-

mulative power when many people do small good things.

Searching. GoodSearch. com is a philanthropic search engine which donates 50% of its advertising revenue to a cause that you designate. The site also has a “Goodshop” option which allows you to donate a percentage of your purchase to charity.

Clicking. Care2 has an entire page filled with sites that allow you to support favorite causes by clicking once a day. www.care2. com/click-to-donate. The sites are supported by sponsors who make micro-donations for each click.

Walking. Anyone with a smartphone can download the app at charitymiles.org. Then you and your child can choose one of the approved charities. A corporate sponsor will donate up to 25 cents for every mile you walk or run and up to 10 cents for every mile you log on your bike.

Sponsor a child. Children often like the idea of helping another child who is the same age.

Plan International (www.planusa. org/forsponsors), ChildFund (childfund.org) and Children International (children.org) have websites that make it easy to identify a specific child in a specific country. Children International allows donations to individuals, families or communities.

Plan International encourages sponsors to communicate with and even visit children.

Charitable gift cards.

12 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

Several websites will help you create donation cards. If you give one to a child or, for that matter, other family members, they get the satisfaction of choosing who will receive the donation (and you get a tax deduction.)

Justgive.org and tisbest.org serve a wide range of charities. Both charge a small service fee, which covers the creation of the card as well as the credit card fee.

Reinvent family traditions. With a little thought, families can make special occasions even more meaningful by sharing the joy.

For example, if you make special foods for a holiday, double the batch so you can share with an elderly neighbor or a family that’s facing hard times. At birthday parties, consider asking guests to bring a gently used book or toy to be donated to a local charity. Or create a birthdayin-a box for a child who might not otherwise have a party. For details about this and other generous ideas, visit family-to-family.org.

Join the crowd. Crowdfunding is a popular way to support good causes. Crowdrise.com, startsomegood.com and justgiving.com are all good ways to expose teens and pre-teens to what others are doing to make the world a better place.

If you find a cause that connects with your child, you may want to match whatever the child decides to donate.

Some families create a jar for spare change and decide together where to donate the funds. For younger children, consider a “money savvy”

bank that helps kids allocate their allowance to spending, saving, donating and investing (msgen.com).

Make a loan. Sometimes the best way to help people is to loan them what they need to start a business. Kiva.com pools contributions as small as $25 into small loans that can be used to start or expand entrepreneurial projects that improve the lives of impoverished families.

When the loan is repaid, your family can invest again.

Volunteer your time. For many families, giving time makes more sense than giving money. Volunteermatch.org will help you find both local and virtual ways to volunteer in your community.

Make donations count.

Not all charities are created equal.

Some, for example, spend a disproportionate amount of what they raise on salaries or fund-raising. To be sure a charity is legitimate and well-run, encourage older children to do a little research. Give.org, a site managed by the better Business Bureau, evaluates organizations on several criteria including board oversight, transparency and donor privacy. Charitynavigator.org provides information on charities with donations over one million dollars.

Charitywatch.org does a very rigorous review of a smaller number of charities. Foundationcenter.org provides easy access to nonprofits’ 990 forms with annual information about expenses and funding, which charities must file to preserve their tax-exempt status.

Whatever you decide to do, remember that the real benefits come from helping kids recognize needs and think constructively about what they can do to help. You don’t really need a website or an app for that — just an open heart and willingness to give what you can.

Carolyn Jabs, M.A., raised three computer-savvy kids including one with special needs. She has been writing Growing Up Online for 10 years and is working on a book about constructive responses to conflict. Visit www.growing-up-online. com to read other columns. @ Copyright, 2015, Carolyn Jabs. All rights reserved

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

oted

tly v r reecren 's top m em u rn S u T d Pam hm ice so!cnhers. ofsRs onCela a e te

30 YEARS

danc

ntethd VIo obfesttedaeonbeusoifntehe acnhcine stud ss R fin aio or 3ic6hmognd ns d ! year ce s!

Richmond Dance Center Register Now for Fall Registration!

CHILDREN AND ADULT CLASSES CHILD-TEEN-ADULT CLASSES

NOMINATE a family in need of a vehicle

www.richmonddancecenter.com www.richmonddancecenter.com

Pre-Ballet Tap••Ballet Ballet• Pointe • Pointe • Lyrical • Hip • Yoga Pre-Ballet •• Jazz Jazz ••Tap • Lyrical • Hip HopHop • Modern Ages 3 Thru AdulT | exTensive AdulT ProgrAms | ClAss size is limiTed FREE CLASSES FORCenter, 3Center, YEARAll OLDS FOR THE FIRST 10degrees THAT CALL! Here atAtRichmond Dance our teachers have in Here Richmond Dance Of Our Teachers Have Degrees Indance Dance as Caring, experienced teachers with degrees dance. well asExperience. teaching experience.

As Well As Teaching We Welcome YourinQuestions.

8906 W. Broad St. | 747-0533 | Pam Turner, Director (Gold’s Gym Plaza just West of Parham)

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 13

GROWING UP ONLINE

BY CAROLYN JABS

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) blog.givingworks.ebay.com

Charity for Every Day of the Year

W

hat’s the best way to raise generous kids? That question takes on new urgency during the holidays when families are urged to participate in national events like Make a Difference Day (the Fourth Saturday in October) and Giving Tuesday (the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving) as well as local projects such as canned food drives and angel trees.

Valuable as these seasonal efforts may be, some experts argue that kids benefit more when they have year round opportunities to think about and respond to needs that resonate with them. One study done by the Philanthropy Institute at the University of Indiana found that children were 20 percent more likely to be generous givers if their parents talked with them regularly about the good they could do by contributing time and money.

The best charitable projects connect with the interests of the child as well as the your family’s resources and values. The following websites offer a wide variety of ways families can get involved in doing good, throughout the holidays and beyond.

Micro giving. A number of websites allow visitors to make tiny donations simply by doing things that are part of their daily routine.

These websites aren’t a substitute for other projects but they do create a kind of mindfulness about causes that deserve your support. And, for kids, they also demonstrate the cu-

mulative power when many people do small good things.

Searching. GoodSearch. com is a philanthropic search engine which donates 50% of its advertising revenue to a cause that you designate. The site also has a “Goodshop” option which allows you to donate a percentage of your purchase to charity.

Clicking. Care2 has an entire page filled with sites that allow you to support favorite causes by clicking once a day. www.care2. com/click-to-donate. The sites are supported by sponsors who make micro-donations for each click.

Walking. Anyone with a smartphone can download the app at charitymiles.org. Then you and your child can choose one of the approved charities. A corporate sponsor will donate up to 25 cents for every mile you walk or run and up to 10 cents for every mile you log on your bike.

Sponsor a child. Children often like the idea of helping another child who is the same age.

Plan International (www.planusa. org/forsponsors), ChildFund (childfund.org) and Children International (children.org) have websites that make it easy to identify a specific child in a specific country. Children International allows donations to individuals, families or communities.

Plan International encourages sponsors to communicate with and even visit children.

Charitable gift cards.

12 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

Several websites will help you create donation cards. If you give one to a child or, for that matter, other family members, they get the satisfaction of choosing who will receive the donation (and you get a tax deduction.)

Justgive.org and tisbest.org serve a wide range of charities. Both charge a small service fee, which covers the creation of the card as well as the credit card fee.

Reinvent family traditions. With a little thought, families can make special occasions even more meaningful by sharing the joy.

For example, if you make special foods for a holiday, double the batch so you can share with an elderly neighbor or a family that’s facing hard times. At birthday parties, consider asking guests to bring a gently used book or toy to be donated to a local charity. Or create a birthdayin-a box for a child who might not otherwise have a party. For details about this and other generous ideas, visit family-to-family.org.

Join the crowd. Crowdfunding is a popular way to support good causes. Crowdrise.com, startsomegood.com and justgiving.com are all good ways to expose teens and pre-teens to what others are doing to make the world a better place.

If you find a cause that connects with your child, you may want to match whatever the child decides to donate.

Some families create a jar for spare change and decide together where to donate the funds. For younger children, consider a “money savvy”

bank that helps kids allocate their allowance to spending, saving, donating and investing (msgen.com).

Make a loan. Sometimes the best way to help people is to loan them what they need to start a business. Kiva.com pools contributions as small as $25 into small loans that can be used to start or expand entrepreneurial projects that improve the lives of impoverished families.

When the loan is repaid, your family can invest again.

Volunteer your time. For many families, giving time makes more sense than giving money. Volunteermatch.org will help you find both local and virtual ways to volunteer in your community.

Make donations count.

Not all charities are created equal.

Some, for example, spend a disproportionate amount of what they raise on salaries or fund-raising. To be sure a charity is legitimate and well-run, encourage older children to do a little research. Give.org, a site managed by the better Business Bureau, evaluates organizations on several criteria including board oversight, transparency and donor privacy. Charitynavigator.org provides information on charities with donations over one million dollars.

Charitywatch.org does a very rigorous review of a smaller number of charities. Foundationcenter.org provides easy access to nonprofits’ 990 forms with annual information about expenses and funding, which charities must file to preserve their tax-exempt status.

Whatever you decide to do, remember that the real benefits come from helping kids recognize needs and think constructively about what they can do to help. You don’t really need a website or an app for that — just an open heart and willingness to give what you can.

Carolyn Jabs, M.A., raised three computer-savvy kids including one with special needs. She has been writing Growing Up Online for 10 years and is working on a book about constructive responses to conflict. Visit www.growing-up-online. com to read other columns. @ Copyright, 2015, Carolyn Jabs. All rights reserved

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

oted

tly v r reecren 's top m em u rn S u T d Pam hm ice so!cnhers. ofsRs onCela a e te

30 YEARS

danc

ntethd VIo obfesttedaeonbeusoifntehe acnhcine stud ss R fin aio or 3ic6hmognd ns d ! year ce s!

Richmond Dance Center Register Now for Fall Registration!

CHILDREN AND ADULT CLASSES CHILD-TEEN-ADULT CLASSES

NOMINATE a family in need of a vehicle

www.richmonddancecenter.com www.richmonddancecenter.com

Pre-Ballet Tap••Ballet Ballet• Pointe • Pointe • Lyrical • Hip • Yoga Pre-Ballet •• Jazz Jazz ••Tap • Lyrical • Hip HopHop • Modern Ages 3 Thru AdulT | exTensive AdulT ProgrAms | ClAss size is limiTed FREE CLASSES FORCenter, 3Center, YEARAll OLDS FOR THE FIRST 10degrees THAT CALL! Here atAtRichmond Dance our teachers have in Here Richmond Dance Of Our Teachers Have Degrees Indance Dance as Caring, experienced teachers with degrees dance. well asExperience. teaching experience.

As Well As Teaching We Welcome YourinQuestions.

8906 W. Broad St. | 747-0533 | Pam Turner, Director (Gold’s Gym Plaza just West of Parham)

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 13

GARDENING

T

he tree in your yard is dead and it seemed to die overnight.

But why? Few residential trees die of old age. Improper tree care and mechanical damage kill more trees than insects or diseases. Answer the following questions as part of your tree “autopsy,” a word which comes from the Greek “autopsia,” meaning to see for yourself.

First, did you (or the previous homeowner) select the right tree for the right location? Proper selection prevents many postmortems. If you want to plant a new tree, do your research now to make a good decision for fall planting. Determine the mature size of a tree. Give trees room for a mature canopy and root system. Don’t plant too close to a downspout or the foundation of the house, for example. In general, large trees should be at least 20 feet from your house. On the other hand, small trees, such as a dogwood, may be planted as close as 6 feet from the house. Choose a tree that does well in our Zone 7 climate.

Second, was the tree planted properly? Before planting, did you remove the rope on the burlap ball, the top of the wire basket, or any treated/synthetic burlap?

How about the trunk wrap? Did you dig the hole at least twice as wide as the root system to encourage lateral root growth out of the root ball?

Think back, did you dig your hole only as deep as the root system?

Could the tree still be in transplant shock (i.e., still reestablishing its roots)? A 4-inch caliper tree will take three years to acclimate. During this time, the newly planted tree is more vulnerable to drought, insects, diseases, and other problems. Of those newly planted trees that do not survive, most die during this root-establishment period.

Next, did you take good care of your established tree?

It’s important to educate yourself on proper pruning techniques whether you do the pruning or hire someone else to do it. Select a dominant leader for single-trunked trees. Remove crossing or broken branches. Narrow branch angles, especially of the main trunk, are particularly prone to splitting and should be corrected. This

Autopsy of a Tree is best done when the tree is young.

Don’t use paint or sealer on the scars when pruning. Don’t attach items such as birdhouses and holiday lights that would damage the bark or girdle the branches. Use no more than 2-3 inches of mulch around the

a cedar shake roof. Avoid over-fertilization. Identify and treat insects and disease promptly, according to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. You can bring samples or photographs of diseased leaves, branches, bark, and roots to your Ex-

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) www.wikipedia.org

By LELA MARTIN

trees. Avoid damaging the roots or trunk with lawn equipment. Refrain from piling up excessive mulch volcano style or using non-porous black plastic under the mulch. Don’t stack heavy items on roots to cause soil compaction.

Unfortunately, trees that are spared from removal during construction often die 3-5 years later.

They succumb to soil compaction, grade changes, and the sudden exposure to full sun after being shaded by other trees. If 3 inches or more of soil has been piled over the root system of the tree, it will probably die. Avoid topping trees; this outdated practice causes breakage of the regrowth. Be careful when using chemicals around trees — a neighbor’s tree was accidentally damaged by chemicals sprayed to clean

14 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

tension office for analysis.

How did Mother Nature care for the tree? Trees that seem to die suddenly have usually been under stress for a long time. Mature and established trees die for a variety of reasons, but a sudden browning of foliage is commonly associated with lack of water to the canopy. Water supply can be cut off due to obvious problems such as drought. A drought up to ten years after root injury typically from construction can kill the tree “suddenly.” Shallow-rooted pines as well as other trees can die a year or two following a hurricane. Less recognizable causes of water shortage to the canopy can include flooding (which kills roots), lightning, vascular stem diseases (which block water-conducting vascular passages),

and root diseases. Return of normal rainy weather in summer following an extended drought period of a year or more is often associated with tree death. (This apparent paradox can be explained in the following manner. During a drought, roots die back and energy reserves are used up.

The rain stimulates soil pathogenic fungi. These fungi can overpower the tree because it is in a weakened state.) Weakened trees and trees under stress are more susceptible to insect damage and disease. Your tree necropsy may show that cultural practices of omission or commission (perhaps in conjunction with Mother Nature) led to your tree’s premature death.

Should you have a dead tree removed or are you able to keep it? Once the postmortem is complete, you have a decision to make: keep the tree or remove it.

Dead trees as well as dead parts of live trees serve as a natural resource.

Standing dead trees (called snags) or fallen ones (logs) provide benefits, most obviously to birds. They use snags, limbs, and logs for perching, foraging, and nesting. In some areas, 30-45% of the bird species are cavity nesters. For example, Eastern bluebirds and Carolina chickadees rely on cavities in dead wood for successful reproduction. However, birds are not the only creatures that benefit from dead wood. Mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates seek refuge in natural cavities and dens. For example, salamanders rely on the security and dampness of soil found beneath a rotting log. Spiders, beetles, worms, and microbes move and feed within the decaying matter.

Additionally, fungi and mushrooms flourish on and around logs, breaking down the organic matter to release important nutrients back into the ecosystem. Mushrooms are also a food source for insects, turtles, birds, mice, squirrels, and deer. Be creative: you can also use a snag as a trellis for a wisteria vine or carved as yard art.

Obviously, for safety (and liability), remove any dangerous dead trees.

If you have the space however, consider leaving a snag or log for others to use.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Richmond's Original Parent’s Calendar and Website

Just A Click Away RichmondParents.com

Every month, an average of 75,000 readers enjoy Richmond Parents Monthly which is distributed in over 425 locations throughout the metro area. These locations include all CVS stores, McDonald’s, Kroger supermarkets, medical centers, retail outlets, museums, and bookstores as well as many public libraries.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 15

GARDENING

T

he tree in your yard is dead and it seemed to die overnight.

But why? Few residential trees die of old age. Improper tree care and mechanical damage kill more trees than insects or diseases. Answer the following questions as part of your tree “autopsy,” a word which comes from the Greek “autopsia,” meaning to see for yourself.

First, did you (or the previous homeowner) select the right tree for the right location? Proper selection prevents many postmortems. If you want to plant a new tree, do your research now to make a good decision for fall planting. Determine the mature size of a tree. Give trees room for a mature canopy and root system. Don’t plant too close to a downspout or the foundation of the house, for example. In general, large trees should be at least 20 feet from your house. On the other hand, small trees, such as a dogwood, may be planted as close as 6 feet from the house. Choose a tree that does well in our Zone 7 climate.

Second, was the tree planted properly? Before planting, did you remove the rope on the burlap ball, the top of the wire basket, or any treated/synthetic burlap?

How about the trunk wrap? Did you dig the hole at least twice as wide as the root system to encourage lateral root growth out of the root ball?

Think back, did you dig your hole only as deep as the root system?

Could the tree still be in transplant shock (i.e., still reestablishing its roots)? A 4-inch caliper tree will take three years to acclimate. During this time, the newly planted tree is more vulnerable to drought, insects, diseases, and other problems. Of those newly planted trees that do not survive, most die during this root-establishment period.

Next, did you take good care of your established tree?

It’s important to educate yourself on proper pruning techniques whether you do the pruning or hire someone else to do it. Select a dominant leader for single-trunked trees. Remove crossing or broken branches. Narrow branch angles, especially of the main trunk, are particularly prone to splitting and should be corrected. This

Autopsy of a Tree is best done when the tree is young.

Don’t use paint or sealer on the scars when pruning. Don’t attach items such as birdhouses and holiday lights that would damage the bark or girdle the branches. Use no more than 2-3 inches of mulch around the

a cedar shake roof. Avoid over-fertilization. Identify and treat insects and disease promptly, according to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. You can bring samples or photographs of diseased leaves, branches, bark, and roots to your Ex-

PHOTO CREDIT: (c) www.wikipedia.org

By LELA MARTIN

trees. Avoid damaging the roots or trunk with lawn equipment. Refrain from piling up excessive mulch volcano style or using non-porous black plastic under the mulch. Don’t stack heavy items on roots to cause soil compaction.

Unfortunately, trees that are spared from removal during construction often die 3-5 years later.

They succumb to soil compaction, grade changes, and the sudden exposure to full sun after being shaded by other trees. If 3 inches or more of soil has been piled over the root system of the tree, it will probably die. Avoid topping trees; this outdated practice causes breakage of the regrowth. Be careful when using chemicals around trees — a neighbor’s tree was accidentally damaged by chemicals sprayed to clean

14 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

tension office for analysis.

How did Mother Nature care for the tree? Trees that seem to die suddenly have usually been under stress for a long time. Mature and established trees die for a variety of reasons, but a sudden browning of foliage is commonly associated with lack of water to the canopy. Water supply can be cut off due to obvious problems such as drought. A drought up to ten years after root injury typically from construction can kill the tree “suddenly.” Shallow-rooted pines as well as other trees can die a year or two following a hurricane. Less recognizable causes of water shortage to the canopy can include flooding (which kills roots), lightning, vascular stem diseases (which block water-conducting vascular passages),

and root diseases. Return of normal rainy weather in summer following an extended drought period of a year or more is often associated with tree death. (This apparent paradox can be explained in the following manner. During a drought, roots die back and energy reserves are used up.

The rain stimulates soil pathogenic fungi. These fungi can overpower the tree because it is in a weakened state.) Weakened trees and trees under stress are more susceptible to insect damage and disease. Your tree necropsy may show that cultural practices of omission or commission (perhaps in conjunction with Mother Nature) led to your tree’s premature death.

Should you have a dead tree removed or are you able to keep it? Once the postmortem is complete, you have a decision to make: keep the tree or remove it.

Dead trees as well as dead parts of live trees serve as a natural resource.

Standing dead trees (called snags) or fallen ones (logs) provide benefits, most obviously to birds. They use snags, limbs, and logs for perching, foraging, and nesting. In some areas, 30-45% of the bird species are cavity nesters. For example, Eastern bluebirds and Carolina chickadees rely on cavities in dead wood for successful reproduction. However, birds are not the only creatures that benefit from dead wood. Mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates seek refuge in natural cavities and dens. For example, salamanders rely on the security and dampness of soil found beneath a rotting log. Spiders, beetles, worms, and microbes move and feed within the decaying matter.

Additionally, fungi and mushrooms flourish on and around logs, breaking down the organic matter to release important nutrients back into the ecosystem. Mushrooms are also a food source for insects, turtles, birds, mice, squirrels, and deer. Be creative: you can also use a snag as a trellis for a wisteria vine or carved as yard art.

Obviously, for safety (and liability), remove any dangerous dead trees.

If you have the space however, consider leaving a snag or log for others to use.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

Richmond's Original Parent’s Calendar and Website

Just A Click Away RichmondParents.com

Every month, an average of 75,000 readers enjoy Richmond Parents Monthly which is distributed in over 425 locations throughout the metro area. These locations include all CVS stores, McDonald’s, Kroger supermarkets, medical centers, retail outlets, museums, and bookstores as well as many public libraries.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 15

August 2015

CONTINUING EVENTS

Free Chess Training at Richmond Public Library: learn, play, compete — all ages, skill levels. Equipment provided. 6-7:30 p.m. Every Monday at the North Avenue Branch, 2901 North Ave., and Westover Hills Branch, 1408 Westover Hills Boulevard. Every Wednesday at Belmont Branch, 3100 Ellwood Ave., and Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St. Information: www.richmondchessinitiative.wordpress.com.

“HAMLET” Through Aug. 2. Richmond Shakespeare Festival presents the classic tragedy at Agecroft Hall. Starring Molly Hood as Hamlet, with the original play in a contemporary setting. Grounds open at 6 p.m.; picnickers welcome before show begins at 7:30 p.m. $30 adults, $15 students. Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Road. Information: www.quilltheatre.org.

“BUTTERFLIES LIVE!” at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens: An indoor exhibit of butterflies from around the world: tropical butterflies feed, flutter and take flight all around.

Explore their origins, preferred habitats and life cycles. Free with regular paid garden admission. Through Oct. 11, 9-5 p.m. 1800 Lakeside Ave. Information: www.lewisginter. org.

AUG. 1-AUG. 9

“SOUTH PACIFIC”: Virginia Repertory Theatre production, The Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 W. Broad St; various times and prices; va-rep.org for more.

AUG. 1-AUG. 2

“GOODNIGHT MOON”: The Children’s Theatre of Virginia at Willow Lawn production through Aug. 2, with various times and dates; hour-long productions age 4 and older; $16; in the Shops at Willow Lawn, 1601 Willow Lawn Way; (804) 282-2620; va-rep. org

AUG. 1

Hank Williams Jr. at Innsbrook After Hours, 4901 Lake Brook Drive, Glen Allen; gates open 4 p.m., show 6 p.m.; $25 and up; innsbrookafterhours.com for information, ticketstobuy.com for tickets.

“Hauntings of Historic Structures and Museums,” a workshop to explore the haunted side of Magnolia Grange House Museum with paranormal investigators; participants are encouraged to bring cameras, digital recorders, flashlights.

7-9 p.m. 10020 Iron Bridge Road. Ages 8+; children must be accompanied by an adult. $10 in advance. Information and registration: www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

AUG. 1-AUG. 30

Master Gardener Class Applications: Virginia Master Gardeners volunteer within their communities to promote and encourage environmentally sound horticulture practices though education and training. Applications for the 2016 Chesterfield County class accepted through October 1, 2015. Information: vce@chesterfield.gov or (804) 751-4401 to receive an application. Or contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

“Last of the Red Hot Lovers.”

Virginia Repertory Theater presents Neil Simon’s classic comedy starring Scott Wichmann, at Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road. Information: www.virginiarep.org.

AUG. 4

Henricus Discovery Days Program presents “A 17th-Century Home Sweet Home.” Children ages 3-10 will explore the Henricus park site, make a small Powhatan Indian longhouse and hear storybooks. $10 children, $7 accompanying adults. Registration required; call (804)318-8797. Information: www.henricus.org.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

AUG. 20

Classics in the Courtyard: “The Apple Dumpling Gang.”

Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

“How to Begin Homeschooling: What You Really Need to Know.” 1-5 p.m., presented by the Home Educators Association of Virginia. $20 members/$25 nonmembers; spouses free. 2100 W. Laburnum Ave., Suite 108A. Information: www.heav.org.

AUG. 5

“Introduction to Writing Memoir”: a 10-week workshop series to learn memoir and literary nonfiction as a way to reflect on personal experiences and

leave a personal legacy. Meets weekly on Wednesdays, Aug. 5-Oct. 14. Discussions, one-on-one coaching, in-class writing time.

Presented by VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education. Information: ocpe. vcu.edu/memoir.

AUG. 6

Classics in the Courtyard: “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 17

August 2015

CONTINUING EVENTS

Free Chess Training at Richmond Public Library: learn, play, compete — all ages, skill levels. Equipment provided. 6-7:30 p.m. Every Monday at the North Avenue Branch, 2901 North Ave., and Westover Hills Branch, 1408 Westover Hills Boulevard. Every Wednesday at Belmont Branch, 3100 Ellwood Ave., and Main Library, 101 E. Franklin St. Information: www.richmondchessinitiative.wordpress.com.

“HAMLET” Through Aug. 2. Richmond Shakespeare Festival presents the classic tragedy at Agecroft Hall. Starring Molly Hood as Hamlet, with the original play in a contemporary setting. Grounds open at 6 p.m.; picnickers welcome before show begins at 7:30 p.m. $30 adults, $15 students. Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Road. Information: www.quilltheatre.org.

“BUTTERFLIES LIVE!” at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens: An indoor exhibit of butterflies from around the world: tropical butterflies feed, flutter and take flight all around.

Explore their origins, preferred habitats and life cycles. Free with regular paid garden admission. Through Oct. 11, 9-5 p.m. 1800 Lakeside Ave. Information: www.lewisginter. org.

AUG. 1-AUG. 9

“SOUTH PACIFIC”: Virginia Repertory Theatre production, The Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 W. Broad St; various times and prices; va-rep.org for more.

AUG. 1-AUG. 2

“GOODNIGHT MOON”: The Children’s Theatre of Virginia at Willow Lawn production through Aug. 2, with various times and dates; hour-long productions age 4 and older; $16; in the Shops at Willow Lawn, 1601 Willow Lawn Way; (804) 282-2620; va-rep. org

AUG. 1

Hank Williams Jr. at Innsbrook After Hours, 4901 Lake Brook Drive, Glen Allen; gates open 4 p.m., show 6 p.m.; $25 and up; innsbrookafterhours.com for information, ticketstobuy.com for tickets.

“Hauntings of Historic Structures and Museums,” a workshop to explore the haunted side of Magnolia Grange House Museum with paranormal investigators; participants are encouraged to bring cameras, digital recorders, flashlights.

7-9 p.m. 10020 Iron Bridge Road. Ages 8+; children must be accompanied by an adult. $10 in advance. Information and registration: www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

AUG. 1-AUG. 30

Master Gardener Class Applications: Virginia Master Gardeners volunteer within their communities to promote and encourage environmentally sound horticulture practices though education and training. Applications for the 2016 Chesterfield County class accepted through October 1, 2015. Information: vce@chesterfield.gov or (804) 751-4401 to receive an application. Or contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office.

“Last of the Red Hot Lovers.”

Virginia Repertory Theater presents Neil Simon’s classic comedy starring Scott Wichmann, at Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road. Information: www.virginiarep.org.

AUG. 4

Henricus Discovery Days Program presents “A 17th-Century Home Sweet Home.” Children ages 3-10 will explore the Henricus park site, make a small Powhatan Indian longhouse and hear storybooks. $10 children, $7 accompanying adults. Registration required; call (804)318-8797. Information: www.henricus.org.

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

AUG. 20

Classics in the Courtyard: “The Apple Dumpling Gang.”

Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

“How to Begin Homeschooling: What You Really Need to Know.” 1-5 p.m., presented by the Home Educators Association of Virginia. $20 members/$25 nonmembers; spouses free. 2100 W. Laburnum Ave., Suite 108A. Information: www.heav.org.

AUG. 5

“Introduction to Writing Memoir”: a 10-week workshop series to learn memoir and literary nonfiction as a way to reflect on personal experiences and

leave a personal legacy. Meets weekly on Wednesdays, Aug. 5-Oct. 14. Discussions, one-on-one coaching, in-class writing time.

Presented by VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education. Information: ocpe. vcu.edu/memoir.

AUG. 6

Classics in the Courtyard: “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015 u 17

Let’s Go! August 2015 AUG. 8

“So Fair and Foul a Day: The Fall of Richmond,” a walking tour presented by the Museum of the Confederacy-Richmond. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Explore the events of April 2, 1865 and the final days of the Confederate capital in this semi-strenuous event. $5 members, $15 non-members.

Limited availability; advance registration required. Information and registration: www. moc.org.

Growing Lavender: Learn how to grow lavender in this region, from picking out varieties to managing with local climate.

10:30-11:30 a.m. $15. Event repeats on Aug. 20. Registration at lavenderfields.com.

AUG. 10

“Come Together: Eliminating Social Isolation in Older Adults.” Learn how social connection can help seniors thrive at this conference featuring panels and discussions. Presented by the United Way of Richmond & Petersburg. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. $20 (breakfast included). MeadWestvaco Conference Center, 501 South 5th Street. Information: (804) 771-5865.

HOB SIGMON REALTY

Classics in the Courtyard: “The Time Machine.” Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR LEASE

AUG. 21

Book Signing: Charles F. Bryan Jr. signs “Imperfect Past: History in a New Light,” his new compilation of essays from his longtime Richmond Times-Dispatch column. Noon-2 p.m., Book People Bookstore, 536 Granite Ave # A. Information: (804) 288-4346.

100 Arbor Oak Drive

AUG. 22

The Old Dominion Barn Dance featuring Ronnie McDowell, Tony Jackson, the Commonwealth Bluegrass Band and the cast of the Old Dominion Barn Dance. Two shows at the Henrico Theatre, 305 E. Nine Mile Road, Highland Springs. $45; olddominionbarndance.com or (866) 558-4253.

Aug. 13

ZZ TOP with Blackberry Smoke at Innsbrook After Hours, 4901 Lake Brook Drive, Glen Allen; gates open 5 p.m., show 6 p.m.; $20 and up; innsbrookafterhours.com for information, ticketstobuy.com for tickets

AUG. 19

The Beach Boys: Innsbrook After Hours, 4901 Lake Brook Drive, Glen Allen; gates open 5 p.m., show 6 p.m.; $15 and up; innsbrookafterhours.com for information, ticketstobuy. com for tickets.

8010 Ridge Road

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR SALE

AUG. 15

Call for Sales Price

Old-Fashioned Doll Day at the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia: An exhibit of handmade dolls using household materials; a familyfriendly drop-in event at the County Museum. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 1917 Courthouse Green on Route 10/Iron Bridge Road. Parking available. Information: www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

AUG. 23

Richmond Concert Band presents “All in the (Musical) Family,” a free family concert. 6 p.m. at Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Road. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Picnics welcome. Information: (804)737-2171.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

AUG. 27

Classics in the Courtyard: “We’re No Angels.” Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

SUBMIT A CALENDAR ENTRY Entries are subject to change; call to confirm dates and times.

Entries for the September calendar are due August 9; send items to: calendar@richmondpublishing.com.

18 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

2819 N. Parham Road

8921 Three Chopt Road

3408 Hermitage Road

Washington Hwy

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES FOR LEASE

ONLY

$2500

per year

FOR YOUR HOME DELIVERY Send payment, Name & Address to: Richmond Parents Subscription

8010 Ridge Road, Suite F Henrico, VA 23229

For more information

call 673-5203

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

5811 Mill Spring Road Commercial Properties for Lease: 100 Arbor Oak Drive 300 - 2500 Sq.ft.

2819 N. Parham Road 900-7,000 Sq.ft.

8010 Ridge Road 1,223 Sq.ft.

4906 Fitzhugh Avenue 480-2,600 Sq. ft.

Call Mary Sigmon or Jessica Hall

804-346-9400

www.hobsigmonrealty.com

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/hobsigmonrealty

10131 Venango Road

Let’s Go! August 2015 AUG. 8

“So Fair and Foul a Day: The Fall of Richmond,” a walking tour presented by the Museum of the Confederacy-Richmond. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Explore the events of April 2, 1865 and the final days of the Confederate capital in this semi-strenuous event. $5 members, $15 non-members.

Limited availability; advance registration required. Information and registration: www. moc.org.

Growing Lavender: Learn how to grow lavender in this region, from picking out varieties to managing with local climate.

10:30-11:30 a.m. $15. Event repeats on Aug. 20. Registration at lavenderfields.com.

AUG. 10

“Come Together: Eliminating Social Isolation in Older Adults.” Learn how social connection can help seniors thrive at this conference featuring panels and discussions. Presented by the United Way of Richmond & Petersburg. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. $20 (breakfast included). MeadWestvaco Conference Center, 501 South 5th Street. Information: (804) 771-5865.

HOB SIGMON REALTY

Classics in the Courtyard: “The Time Machine.” Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR LEASE

AUG. 21

Book Signing: Charles F. Bryan Jr. signs “Imperfect Past: History in a New Light,” his new compilation of essays from his longtime Richmond Times-Dispatch column. Noon-2 p.m., Book People Bookstore, 536 Granite Ave # A. Information: (804) 288-4346.

100 Arbor Oak Drive

AUG. 22

The Old Dominion Barn Dance featuring Ronnie McDowell, Tony Jackson, the Commonwealth Bluegrass Band and the cast of the Old Dominion Barn Dance. Two shows at the Henrico Theatre, 305 E. Nine Mile Road, Highland Springs. $45; olddominionbarndance.com or (866) 558-4253.

Aug. 13

ZZ TOP with Blackberry Smoke at Innsbrook After Hours, 4901 Lake Brook Drive, Glen Allen; gates open 5 p.m., show 6 p.m.; $20 and up; innsbrookafterhours.com for information, ticketstobuy.com for tickets

AUG. 19

The Beach Boys: Innsbrook After Hours, 4901 Lake Brook Drive, Glen Allen; gates open 5 p.m., show 6 p.m.; $15 and up; innsbrookafterhours.com for information, ticketstobuy. com for tickets.

8010 Ridge Road

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES FOR SALE

AUG. 15

Call for Sales Price

Old-Fashioned Doll Day at the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia: An exhibit of handmade dolls using household materials; a familyfriendly drop-in event at the County Museum. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 1917 Courthouse Green on Route 10/Iron Bridge Road. Parking available. Information: www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

AUG. 23

Richmond Concert Band presents “All in the (Musical) Family,” a free family concert. 6 p.m. at Agecroft Hall, 4305 Sulgrave Road. Bring lawn chairs or blankets. Picnics welcome. Information: (804)737-2171.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

AUG. 27

Classics in the Courtyard: “We’re No Angels.” Open-air screening of classic movies every Thursday in August. 8:30 p.m., Richmond Baptist Church, 2709 Monument Ave. Free. Information: www.FBCRichmond.org/rec.

SUBMIT A CALENDAR ENTRY Entries are subject to change; call to confirm dates and times.

Entries for the September calendar are due August 9; send items to: calendar@richmondpublishing.com.

18 u RICHMOND PARENTS MONTHLY u AUGUST 2015

2819 N. Parham Road

8921 Three Chopt Road

3408 Hermitage Road

Washington Hwy

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES FOR LEASE

ONLY

$2500

per year

FOR YOUR HOME DELIVERY Send payment, Name & Address to: Richmond Parents Subscription

8010 Ridge Road, Suite F Henrico, VA 23229

For more information

call 673-5203

WWW.RICHMONDPARENTS.COM

5811 Mill Spring Road Commercial Properties for Lease: 100 Arbor Oak Drive 300 - 2500 Sq.ft.

2819 N. Parham Road 900-7,000 Sq.ft.

8010 Ridge Road 1,223 Sq.ft.

4906 Fitzhugh Avenue 480-2,600 Sq. ft.

Call Mary Sigmon or Jessica Hall

804-346-9400

www.hobsigmonrealty.com

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/hobsigmonrealty

10131 Venango Road