Kids & Family

Whether you’ve allowed your kids to have their own mobile device or you’re still deciding if you should, they’ve probably already asked for one. At least that’s what Allyson Shames says her oldest son, David, started doing before she finally caved. “He was making us Keynote presentations, justifying why he felt he needed one by […]

Charlottesville Chamber Music Festival founders, Juilliard School graduates, members of Dave Matthews Band…scroll down the list of local musicians who have played in the Youth Orchestras of Central Virginia, and you won’t doubt the almost-40-year-old organization’s claim: “Music begins with us.” “We’re the only opportunity in the community for young people who play winds and […]

Urban legend goes like this: Chefs cook so much on the job, they eat simple stuff when they’re cooking at home. But what about when they get their kids involved—their ravenous but picky, ever-growing but moody kids? Three local chefs told us a few things they like to pack in their kids’ lunches and what […]

By the time Priya Mahadevan’s youngest daughter was 5 years old, Mahadevan had completed drafts for six children’s books. But it wasn’t until earlier this year that she published the first one: Princesses Only Wear Putta-Puttas, the semi-true story of a visit to India with her daughter for a wedding. “The trip was so profound […]

It’s Thursday at 9:45pm, and your child is crying. They have a big project due, oh, tomorrow. They have no outline, they have no poster board; in short, they have no clue. What do you do? “Late-night runs for supplies are acceptable,” says Lori Linville, a parent of two high schoolers. “Doing work for my […]

Penny Shuster started playing the drums in fifth grade, with the snare in her school band. But she made the switch to a drum set last year, when she started at St. Anne’s-Belfield School, because it afforded her more opportunities to play different kinds of music. “Plus,” Shuster says, “it’s cooler.” She takes lessons at […]