WF BLOG
Washington FAMILY Honored for
Editorial and Design Excellence
Parenting Media Association (PMA) presents
a record 12 awards to publication
Publisher’s and Editor’s Note
FIRST WORD
Get the Party Started
M PJ Feinstein
Editor pfeinstein@midatlanticmedia.com
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info@thefamilymagazine.com y younger son was the last among his
friends to have an in-person birthday
party before the pandemic hit. I’m still
amazed that nobody who attended his Ninja Warrior-
style shindig got sick. Rowdy kindergartners jumped
on top of each other in the foam pit and squeezed
together in the party room for cake as their parents
stood shoulder to shoulder on the sidelines, chatting
casually about this new virus called COVID-19.
Obviously, nobody was wearing a mask.
A year later, my son may be one of the last in his class
to have a drive-by birthday party. At the end of February,
we handed out individually packaged cupcakes to friends
dressed as characters from one of his favorite video games.
He was Mario, my older son was Luigi, my husband was
Toad and I was Princess Peach, of course. We were a sight
to behold; my son even affixed a bushy black mustache to
his mask. It was a hilarious way to celebrate his special day,
and best of all, it was easy for everyone.
Now that vaccines are making the return of in-person
parties possible — outdoors and masked up, per health
experts — it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the thought of
planning something more complicated than a car parade
or a Zoom hangout. But don’t worry: Our Party Issue is
packed with tips to make your child’s second pandemic
birthday celebration an effortless affair.
You know who else is deserving of a celebration?
Teachers! The first week in May is Teacher Appreciation
Week, and after this crazy year of remote and hybrid
learning, our children’s educators deserve so much more
than a coffee shop gift card. Erica Rimlinger shares
creative ways to express gratitude for their endless
patience after months of your child repeatedly forgetting
to mute themselves on Zoom.
May is also Mother’s Day, and with two very loud boys
at home, I know exactly what I want: a quiet morning to
sleep in. Writer Jenny Splitter has suggestions to help all
moms give themselves the gift of a great night’s sleep.
Happy reading, and stay safe!
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WashingtonFAMILY.com 5
Briefs/Short Stuff
AT A GLANCE
Bottom: Arlington Public Library / Top: Courtesy of National Building Museum, photo by Allan Sprecher
LEARNING STEAM
Building Creativity
It’s Back!
Early learners can enjoy some new and
redesigned programs this spring at the
National Building Museum in Washington,
D.C., which reopened in March after a
three-month-long renovation to its historic
Great Hall.
For the first time, the museum is offering
a free interactive story time to promote
early reading skills. Children ages 5 and
under are invited to participate every other
Tuesday in exploratory activities related to a
featured book plus reading with music and
movement. This month, Story Time will take
place on April 14 and 28 from 10-10:30 a.m.
and 10:30-11 a.m.
The much-loved “Play Work Build”
exhibit, which introduces children to the
work of architects and engineers, received
a deep cleaning and fresh coat of paint
during the closure. The play table has been
replaced with a light table, and new sets of
Big Blue Blocks are ready to be stacked—
and knocked down—in the hands-on play
area. Additionally, some never-before-seen
No, you aren’t dreaming. D.C. finally has a
children’s museum again.
However, dreaming is exactly what the
National Children’s Museum, now open at
Woodrow Wilson Plaza on Pennsylvania
Avenue, wants you to do.
“We wanted to have the overarching
theme of dreams and dreaming that really
connects, subtly, all of the experiences to
another,” says Elise Lemle, vice president
of exhibits and education.
The Dream Machine, a three-story
climber and slide, greets visitors at the
plaza level and takes them down to the
20,000-square-foot concourse, where
the museum’s exhibits are located. At
the bottom of the climber, wheelchair-
accessible “pods” allow children who can’t
or aren’t interested in climbing to control
the LED lights inside the structure.
Nearby, kids can try to form a
person-sized bubble around themselves,
a nod to the beloved bubble room at the
museum’s original location on H Street,
which closed in 2004. But that’s not the
only throwback. Original artwork from
the old Mexico exhibit now hangs in the
Tinkerers Studio, a 21st-century learning lab.
A combination children’s museum
and science center, the new museum
focuses on STEAM—science, technology,
engineering, art and math. “We champion
a constructivist approach for learning,
which is really learning by doing and
learning through experience,” says Lemle.
There are high-tech exhibits in
partnership with Nickelodeon, Amazon
and even the Washington Nationals. A
highlight is Weather Worlds, an immersive
digital experience where kids can make
it rain, summon rainbows and shoot
lightning bolts from their hands.
The open-concept museum also has a
movement space for infants and toddlers,
a low-sensory hideaway and quiet room
and, soon, a café offering healthy food
and drinks.
The National Children’s Museum is
open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10.95 per
person; children under one are
free. For more information, visit
nationalchildrensmuseum.org. T
toys from the museum’s archives have been
added to the Architectural Toy Collection.
With the opening of the new The Wall/
El Muro exhibit in May, parents can have
open discussions with their kids about
border walls and their impact on individuals
and their families. The exhibit will include
a reading area with picture books to help
younger children understand the subject
matter in a more age-appropriate way.
For more information, visit nbm.org. T
—ADRANISHA STEPHENS
COMMUNITY Books on Wheels
programs, including story time, crafting
classes and technology tutorials.
The Truck will be cruising the streets
of Arlington twice a week for the first
few months, connecting with residents
at community centers, schools, local
businesses and parks.
Here’s where it will stopping in April:
4/11 Thomas Jefferson Community Center
4/14 Fairlington Community Center
4/18 Arlington Farmers Market
4/19 El Día de los Niños Celebration at
Central Library
4/21 Woodland Hills
4/23 Rosslyn Reads Pop Up
4/24 Gates of Ballston, Suite 100
4/25 Bonder and Amanda Johnson
Community Development Corporation
4/28 Arlington Free Clinic
Please check the library’s website at
library.arlingtonva.us/services/the-truck/ for exact times and future dates. And for
additional updates, follow the Truck on
Instagram at instagram.com/apl.thetruck.
W ashington FAMILY received 12
awards for publication excellence
from the 2021 Parenting Media
Association’s (PMA) annual conference held
in St. Petersburg, Florida, Nov. 14-16, 2021.
Find out which stories and designs won in
the categories below.
Column: Publisher’s
and Editor’s Note
EXPANDING PRIMARY
PROGRAM What’s turquoise and white, has four wheels
and is filled with hundreds of books, games
and DVDs? Meet “The Truck,” Arlington
Public Library’s splashy new bookmobile.
The mobile library, a redesigned Ford
Transit van with a pass-through window,
allows residents of Arlington County,
Virginia, who may not live near a local
branch to sign up for a library card, check
out and return books and take advantage
of free WiFi. Outside the bookmobile, kids
and adults can participate in a variety of
BY LINDSAY C. VANASDALAN
2021 T
—PJ FEINSTEIN
—PJ FEINSTEIN
12 Washington FAMILY APRIL 2020
8 WashingtonFAMILY JANUARY 2022
“This honest, heartfelt and personal
account doesn’t hold back,” judges write.
“It chronicles the blood, the sweat and
the tears of a seminal experience for many
pandemic parents: turning a home into a
home school.”
Profile This profile of a mother weaving
environmental living into her parenting
Former editor PJ Feinstein earned a gold earned contributing writer Jason Fontelieu
award for her column, “First Word,” which a silver award. “‘Teaching Values Through
was praised for its strong pacing and use of Green Living’ informs readers while making
them feel like they can do it too,” judges write.
lists to propel the writing forward.
“Creative leads and compelling questions
draw the reader in immediately, and glimpses Q&A Interview
of the author’s own family life create the sense Former intern Jenn Attanasio garnered a
that we’re all in this pandemic together,” bronze award for a fast-paced conversation
judges write.
with “groundbreaking” authors on their book
about mothers and daughters bonding over
journal writing in her Q&A “Just Between Us.”
Briefs/Short Stuff
“This quick read gives us insight into
Washington FAMILY staff were awarded gold
for an “At a Glance” section that had appeared why this book, and its updated version,
in 2020. Its inclusion of local arts coverage, have connected generations of moms and
FREE FUN WITH
A information daughters,” judges write.
national parenting
and education
and parenting sidebars cover topics “in-depth
without being too lengthy,” judges note.
News Feature
Contributing writers Joy Saha and Lauren
Harris took home a gold award for collecting
Column: Family Fun
Contributing writer Lindsay Ponta took home expert recommendations for parents on how
a silver award for her “Family Fun” column. to support the Black Lives Matter movement,
An article on making use of yarn stashes such as at-home protests, fundraising ideas
while stuck at home during the COVID-19 and age-appropriate storybooks.
Of their article, “Yes, You Can Still
pandemic was commended for offering great
Support Black Lives Matter Without
ideas in a short and informative format.
Attending a Protest,” judges write, “This
series of listicles provides parents with a
Personal Essay
Contributing writer Laura Farmer was series of actionable advice on how to involve
recognized with a silver award her personal their children in social justice work from
essay, “When Mom Becomes a Teacher,” home with the gentle reminder that activism
about the difficult transition from parenting can take many forms.”
to at-home teaching.
PRE-K PASS
W NE
When your kids play for free all year long, it’s amazing. With the Pre-K Pass, kids ages 3–5
enjoy free admission all season in 2020. Laugh and play at the world’s largest PEANUTS ™
themed kids area: Planet Snoopy, cool down and splash at Soak City water park featuring
the all-new play area Coconut Shores, and celebrate the seasons at events like The Great
Pumpkin Fest and WinterFest.
Register online, activate at the park and it’s play time.
Register by June 14th at kingsdominion.com.
© 2020 Peanuts Worldwide LLC | peanuts.com
Column: Family Fun and
Single-Page Design
Personal Essay
How to Make
FAMILY FUN
Teaching Values
Through Green Living
A COLORFUL YARN WRE ATH
H Usher in spring with décor for your front door
BY LINDSAY PONTA
Instructions ave you noticed that you
see wreaths everywhere
around Christmas, and then
they’re suddenly just ... gone?
A wreath is such a simple way to
make a big décor impact, especially
for the tricky-to-decorate front door
area. They’re so versatile that it’s a
shame to leave them
for winter. So I’ve created a colorful,
textural design that makes wreaths
a very now trend to brighten up your
March doorway.
And don’t feel limited to the color
palette I used. You can incorporate
the colors you commonly use in your
home décor, experiment with new
combinations or let your kids choose
their favorite colors. This project is a
great opportunity for everyone in the
family to express their creativity.
1. Measure the circumference of your
Styrofoam wreath.
2. Divide that measurement by
the number of yarn colors you’re
using to determine the size each
section of yarn will be. For example,
if your wreath measures 20 inches
around and you’re using five
different yarns, each yarn section
will be four inches.
3. Note the size of each section by
marking your wreath with a pen
or marker.
4. Tie on your first yarn, and add a
dot or thin line of glue to secure the
knot and tail.
Tip: Start with your thickest,
heaviest-weight yarn. You can use
that section to gauge how thick to
wrap the other sections.
Supplies 5. Wrap the yarn all the way around
the first marked section.
Styrofoam wreath
Flexible measuring tape
Pen or permanent marker
Yarn in a variety of colors, textures
and weight
Sharp scissors
Pom-pom makers in different sizes
Glue Crochet hook
Wreath hook
6. When you finish the section, tuck
the tail under the wrapped yarn on
the back of the wreath, and secure it
with glue.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 for each section
on your Styrofoam wreath.
Tip: If you’re using a thinner yarn,
you may need to double or triple
wrap it until it’s nearly as thick as the
yarn in your first section.
8. Use your pom-pom makers,
available at craft stores or Amazon, to
create pom poms in a variety of sizes
and colors.
Tip: Use your larger pom pom
makers for thick, heavy yarns
and smaller makers for thin,
lightweight yarns.
A new book by a Maryland mom and
environmental activist helps parents
understand the connection between
sustainability and kindness
9. Trim pom poms so they’re fluffy
and round, leaving the two long
tails untouched.
10. Tie pom pom tails around the
wreath as tightly as you can. Use
the crochet hook to pull tails through
the wrapped yarn on the back of the
wreath, and secure them with a dot
of glue.
By Jason Fontelieu
SHANNON BRESCHER SHEA
remembers her first act of environmental
activism as a third grader.
“I went to Homosassa Springs Wildlife
State Park in Florida with my parents,
saw the manatees, absolutely fell in love
with them and then found out they were
endangered,” says Shea. Returning to
school, the nature-loving kid convinced her
class to adopt a manatee.
Shea’s success as a first-time activist
inspired a lifelong commitment to
environmentalism. She went on to receive
a Master’s degree in nature, society and
environmental governance from the
University of Oxford and currently writes for
the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
But when she became a mom, Shea
struggled to find time for her eco-friendly
hobbies, including gardening, biking and
composting, while juggling the “stresses of
modern day parenting,” she says.
Until one day she realized that green
living and parenting didn’t have to be
at odds. Involving her children in the
environmental activities she loved was
actually part of being an engaged parent
because, Shea says, she could “teach them
how to be better people and ultimately,
hopefully, good adults in the world.”
Gardening has become something the
11. Repeat step 10 to add a second
layer of smaller pom poms.
Tip: Don’t tie the second layer as
tightly as the first or they’ll smush
the larger pom poms.
12. Trim off any excess tails from the
back of the wreath, and hang using a
wreath hook. ■
Be sure to share pictures of your
wreaths on social media with
#washingtonfamilymag so we can see
your creativity. Happy crafting, friends!
Lindsay Ponta created the DIY and lifestyle
website Shrimp Salad Circus in 2009
to inspire busy women to live perfectly
imperfect creative lives. Find easy DIYs and
recipes at shrimpsaladcircus.com.
2021 2021
WREATH PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LINDSAY PONTA; YARN: ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/VAITEKUNE
WashingtonFAMILY.com 33
14 Washington FAMILY AUGUST 2020
2 021
WashingtonFAMILY.com News Feature
15 Feature Layout
YES, YOU CAN STILL SUPPORT
1 4 Indulgent Ways
to Pamper Yourself
This Mother’s Day
BY JOY SAHA
WITHOUT ATTENDING A PROTEST
ne consequence of staying home to prevent
the spread of coronavirus is that the days of
the week have all started to blend together.
Deja Brew
How many times since March have you wondered
• 4 ounces cold coffee
• 1.5 ounces dark spirit, such as rum, bourbon or rye
• 1 heaping tablespoon of vanilla ice cream
Instructions: In a large shatterproof cup, add coffee and the spirit of your choice, and
stir well. Add ice cream. With an iced tea spoon or long bar spoon, stir until ice cream
melts. Top with desired amount of ice and enjoy!
whether it was Tuesday or Friday? Do you even know
what today is?
However, there’s one date on the family calendar that’s circled in bold black
marker so nobody forgets it: Sunday, May 10. That’s right, Mother’s Day. After a
rough couple of months, we moms deserve all the pampering we can get on our
special holiday, even if it has to be done at home. Here’s how to make that happen,
according to experts in self-care and celebrations.
Attending local protests may not be feasible for all families right now, especially in the midst of an ongoing
pandemic. Health and safety risks are still present and so are social-distancing protocols.
Although rallies and marches against racism and police brutality have garnered a substantial amount of media
coverage over the past month, there are still ways for parents and children to get involved in the Black Lives
Matter movement without protesting.
“Activism has more than one lane,” says Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead, associate professor at Loyola
University Maryland. She’s also the author of “RaceBrave: New and Selected Works,” a book about her experience
raising two black sons in “post-racial America.”
Here, Whitehead shares some easy but meaningful ways that families can take a stand against racism from home.
2021 WashingtonFAMILY.com
Mother’s Day brunch at your favorite restaurant may not be possible this year, but
that doesn’t mean you can’t make breakfast in your kitchen feel a bit more effervescent.
Ginny Lawhorn, founder of Baltimore Cocktail Week, recommends “low-octane cock-
tails”—cocktails that are brighter, more refreshing and have a lower alcohol count than
what you might drink during happy hour—to pair with homemade pancakes or bagels
and eggs.
Take the mimosa, for example. “You have effervescence and you have the alcohol con-
tent of a sparkling being diluted by fresh juice,” Lawhorn says. The idea, she explains, is
that your cocktail should be enjoyed with your meal but not impact the rest of your day.
While you can’t go wrong with a mimosa or a Bellini at brunch, Lawhorn says sangria
is becoming a popular choice for a morning cocktail. “Sangria is a great at-home treat
because it can be as easy or complicated as what you have on hand,” she says.
• 12 ounces (half bottle) dry red or white wine
• 2 ounces citrus liqueur, such as triple sec, Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 1 ounce orange juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Sliced apple, orange and peach or any available fruit
• 1 can soda water, if available
Instructions: In a pitcher, combine wine, citrus liqueur, orange juice and sugar. Stir
well until sugar is dissolved. Add sliced fruit and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least
four hours. Serve over ice and top with soda water, if available.
If you can’t fathom brunch without coffee, why not try an iced coffee cocktail? It’s
also a delicious way to use up any leftover coffee from the previous day, Lawhorn says.
Simply cool to room temperature any coffee that’s still in the pot and refrigerate it in an
airtight beverage container overnight.
By PJ Feinstein
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Enjoy Brunch with a Cocktail
Simple Sangria for Two
Because after a rough couple of months, you deserve it
Overall Writing
Rockville resident and her two boys, ages
four and seven, enjoy doing together—
when her younger son isn’t spraying his
brother in the face with the hose. They take
bike rides and walks and have participated
in a stream cleanup in Rockville Park and a
climate march.
Besides just being fun things to do
as family, these activities help her boys
understand how they fit into larger
environmental systems and how their
behaviors affect other people, says Shea.
2021 GETTY IMAGES
ARTIST: PIJAMA61
ISTOCK - ARTISTS:
XMOCB, SANDRA M
13 16 Washington FAMILY MAY 2020
and the use of white space on the page creates
Washington FAMILY staff were recognized balance, judges note.
with a gold award for overall writing in the
magazine. Judges gave a special shoutout to Feature Layout
the editor’s introductory “First Word” section Washington FAMILY was recognized with a
for setting the tone and praised writers for gold award for art director Sherley Taliaferro’s
stories that include clear tips and parents and layout of the feature, “4 Indulgent Ways to
medical experts as sources. They praised the Pamper Yourself This Mother’s Day.” Despite a
“My Turn” column for leaving readers with lot of elements competing for attention, judges
“strong voices and peaceful, hopeful endings.” say her effective layering of color, texture and
shape work together to unite them on the page.
The layout for the February 2021 feature
Single-Page Design
“Sprouting Wings” also garnered graphic
Contributing designer Lonna Koblick earned
a gold award for her whimsical page design designer Jay Sevidal a bronze award.
“The plane in the illustration flies the reader
for “How to Make a Yarn Wreath.” The
illustrations work well with the instructions right into the start of the story,” judges write.
in demonstrating how to make a yarn wreath “Text flows naturally through the layout, which
ISTOCK - ARTISTS:
MOUU007, MILATOO,
YULIA_MALINOVSKAYA, PETRENKOD, VASSAIRE,
TETIANA, GUTNYK
E PLUS - ARTIST
HUEPHOTOGRAPHY WashingtonFAMILY.com
17 ties together visually with the opening spread.”
Overall Design
The art department staff of Washington FAMILY
received a gold award for overall design of the
magazine. Judges praised the creativity of the
design team in presenting visuals.
“The design is driven by photos and illustra-
tions that communicate rather than decorate.
Cover images take an interesting approach of
focusing on moments of action or joy rather
than standard studio portraiture,” judges note.
The PMA is a national trade association
of regional parenting media companies
with magazines, websites and events across
America and around the globe to Australia.
Visit parentmedia.org for more information. n
WashingtonFAMILY.com 9