Feature Focus
Unwrapped By ANGELA LEHMAN-RIOS
The Best Gifts Come in Small,
Squirming Packages
What do you want for Mother’s Day?
Meet three Richmond moms who shared their answers in two categories: a
big dream (call it the “world peace” reply)and a simple desire for this
year. Even though their children vary widely in age, all three spoke
about the joy and satisfaction of spending time with their kids.
After all, children are the original Mother’s Day presents!
Jennifer Boyle is director of
development at the Children’s Museum of Richmond, where
she has worked for “eight years, with two removed.” Several months after
Henry was born, she left her job as manager of the Museum Shop. While
Henry was young, she provided day care for children in her home.
Later, she was able to return to the museum, eventually taking on a
larger role in day-to- day management of operations. She assumed the
role of development director about four months ago, an “exciting time,”
she says, as the museum heads into a new phase of exhibit creation.
Jennifer Boyle’s Mother’s Day Gifts
The Big One “A lot of society’s ills are based on poor educational
systems. I really wish school systems—here and all across the
country—would get their acts together. The majority of people can’t
afford private education for their children. We have to rely on the
government and it should be doing a better job.”
This Year “What’s the cut-off? Can I say a new car?” [The day before
this interview, the family was involved in a car accident in which no
one was hurt but the car was damaged.]
“We usually go out to a really big brunch. Give me a breakfast bar and
I’m happy! A brunch in which both boys sit next to my husband, so I’m
not bending over picking up Cheerios the whole time.”
Mom: Jennifer Boyle Spouse: Matt Children: Henry, almost 6; Truman, 19 months
Twenty-two years ago, Martha Slay
became a mom. And about 21 years ago, she became a
Fighter Mom.
Although those weren’t the words she used at the time, that’s when her
son Andrew was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, the
number one genetic killer of babies in the U.S. Martha felt compelled to
do something.
(photo: Frost)
That something was Andrew’s Buddies, an organization she and her husband
Joe founded in 1991 to raise money for SMA research and spread awareness
of the disease. Over the past 17 years, the organization has evolved
into FightSMA, with chapters across the county that have raised more
than $5 million for research.
FightSMA also supports parents whose children have been diagnosed with
SMA, helping them becomes advocates—fighters—for their children.
About three years ago, recognizing that mothers of children with other
diseases or difficulties were contacting FightSMA for advice and
encouragement, the organization created the “Fighter Mom” program.
“We were blown away with what moms were sharing” about becoming
activists, said Martha. That collective wisdom is gathered into the
Fighter Mom manual. Meant to help parents harness their passion to
protect their children, the book is full of nuts-and-bolts advice about
raising funds, working with researchers and talking to congresspeople.
More information and a link to order the free manual is at
www.fightermom.org.
Martha Slay’s Mother’s Day Gifts
The Big One To help other moms find their inner Fighter Mom. “It’s in
there, it’s not deep down in there. You rise up when your children’s
lives are threatened. You say, ‘I can be about the business of laying
groundwork for change in the future so other moms and dads don’t have to
face what I do.’”
This Year “About a month of sleep!” Martha says her husband is “big into
themes.” One year, he got her all the pieces for a backyard fish pond.
Patrick and a friend dug out the space, and she and Megan choose the
fish and the plants. “Themes are nice.”
Mother: Martha Slay Spouse: Joe Children: Andrew, 22; Patrick, 19; Megan, 13
The irony is priceless: Colleen Curran
always thought she’d be a “career girl” and a writer so dedicated to her
work she wouldn’t have kids. Maybe she’d stay unmarried. But after her
first novel came out, she found that the best part of getting published
was going on book tours back to her hometown and celebrating with her
family. The experience made her realize how central and how satisfying
family connections can be.
Next, she edited a book of essays, “Altared: Bridezillas, Bewiderment,
Big Love, Breakups and What Women Really Think about Contemporary
Weddings,” and, yes, tied the knot herself with her long-time boyfriend.
Then, “Baby time! It hit me like a Mack truck,” Colleen said. “You want
more people to love. You want it to keep growing.”
Colleen is working on another novel and a collection of short stories.
By day, she’s an editor at inrich.com, the online presence of the
Richmond Times-Dispatch. Full-time employment and motherhood is hard to
balance, she said. “It was harder than I realized to be gone all day
from my kid.”
But she cherishes the time she has with Henry, going on walks and
watching him experience the world. “The pure joy is stunning.”
Colleen Curran’s Mother’s Day Gifts
The Big One More paid parental leave. “Six weeks is too short to bond
with your baby. I know women who stepped out of the workplace to raise
kids and couldn’t get back in. In Denmark women get a full year of
maternity leave, and there’s paternity leave. We’ve got to figure out a
better system than what we have in this country.”
This Year “I always take my mother to the Jefferson for brunch. Last
year I knew I was expecting, and it was fun to think that next year I’d
be a mom at this time. This year, I would like it if my husband would
get up and feed the baby. Then we’d go to brunch somewhere nice.”
Mother: Colleen Curran Spouse: Francis Decker Child: Henry, 4 months
Angela Lehman-Rios is editor of Richmond Parents Monthly.
