Hey, y’all. It’s Amie.

Need same-day health care? Some Virginia families, like ours, have to cross the state line to find it. (Amie Knowles/Dogwood)

By Amie Knowles

It was late one night when I heard the words no parent wants to hear before the start of a busy week: “Mommy, my throat hurts, my head hurts, and I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

You’d think there’d be some comfort knowing his pediatrician’s office is literally within walking distance. Nope. I can count on one hand the amount of times over the past eight years we’ve been able to score a same-day appointment there—even settling for Telehealth (which, when you’ve got strep throat and require an in-person swab to get a prescription, is a sucky option). 

We’ve generally stopped trying. We’ll still call first, just to see, but are no longer surprised when it’s a “no.” The next best option is to take him to an urgent care clinic—and so far, none in an hour’s radius of us in Virginia has had a same-day appointment, either. And that’s been the case for two years.

Ask The Readers is your regular chance to grab the mic and give advice to other readers in our community. Each piece of advice we share comes from a different thoughtful reader. 

Dear Readers,

How do I get my kids to help out more around the house?

— Overwhelmed in Delaware

Dear Overwhelmed,

I shared your question with hundreds of thousands of women all across the country. Responses poured in with all kinds of mom-life tips and tricks, from serving only oatmeal until kids can do their own laundry, to blasting music and having a dance party when kids finally clean their rooms. All over the country, women wrote in to say: you’re not alone. 

Moms often bear the brunt of the housework burden… which includes figuring out how to get those dang kids to help out. If you have a co-parent, husband, grandparent, or other adult in the house, ask for their help. You are not alone in struggling to get your kids to do chores, and you shouldn’t be alone in finding a solution.

Check out some of the suggestions from moms across the United States who have come up with creative, smart, organized ways to run their households, some might surprise you!

Y’all told me that you’re feeling the pressure at the pump. What about at the grocery store? Here in the Southside, I’m seeing small increases on fairly inexpensive items—but they’re starting to add up.

That got me wondering: How have your grocery costs changed over the past year? 

I’m curious if we’re seeing the same trend across the state, so please don’t be shy. Write to me at amie@couriernewsroom.com and let me know what you’re experiencing when you get to the register. 

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