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As a family photographer in Northern Virginia near Oakton, we provide professional pictures of your family!

Community service is a wonderful way for your child to participate in helping others less fortunate.   Understanding that life is about giving back, not just focusing on yourself teaches valuable skills and knowledge that can not be found in books.  It promotes social relationships and opens the door to the real world and its hardships.

To learn how to motivate your child, read this blog,3 Tips for Inspiring Kids to Volunteer from the Points of Light that will give you some insight and ideas.

First, let your child take an active role.  Find a problem in your community that you feel your child can have a connection with.   Talk to your child about how he thinks this problem can be solved and develop a strategy so that you and your child can feel like you a part of it.

Second is to lead by example.  Teaching your child about volunteering  by being active in your community.  If you child sees that this is part of your lifestyle then that will encourage him to follow in your path.  Working together as a family in helping others promotes a closer bond between parent and child and a sense of pride and accomplishment.

This is to foster internal motivations.  Finding a way to make your child want to be part of the community by giving their time and hard work is a way to develop them into human beings in this next generation with a social conscience.


Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy and Joriana Belcher, a mother-daughter photography team located in Northern Virginia. They specialize in candid, emotional and artistic images.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Order Prints | Ever After Portraits |

Ever After Portraits has a photography studio in Northern VA, and serves the area including Annandale. If you want family pictures, we’re the photographer for you.

We are now in the heat of the summer and kids love to cool off playing in the water. Safety in a pool or at the beach is a priority for all parents. When your child is near any water he should have your full attention. These safety tips provided from Safety Kids Swimming Safety could help prevent a serious disaster.

Infants can begin to be around water approximately at six months old.  Always be with an arms reach of your baby when he is in the water.  A little child can drown in as little as one inch of water.

Each child learns at his own pace, start swim lessons when you feel your child is ready. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore

There is a big difference between a swimming pool and the open water. The child needs to be taught about uneven surfaces, river currents and ocean undertows.

Your child should always swim with an adult. It is imperative that your child understands that he should NEVER go near or in water without an adult being there.

Swimming aids like wings or noodles are toys and are not the same as having U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device that protects your child in the water.

Parents should definitely take the time to learn CPR. When your children are old enough they should be enrolled in CPR classes. This skill is one that could save a life.

If you have a backyard pool, there should be four sided fencing that is at least 4 feet high and has a self closing, self-latching gate to prevent a child from wandering in the pool.
Have a door alarm and a window alarm to let you know if a child has come into the poll area unsupervised.

There is a serious danger of entanglement or entrapment with a pool drain. Your child needs to understand to never play or swim near drains.

Make regular checks on your drains to make sure that they are secure and do not have any cracks. Flat drain covers should be replaced with dome-shaped ones.

Ever After Portraits is comprised of Mindy and Joriana Belcher, a mother-daughter photography team located in Northern Virginia. They specialize in candid, emotional and artistic images.

Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,

Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

View Our Portfolio | Order Prints | Ever After Portraits |