FREE
Jan/Feb 2022
ENCORE CREATIVE CENTER
Where creativity blooms
ACTS OF SERVICE Honoring a father
WINTER MOVEMENT Fun family activities
SHAKE IT OFF
ACTIVITY PAGE
A way to de-stress
on the back
Now more environmentally friendly!
Photo of Delaney and Jessa by Aspin Photography
Contents
January/February 2022
Features
Volume 10, Number 1 Publisher J.J. Plew
AI careers
Associate Publisher Adrianne Goff Adrianne@globalpsd.com
Prepare for the future
4
A simple de-stresser
Sales & Marketing J.J. Plew jj@idahofamilymagazine.com 208-697-2043
D ’ CARD
GROOVIN
Graphic Design Carol Smiley csmileydesign@gmail.com Distribution Shauna Howard, Doris Evans
Real Families
13 Wednesday’s Child
Meet Lilyanna & Ronaldo
Contributors Kimberly Blaker, Luke Erickson, Macaile Hutt, Cara Johnson-Bader, Dennis Lopez MOVIN’ AN
Hop Like A Bunny
MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
Idaho Family Magazine, published monthly by Gem Production Co., LLC, is committed to providing readers with informativeStomand p Li entertaining information to help themA Beinar ke maintaining healthy families and positive lifestyles. It is distributed throughout the valley as a free publication. Idaho Family Magazine does not assume responsibility for statements or opinions expressed by editorial contributors or advertisers. The acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or information. Idaho Family Magazine does not knowingly present any product or service which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without express written consent of the publisher. Reader correspondence and editorial submissions are welcome. Idaho Family Magazine reserves the right to edit or reject all materials submitted. All rights reserved. Copyright 2022 by Gem Production Co., LLC. Follow us on Facebook
6
Shake it off
Editor Gaye Bunderson editorgaye@gmail.com
8 Real Money,
Driverless finances
Cover Photo
Aspin Photography
Columns
Encore 7 Creative Center Lots of creativity MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
Fly Like A Bird
MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
Waddle Li ke A Duck
Winter movement MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
Run Like A Cheeta h MOVIN’ AN D GROOVIN ’ CARD
In Each Edition 9
Family fun Slith er Like A Snake
Gallop Li ke A Horse
Wendy Jepson
10 Family Events Calendar
Jump Like A Frog
11
Serving others for Dad
Children’s Photos Wanted Idaho Family Magazine would love to put your child or children on our cover. All photos should be high quality, sharp and clear, and high resolution of around 300 ppi. Color photos are preferred, and all photos need to be vertical not horizontal. Please identify the children in the photos, the children’s ages, and what Treasure Valley community they reside in. (If chosen for the cover, their last names will not be used without permission.) Send the photos to editorgaye@gmail.com.
2 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
FREE
Jan/Feb 2022
ENCORE CREATIVE CENTER
Where crea tivity
blooms
ACTS OF SERVICE
Honoring
a father
WINTER MOVEM EN
Fun fami ly activities
SHAKE
A way to de-stress Now more
environme
T
IT OFF
ntally frien
dly!
ACTIVITY PAGE on the ba ck
Cover captio
n to come
from JJ
www.idahofamilymagazine.com
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PREPARE YOUR KIDS
Careers in an AI-driven future world By Kimberly Blaker
M
any parents today never experienced a world where computers weren’t a standard household fixture, let alone a world without the internet. When the World Wide Web first became available to the public in 1991, it was archaic compared to today. Yet at the time, it was quite the phenomenon. But the rapid speed of technological progress over the past couple of decades will resemble the crawl of a tortoise in another decade or two, as technology continues to advance at an exponential rate. In fact, according to Ray Kurzweil, a world-renowned inventor, thinker, and futurist, “We won’t experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century – it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today’s rate).” If you have any doubt, Kurzweil has a remarkable 30-year track record of making accurate predictions. This means the rapid change in recent years is nothing compared to what’s to come. The world which tomorrow’s young adults will enter will be startlingly different from the one in which we live today. That’s because our world is increasingly dependent on robotics, technology, and now artificial intelligence (AI).
PAR EN T S GUI DE
GUÍA DE PADR E S
But what is AI? It’s machines or programs with the capabilities of human intelligence. AI capabilities include learning, presenting knowledge, reasoning, problem-solving, planning, perception, manipulation, and motion. Right now, AI is in its infancy, and much of what’s purported to be AI is actually pseudo-AI. Whether imitation or the real thing, there are several current AI technologies: chatbots, Tesla, Siri and Alexa, Facebook feed, and Pandora, to name a few – and AI is on the brink of changing the world as we know it. But with all good things come drawbacks. Within the next 20 years, AI will result in a loss of anywhere between 9 and 47 percent of jobs, according to various studies by Oxford University and other institutions. So kids must be fully prepared for our vastly changing world and the careers of the future.
How to prepare kids for the future job market
Bolster interest and enthusiasm in STEM. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills are one of the gateways to job opportunities in a world dependent on AI. But to many kids, ‘science’ and ‘math’ spell boring with a capital “B.” This is in large part because kids can’t always see how these disciplines apply to life. So unless your child already expresses genuine interest in one or more of these disciplines, discussing STEM may be met with resistance. The trick is to provide kids with everyday experiences that put the fun in learning, or provide kids with experiences that are a natural part of life. Once you’ve gained their interest, then explain its relationship to STEM. That way, your child has a positive perspective on the discipline and recognizes its purpose and value.
Stimulate spatial awareness
This is an integral part of STEM learning and provides kids the ability to visualize their end product, says David Lubinski, a psychology professor at Vanderbilt University. He is the lead author of a study published in Psychological Science journal, July 15, 2013. Researchers found spatial ability is a predictor of the development of knowledge and innovation in STEM fields.
Encourage free play and out-of-the-box thinking
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4 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
Play fosters imagination, creativity, and resilience to deal with challenges. These traits will be necessary to succeed in an ever-advancing world of AI. When kids play freely, they experiment, explore, and dismantle (things, scenarios, and concepts) to understand how the world works. So play is one of the best ways for kids to learn and develop skills.
Develop kids’ ability to deal with the real world
Dave and Helen Edwards, co-founders of Intelligenstia.ai, an AI research firm, point out there will still be careers in the Continued on Page 12 www.idahofamilymagazine.com
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SHAKE IT OFF
A simple way to cast off life’s stresses By Macaile Hutt
W
ith the holiday season wrapped the autonomic nervous system to return to up, many of us are feeling the homeostasis, or balance, and the animal can “come-down” from all the rest, eat, play, and completely return to normal. madness that time often brings. As adults and even children, we are often We feel excited and hopeful for a new year, but told to “cope” by remaining calm, staying still, sometimes we still find ourselves carrying some and holding our emotions and feelings tightly of the weight and heaviness from the past year. within our bodies. This traps emotions and It’s hard to feel both things at once, but this trauma within our cells and never gives it the is how it usually is. I have collected heaviness, opportunity to “close the loop” or allow our stored emotions, and feelings within my body brains and bodies to recognize we are no longer Macaile Hutt for decades, and it wasn’t until recently that I facing a threat and find the homeostasis we so learned how important it is to find ways to release this energy desperately crave. and allow our bodies and minds to know we are safe and not Sometimes our legs will shake or our teeth will chatter facing direct harm. immediately after experiencing a traumatic event almost There has been quite a bit of research done on “burnout,” as though our body is begging us to find a way to give it but almost all of it focuses on work and career. There isn’t the go-ahead to return to feeling safe and secure. Another much talk about relationship burnout, parent burnout, automatic example of this response is when we have an holiday burnout, general life burnout, endless sports schedule uncomfortable conversation or experience a traumatic event burnout, cooking three meals per day burnout, and the and shudder not only once the conversation is over but frequent burnout that comes from waking up wishing you had every time the situation crosses our mind thereafter. This an adult to seek guidance from, only to realize you ARE the trauma and stress is trapped in our body, ready to resurface adult! Emily and Amelia Nagoski wrote a really incredible every single time the memory crosses our mind. Add every book titled, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, and it other trapped stressful experience in our lifetime to the completely changed the way I view nervous system distress. arsenal of stress we harbor within our bodies and it’s no I highly recommend their book or listening to any podcast wonder we are all walking around burnt out and completely interviews they have been featured on if you are experiencing unable to regulate. the following symptoms in any aspect of your life: It’s understandable that we wouldn’t be able to shake • Emotional exhaustion: uncontrollably in the middle of a work meeting or while the fatigue that comes from caring too much for too long experiencing a situation in which we must remain composed • Depersonalization: or professional; however, taking a step away to somewhere the depletion of empathy, caring, and compassion private where we can allow our bodies to release these • Decreased sense of accomplishment: emotions and encourage the energy to escape from our an unconquerable sense of futility, feeling that nothing you do pores can make a big difference in the rest of our day. makes any difference I recently found myself in the midst of a lot of unexpected Did you know that most animals shake repeatedly after stress and trauma on top of my daily responsibilities. Even a traumatic or positive stress such as scheduling events with friends or stressful event? Be a legend. making time to exercise felt like it was going to completely Whether they Insure your life. push me over the edge. I wasn’t sleeping well, my heart was are the hunter or Be a legend. racing any time I tried to sit still, and I felt so hopeless it Insure your life. the hunted, their was hard to find a light at the end of the tunnel. Thankfully, bodies will shake With the right life insurance, you can leave a legacy for I remembered this “shaking exercise” (also known as abruptly to signal your family. I’m here to help. LET’S TALK TODAY. therapeutic or neurogenic tremoring), and I decided to give their nervous With the right life insurance, it a try. KenKen Wells, Agent With the right life insurance, systems that it’s Wells, Agent leave 600600 N NMidland Blvd you canyou leavecan a legacy for a legacy for Midland Blvd Experts in the practice recommend starting small and Nampa, ID 83651 safe to calm down Nampa, ID 83651 your family. here to help. yourI’mfamily. I’m here to help. 208-466-4162 Bus:Bus: 208-466-4162 www.kenwells.net LET’S TALK TODAY. understanding it might feel really foreign or silly at first. www.kenwells.net LET’S TALK TODAY. after facing a There are many different styles and even localized types of life-threatening shaking (such as moving from head to toe or focusing on event. This State Farm Life Insurance Company (Not licensed in MA, NY or WI) State Farm Life shaking allows and Accident Assurance Company (Licensed in NY and WI) Bloomington, IL Continued on Page 12
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6 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
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ENCORE CREATIVE CENTER
Where families find many creative choices By Gaye Bunderson
P
roving that even a pandemic can’t pause artistic passion for long (if at all), Danika Starrharrt opened Encore Creative Center in Eagle in August of 2021. The center encourages families and individuals to find their creative voice through a varied list of artistic pursuits – from symphony to sculpting, from drawing to dance. Danika had been teaching music lessons out of her home since 2004 and said, “The center was the next progression. It’s a small business, but with all the families already involved, we were ready to grow by the time it opened.” And how are things going so far? “It has grown faster than I expected,” Danika said. “I had my eye out for a while to find a space conducive for what we’re trying to do. I’d been building plans and collecting ideas for years, but once this space opened up, it only took a month to get the center off the ground. I have a passion about it, and people have connected to that passion and are
Encore Creative Center student Claire Peterson, right, listens to her sculpting instructor, Rachel Kitzmiller, left. Encore offers a varied list of options for creativity for kids and families. (Courtesy photo) the reason that it is what it is today.” Danika is no newcomer to the arts, nor does she bring to them limited experience in her craft. Her skills are varied, like the list of offerings at Encore, and she has been refining them for several decades. She has conducted a symphony and held music camps, and she is a singer and songwriter who has a dozen solo albums to her credit. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that she plays more than 20 instruments and, as a devotee of musical theater, has both written and directed musicals for teens. Her interest in preschool music education led her to found Song Bugs, which can be found online on YouTube. Her love for all things family started with her own family when she was growing up. Both her parents were highly Continued on Page 15
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Idaho Family Magazine | JAN/FEB 2022 7
REAL MONEY, REAL FAMILIES
Driverless finances: make it ‘automatic’ By Luke Erickson
A
few years ago, as a brand new starryHusband: And… eyed financial educator, I believed Wife: Oh, you’re right, there’s a vending that I could change the world through machine right behind us. Coke or Pepsi? financial education. All I had to do Husband: (Annoyed) Do you even have to was drop some knowledge on people who really ask that question? needed it and they would instantly begin on Wife: Oh look, honey, it takes credit cards! the path toward spending frugally, budgeting, Husband: I love you…make sure it’s diet. getting out of debt, and investing. I believed that So, yeah, having knowledge isn’t necessarily all people really needed was to possess the right going to make it easier to do the healthy knowledge, and once they did, their financial thing, if opportunities to do the wrong thing Luke Erickson lives would simply fall into place. constantly bombard us. Well, turns out that having financial knowledge is a lot Realizing this, smart educators like myself began like knowing that soda and donuts are bad for you, which experimenting with the idea of financial literacy. It’s not we all do; yet, last I checked (which wasn’t this morning), just knowledge – people need a plan to use that knowledge donut shops are hopping, and soda is starting to be fed to wisely. Unfortunately, this strategy also comes up a bit customers intravenously the minute they walk into literally short. As it turns out, this is akin to providing someone any commercial establishment. with a top-notch exercise plan but not supplying them with Husband: Honey, would you be a dear and grab me a any equipment. “Oh, it looks like I can increase my arm soda? strength with these dumbbell exercises…if only I had some Wife: You said you were trying to lose weight…and we’re dumbbells. Guess I’ll have to settle for reps with this open in an abandoned warehouse running from zombies! soda bottle. And a 1 and a 2. Mmmm, delicious.”
The next thing we financial educators have tried the last few years is a buzz term called “financial capability.” This means improving client/student access to the right equipment or financial tools. These could be tools like goal setting worksheets, budgeting forms, net worth worksheets, etc. It also includes access to banks, prime credit tools, insurance companies, low-cost investing options, and proper legal and tax assistance among other things. While there is still much work to be done in this area, we’re already seeing that this approach is still not entirely sufficient to make someone financially healthy. Sticking with our physical health analogy, we’ve started to help folks get some gym equipment to use along with those written workout plans. But in so many cases, that equipment, or plans and intentions just collect dust because we just can’t muster the confidence, motivation, or will-power. And that brings us to the present, and a new initiative led by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to focus on financial health, or financial well-being. Just as the term implies, this includes knowledge, strategies, tools, and a focus on the relationship between our physical, mental and financial health. Financial health and well-being are less about checking off boxes and more about building strong long-term habits that one can continue now and on into the future. And it just so happens that the new year is a great time to Continued on Page 14
8 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
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WINTER MOVEMENT
7 activities the whole family can enjoy By Cara Johnson-Bader
L
ooking for ways to keep you and your child active during the winter months? Well, we have a few ideas for indoor and outdoor winter movement games and activities. Here are some of our favorites.
Outdoor Winter Movement Games
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
• Go on a winter-wonder walk. Enhance your walk by playing “I Spy” or make it a silly walk. Gallop like a horse, run like a cheetah, Cara Johnson-Bader hop like a bunny, etc. • Enjoy the snow. Make a snowman, snow fort, or snow maze on snowy days. Go sledding, throw snowballs, or make snow angels. • Chase bubbles. We often think of using bubbles in the warmer weather, but they are just as much fun in the colder weather. If it is cold enough, the bubbles will freeze. • Explore winter sports. Try a winter activity like snowshoeing, skating, or skiing.
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Hop Like A Bunny
Fly Like A Bird
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Stomp Like A Bear
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Slither Like A Snake
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CAR
Waddle Like A Duck MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Gallop Like A Horse
Indoor Winter Movement Activities
• Host a dance party. Turn up the music and dance. Dancing is a wonderful way to get the entire family moving. • Play movement games. Simon Says, Charades, and Twister are great games to get your family moving. • Create a Movin’ and Groovin’ Jar. Use the New Horizon Academy Movin’ and Groovin’ Cards to get active. Instructions ’ AND MOVIN’ AND MOVIN GROOVIN’ CARD D AN ’ RD VIN CA ’ 1. Cut out the MO VIN Movin’ and Groovin’ cards. GROO OOVIN’ CARD 2. Place the cards in the jar or bowl. 3. Each player pulls a card from the jar or bowl. 4. Players should imitate the movement of the animal on the card.
We understand your time is valuable.
We won’t waste a minute of it.
Run Like Contact Cara Johnson-Bader at cjohnsonbader@nhacademy.net. Waddle Like Cheetah Fly Like A A Duck A Bird
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Slither Like A Snake
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Gallop Like A Horse
MOVIN’ AND GROOVIN’ CARD
Jump Like A Frog
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Idaho Family Magazine | JAN/FEB 2022 9
CALENDAR of Events
Beginning Jan, 2022
Please send family-related calendar items to editorgaye@gmail.com
JoJo Siwa: D.R.E.A.M. The Tour
JANUARY Tinker the T-Rex
WaterShed Weekends
Tinker the T-Rex, sponsored by Chevron, is a 1,000-square-foot exhibition at the Discovery Center of Idaho, featuring hands-on, STEM-based exhibits. Other exhibits include “Exquisite Creatures” and “Matter Splatter.” For more information, go https://www.dcidaho.org/tinker-the-t-rex.
Storytrail Adventure
The Jim Hall Foothills Learning Center, 3188 Sunset Peak Rd. in Boise, offers a Storytrail Adventure walk for parents and preschoolers on Tuesdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. There is a craft time following the walk. Cost is $7. For more information, call (208) 493-2530.
Skating lessons at Idaho IceWorld
Skating lessons for children are available at Idaho IceWorld, 7072 S. Eisenman Rd. in Boise. For more information, go to idahoiceworld.com or call (208) 608-7716.
Foster care informational meetings
Foster parents are needed to provide a safe, temporary home for children and youth who are in foster care. Attending an informational meeting will give potential foster parents a basic understanding of who the children in foster care are, the roles and responsibilities of foster parents, and what’s needed to become licensed to foster. The meetings are being held through Zoom, so anyone can join from the comfort of their own home. Meetings are sponsored by Fostering Idaho through the EWU-Family Resource and Training Center. Visit their website at https://familyrtc.org/fosteringidaho/events for the full calendar of upcoming meetings. If you have questions, contact Monique Layton, recruitment coordinator, at (208) 249-0180 or mlayton4@ewu.edu.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory will be presented at the Morrison Center January 14-16, with matinee and evening performances. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to morrisoncenter.com.
12 WEEK MEMBERSHIP AT THE HARWARD REC CENTER Enjoy full access to the facility, pools, rock climbing, cardio equipment, and fitness classes including boot camp, paddleboard fitness and more!
All memberships must meet HRC membership eligibility requirements. Membership must be purchased January 1-31, 2022 and is active for 12 weeks from purchase date.
SIGN UP AT THE HARWARD REC CENTER OR CALL 208-468-5777 FOR MORE INFORMATION.
10 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
Nickelodeon’s JoJo Siwa will perform at ExtraMile Arena on the Boise State campus beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday, January 15. For tickets or more information, go to extramilearena.com. The Boise WaterShed offers free family activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at 11818 Joplin Rd. in Boise. Tickets are required. For program topics on January 15 and February 19, go to bee.cityofboise.org/learn/calendar.
Canyon County Kids Expo
The Canyon County Kids Expo is planned for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, January 22, at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa. Go to fordidahocenter.com for more information.
McCall Winter Carnival
The McCall Winter Carnival is set for January 28-February 6. For more information, go to https://visitmccall.org.
FEBRUARY Family Night Out
Boise Urban Garden School, 2995 N. Five Mile Rd. in Boise, offers a cooking class for families on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Cost is $16. Upcoming programs include: Valentine’s Dinner, February 1 and 9; and Mediterranean Flavors, March 1 and 9. For more information, go to boiseurbanschool.org.
Lock In for Kids
Kids are invited to an all-night Lock In at the Harward Rec Center (formerly the Nampa Rec Center) while their parents enjoy some alone time. The first Lock In of the new year will be Friday, February 4. Kids may enjoy pizza provided by Domino’s and go swimming in the rec center pool. The event is for youngsters ages 6-12. For costs and other information, go to nampaparksandrecreation.org.
Great Train Show
The Great Train Show will take place February 5-6 at the North Expo at Expo Idaho in Garden City. The Great Train Show is the nation’s only coast-to-coast model train show and is designed for the general public, modelers, hobbyists, families, and the just-curious. Each show features hundreds of tables of trains and accessories, activities for kids, and more. Go to expoidaho.com for more information.
28th Annual Daddy-Daughter Date Night
This event has been cancelled and rescheduled during 2020 and 2021, but the 2022 Daddy-Daughter Date Night is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 12, at the Harward Rec Center (formerly the Nampa Rec Center). For more information, go to nampaparksandrecreation.org. (Spring Sports Madness for moms and sons is planned for March 5.)
MARCH Disney Princess – The Concert
Disney Princess – The Concert will be presented at the Morrison Center at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 4. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to morrisoncenter.com.
Children’s Reading Series
The Children’s Reading Series is a program of Boise Contemporary Theater, drawing on one of the oldest traditions in theater: “hearing a play.” BCT plans to hold a fun reading for kids at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 6, at the theater at 854 W. Fulton in Boise. Professional actors will bring stories to life – plus there will be free pizza, cookies, and milk. For more information, go to https://bctheater.org/ childrens-reading-series/.
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WENDY JEPSON
Honoring her dad by helping others By Dennis Lopez
T
were hospitalized at St. Luke’s during the he Buddhist monk Thich holiday season. Nhat Hanh once wrote that “We made up ‘Santa’s PJ Packs’,” suffering “…is a kind of she said. “Each contained pajamas, a mud to help the lotus flower blanket, picture books and a letter from of happiness grow…there can be no Santa.” lotus without the mud.” Though not a The Boise Humane Society benefited Buddhist, Wendy Jepson understands from her next project with special “Fur this concept very well. Baby Bags” donated to the animal “When I lost my father 17 years ago,” shelter intended for both dogs and she said, “I was devastated.” cats. “We even included a note in those Initially overwhelmed by her grief, the bags,” she recalled. Boise woman ultimately elected to turn The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 the sadness at her father’s passing into a brought new challenges and a new focus positive: to find a way to serve others. to Jepson’s philanthropy. “Through my church, I had had many “It was such a hard year for opportunities to serve others,” she said. everyone,” she said. “So many people “I knew that helping others would be a had so much need and we wanted to way to overcome the heartache I felt.” find a way to help.” That help would manifest itself in Wendy Jepson of Boise was motivated to Her initial response was to create her several ways, each seeking to provide perform acts of service to help address the own food pantry in her front yard. From comfort to those, human and animal sadness she felt following the death of her March until July, she placed tables in alike, in need. So every November for father, John Stutznegger. Shown here is a front of her house with free food for the past six years, to commemorate the handwritten sign she erected in front of her anyone who needed it. date of her father’s passing, she has home in 2020 to help collect clothing for the homeless. (Courtesy photo) “It was an eye-opening experience launched philanthropic projects, each for me about the amount of need there was in our supported solely by her funds, in-kind or community,” she recalled. “We used social media as one cash donations from her neighbors and by the community. way to advertise our food pantry. The messages from people “I was hesitant to reach out at first, but eventually used social media to seek the help of family and friends,” she said. were heartbreaking. People needed food. People needed help. People were hungry.” “The response was overwhelming.” Continued on Page 14 Her initial outreach six years ago was to create what she calls Cancer Care Bags for cancer patients at St. Alphonsus hospital in Boise. Each contained items such as a blanket, St. Joseph's Catholic School skin care lotions, lip balm, candies and a personal note from Jepson. Ironically it was in delivering one of these bags to a Idaho’s oldest continually operated Catholic School, woman in the final stages of cancer that Jepson received a educating generations of students for 121 years! gift herself. “One of the patients was a lady in the final stages of her Now accepting K-8 applications for life,” she recounted. “She was a wonderful person. She spoke the 2022-23 academic year. with me about my father, my project and my desire to honor Call 208-342-4909 or visit www.stjoes.com for more information. his memory. In the end it was beautiful [for me] to be in her care.” The following November she and her family prepared small backpacks for kids their school counselor knew could use them. “We left the distribution up to the school counselors because we knew they would distribute them to children with 825 W. Fort Street - Boise, ID 83702 the greatest need.” stjoesboise @StJoesBoise By 2018, Jepson focused her project to helping children who
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Idaho Family Magazine | JAN/FEB 2022 11
PREPARE YOUR KIDS Continued from Page 4
SHAKE IT OFF Continued from Page 6
future that are dependent on human capabilities. In “The skills your kids should cultivate to be competitive in the age of automation,” the Edwards explain humans will still be needed for jobs that require: interpersonal skills, applying math to business problems, management of our physical world (environmental science and engineering), as well as health care jobs. People will remain ahead of robots in these areas for some time.
one limb at a time), but there’s really no right or wrong way to do it. The first time I actively “shook,” I was completely alone in my bedroom and I still found myself glancing around to make sure nobody could see how ridiculous I looked. I shook my arms and core, even giving my head and neck a few good shakes, and then I paused. Almost immediately, I felt a wave of emotion come over my body and I couldn’t tell if I was about to laugh or cry. I ended up doing both. What a sight I must have been! I felt my breathing steady a bit, my heart rate started to come down, and I felt the most calm and peace that I had had in weeks. It wasn’t the end-all be-all, because immediately upon shaking I remembered all the many reasons I felt the need to shake in the first place, but it somehow felt more manageable or like I was in a better “head space” to tackle these things. Shaking closed the loop for my body and mind and helped my nervous system recognize that I wasn’t still actively facing the stressful event. Other ways to complete the cycle include physical activity, breathing strategies, positive social interaction, laughter, affection, a good cry, and creative expression. These are all things I try to do frequently, but I still find myself extra overloaded at times and will use this new technique to “shake things up” and give my body additional cues that it’s safe to turn the dial on my nervous system down a bit. Since I started practicing therapeutic “shaking,” I have continued to notice subtle but profound differences in the way I manage stress, the way I’m able to cope when faced with unexpected triggers, and the way my body returns to a baseline even after experiencing these things. I have started shaking before and after stressful events and find myself looking forward to this signal that everything is okay. I sometimes turn the experience into more of a “shake it off” dance rather than just standing in one place and shaking, an activity kids love to be a part of and can reap the same benefits adults can by engaging in. It still feels absolutely ridiculous, but it also feels noticeably better afterward, so I wouldn’t knock it until you try it. The last few years have done a number on all of us. We are facing burnout as a nation in collective ways we never have before. Every daily stress we face is only compounded by the umbrella of hopelessness and despair we are often standing under. If you are feeling this way, you are not alone. I see you; I’m with you. So the next time we face something that feels like it might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, I challenge you to join me in – quite literally – shaking it off.
Foster social skills and teamwork
These will be valuable assets in the future workforce. Collaboration requires a combination of skills and traits: emotional intelligence, humility, communication, listening, conflict resolution, goal setting, prioritizing, decision making, and framing problems. Emotional intelligence is particularly crucial to the development of excellent social skills and teamwork. Both interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are the framework for emotional intelligence. Interpersonal skills include social awareness and relationship management, while intrapersonal skills include self-awareness and self-regulation.
Cultivate entrepreneurial characteristics and skills
Even though automation and technology will reduce the need for laborers, people will always be needed to develop and manage companies. Add to this, the growing trend toward companies outsourcing and hiring independent professionals for a broad range of needs is likely to continue and become more common. Some essential entrepreneurial skills kids should develop are financial literacy, goal setting, problem-solving, creativity, and good work habits.
Promote tech skills
Greg Satell says the tech skills of tomorrow will be vastly different from today, in his article, “These Are the Skills That Your Kids Will Need for the Future (Hint: It’s Not Coding).” By the time kids grow up, computer programming will no longer be based on current coding languages. It’ll be based “more on quantum laws and the human brain,” he explains. But because the future of computer programming is unknown, there’s no way to teach it to kids. So Satell recommends kids learn more about quantum dynamics, the logic of code, and genetics, on which future systems will be based. Still, learning to code has its benefits. It’s true learning a coding language of today will unlikely be of any use in the future. But learning how to learn a code can make learning future codes easier. Coding also helps kids develop problemsolving skills. Finally, it’s an excellent way for kids to discover a career path and boost their self-confidence in a STEM discipline. Kimberly Blaker is a freelance writer. She also owns an online store, Sage Rare & Collectible Books, specializing in out-of-print, scarce, signed, and first editions; fine bindings; ephemera and more at sagerarebooks.com. 12 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
Macaile Hutt is the Director of Occupational Therapy for Star Speech and Occupational Therapy located in Star, Idaho. Her therapy style takes a holistic and child-directed approach, with the goal of children succeeding across multiple environments. She holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy from A.T. Still University and has received continuing education as a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional for Children and Adolescents (CCATP-CA), Handwriting Without Tears, pediatric kinesiotaping, Interactive Metronome, and Beckman Oral Motor. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, backpacking, and traveling. www.idahofamilymagazine.com
WEDNESDAY’S CHILD
Catch a smile from Lilyanna & Ronaldo
The following information is provided by Wednesday’s Child, an organization that helps Idaho foster children find permanent homes. You can’t help but smile when spending time with dynamic siblings Lilyanna, 14, and her brother Ronaldo, 12. Being so close in age has given these two an advantage in their friendship. Older sister Lilyanna, who often goes by Lily, says she is very patient with Ronaldo and likes to keep a close eye on him. They have a close bond and share many similar interests. Lily is resilient, joyful and bubbly, and her smile and laugh can light up the whole room. She loves musical arts, swimming with Ronaldo, and jumping on the trampoline. Lily has a great sense of humor and knows how to make an amazing batch of homemade salsa. She would thrive in an encouraging home where she can feel safe to be her joyous self. Much like his sister, Ronaldo is extremely bright and creative and has a witty sense of humor. Ronaldo wants his adoptive family to know how much he wants to go to Legoland. He has a true talent when it comes to building things.
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He likes spending time with Lily, watching his favorite show, SpongeBob, and dreaming of one day becoming a scientist. Ronaldo would thrive in an adoptive home that gives him the safety to explore his creative side. It’s important that these tight-knit siblings stay together. Lily and Ronaldo’s permanency team is looking for a two-parent home, preferably in Idaho, though the team is open to inquiries from out of state. A couple that has a strong understanding of childhood trauma and a lot of patience to give would be a great fit for them. Lily and Ronaldo wear a lot of smiles even after all they’ve been through, and we are confident that their smiles will be contagious once you’ve had the chance to meet and get to know them. If you think you could be their Forever Family, inquire today at www.idahowednesdayschild.org. For more information on the Idaho Wednesday’s Child Program, visit www.idahowednesdayschild.org, or contact Recruitment Coordinator Shawn White at swhite52@ewu.edu or cell 208-488-8989 if you have specific questions.
Idaho Family Magazine | JAN/FEB 2022 13
REAL MONEY Continued from Page 8 start healthy habits! Well…let’s be honest. It’s actually a good time to start them if you want them to fail. At least that’s what the statistics say. Only 50% of Americans bother to make a new year’s resolution in the first place. And of those 50% who actually try, 80% will end up failing their resolution by the end of January. In the end, only 4% of Americans will end up keeping a resolution for the entire year. “So…you’re telling me there’s a chance!” Yes, indeed, 4%. So, who knows? Maybe this is your year! When it comes to improving our personal finances it’s not uncommon to view the goal as a checklist. “If I do XYZ, THEN I will be financially successful!” But that’s like thinking if you check off, “Go to the gym” once, that you’re good for the year. Indeed, our financial health is a lot like physical health; it takes regular habits to really make a difference. Some financial habits will be a mighty exercise in the use of will-power and soul searching to establish. But lucky for us, many of the most important financial habits can be as easy as setting up an automatic transfer with our bank. In one of my favorite financial books, “The Automatic Millionaire,” author David Bach makes the case that nearly anyone possesses the means AND opportunity to become a millionaire. He begins by discussing the latte factor, or the idea that instead of spending $4 on a daily latte you put that money in an investment account. Over time, this regular contribution would grow into a million dollars in just a few decades. The main question is how to begin the habit of saving that money instead of spending it on the lattes. Bach suggests that if you have an automatic transfer of a set dollar amount from your checking account to the investment account before you have a chance to spend it, you don’t have to exercise willpower or go through the daily struggle of deciding to spend your money on the “right things” or not, because it will have already been done for you. In other words, automatic transfer makes the “right thing” the default. And if you’re going to screw up your own financial plan, you’ll have to put effort into it by intentionally going into your investment account and cashing it out. So, this year, don’t beat yourself up about mustering the requisite will-power to keep your financial new year’s resolution going past January and through the year. Simply make it automatic. Now if these new driverless cars can be programmed to speed up anytime it passes a donut shop, we may really be onto some useful automatic habits. Luke Erickson, Ph.D., AFC®, is an associate professor of personal finance for the University of Idaho. He works and lives in the Treasure Valley. Reach him at erickson@uidaho.edu.
14 JAN/FEB 2022 | Idaho Family Magazine
WENDY JEPSON Continued from Page 11
People needed food. People needed help. People were hungry. It was from those messages of need that Jepson decided she would launch what has become her primary focus. “I almost didn’t move forward,” she explained. “I had asked so much of the community to help with my other projects, I didn’t want to over-ask.” Ultimately she moved ahead with a project to provide warm coats for those in need. “My own father struggled with homelessness in his own life. I think because of that he always tried to help people. I wanted to honor him, and at the same time, do something meaningful.” The result was a huge box the size of a dishwasher in her front yard with a neatly lettered sign asking for donations of coats or other warm clothing for the homeless. The sign points out why she is asking for donations and that it is a memorial project for her late father. “The box goes out November 1 and I turn the donations over to the Interfaith Sanctuary in December. The first year I put out the box it filled very slowly during the month, then I put a sign on the box that said it was the last day to donate. By that evening, the box was overflowing.” Any cash donations are carefully accounted for and used to purchase other items needed by the homeless, including socks and underwear, items most people take for granted. This year, the coat campaign was highly successful with nearly 50 coats and a significant amount of other badly needed clothing items delivered to the Sanctuary. Reflecting on her many outreach projects, Jepson says she is driven first to celebrate the life of her late father, and secondly by two other profound concepts. “Why do I do this? It answers the question of why bad things sometimes happen to us. I think reaching out to help others when we are hurting gives us a chance to change our focus and realize that things are happening through us rather than to us. Secondly, it allows us to use the experience to reach outside of ourselves.” Thich Nat Hahn no doubt would say Wendy Jepson is a lotus flower in full bloom.
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ENCORE CREATIVE CENTER Continued from Page 7
Creating is something we’re all created to do. It fulfills us – kids and adults alike. No one is ‘not creative’.
creative, she said. “Both quietly taught me to march to my own drum, but also to always do right by others and care about people.” Encore Creative Center is self-funded through student enrollment; providing lessons from home for so many years served as a built-in client base and, from that, Danika has drawn many parents and children to her center. “She always finds a way to engage the children and teaches holistically,” said Arin Hening. Arin’s daughter, Alena, is 6, and pursues piano, violin, singing, and oil painting lessons at Encore; her son, Adam, is 4 and takes lessons in piano and violin. “It’s nice that Danika has a center and that it’s not just music but also dancing, singing and lots of other things,” Arin said. “I like that she has a variety of classes at the same time,” said Steffanie Garcia, whose sons are 10 and 11 and whose daughters are 5 and 7. “My daughters are in musical theater, and my boys are into creating things, so they’re taking sculpting.” Danika said: “It’s beautiful walking around the center and hearing and seeing these amazing creations coming out that never existed before. Creating is something we’re all created to do. It fulfills us – kids and adults alike. No one is ‘not creative’. Encore is a safe place to feel accepted, enjoy the process, and practice doing hard things that lead to serious skill.” Her passion for what she does caught on quickly with both clients and instructors. She currently employs 15 instructors who are all experts in their fields. When looking to hire an instructor, Danika looks for three main pluses they must have: positivity, professionalism, and experience. “There’s an element of work involved and it can get hard. Instructors have to have a passion for that work to carry them through the demand of serving others because it’s not about us as the instructors, it’s about the students,” she said. Because Danika has a daughter she homeschools, she is interested in helping other homeschool families as well.
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“With the rise of homeschoolers,” she said, “we can serve that community. Currently, 50 percent of families coming to the center homeschool their children.” Parent Brendan Baldwin explained: “We homeschool and the center is a great way to add enrichment to the day and not just doing it after 5 p.m. Our kids are doing piano and art classes.” The center is also very much a part of Danika’s daughter’s education. She is able to go there and get involved in what’s happening in all the arts. Danika promotes her classes as being for 2-year-olds to adults. Mostly, it is an after-school program for children, occasionally with siblings, and sometimes fathers and mothers taking part in classes all at once. “Some parents take classes along with their kids, and we have people who bring their whole family, and each family member goes to a different class on the same day, at the same time.” Anyone from any part of the valley is welcome at the center, and instructors, though largely from Eagle, also represent local communities from Caldwell to southwest Boise. At the time of the writing of this article, many of the programs were full, but some were still open. Danika was looking forward to the new year, stating that, “In 2022, more classes can open up with more people coming.” Encore is in a building with two floors and is located at 1045 S. Ancona Ave. #140 in Eagle. As owner/director of Encore Creative Center, Danika keeps busy. She carries both entrepreneurial and artistic streaks in her DNA, and that’s all right with her. “I’m driven. I don’t like to sit around doing nothing,” she said. Said Brendan Baldwin: “What she does is so unique, to do all of that under one roof. In other places we’ve lived, we saw nothing approaching that, until now.” For more information, go to www.encorecreativecenter.com email learn@encorecreativecenter.com, or call (208) 352-3042.
Idaho Family Magazine | JAN/FEB 2022 15
"Piano Rose" coloring page sponsored by Encore Creative Center
© D Starrharrt, 2020
Encore Creative Center
is your whole family's destination for positive, professional arts education.
We provide lessons and classes year-round for age 2 - adult in all Musical Instruments, Voice, Filmmaking, Musical Theater, Comedy Improv, Choirs, Ensembles, Dance, Painting, Sculpting, Drawing, Crafting, and more.
Now with
2 locations to serve you: Eagle and South Meridian www.encorecreativecenter.com (208) 352-3042