Epic Mom Life

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Kara brings her quirky perspective to parenting, education, connection and at times, the randomness of the world. She is a mom of two, married 28+ years, former educator, parent blogger, and children’s author. Her goal is to simplify the life of moms and help them find connection.

Episodes

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024

Great sleep, happy child

Wednesday Aug 14, 2024

Getting enough sleep is crucial for children's physical and mental development. Many parents and children seem to battle the bedtime routine and it becomes a fight each night. Turn it into a time of quality connection and soothing ritual and your child will look forward to the ending of each day.

Article: https://epicpublisher.com/parenting/how-much-sleep-does-your-child-need/

Links:
Sleep debt: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29790200/

Benefits of sleep: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33825621/

Developmental delays due to lack of sleep: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3669074/

Sleep and learning issues: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn1238

Recommended hours of sleep for children: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267703

Benefits of consistent bedtime routine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6587181/

Your child’s love language: https://epicpublisher.com/parenting/your-childs-love-language/

Spotify Miracle Tones Deep Sleep: https://open.spotify.com/album/7C3nl4GBozEHlj0RgakfxJ

Five Finger Breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQVZgpyVQ78

Square or Box Breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHQ7YZYRAms

Progressive Muscle Relaxation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4gJuAyPxUk

Blue light interferes with good night’s sleep: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/blue-light

Healthy Screen Time: https://epicpublisher.com/parenting/healthy-screen-time-what-can-you-do/

Do you have a child whose love language is gifts or words of affirmation?
Give them 30 Love Notes! You can cut out one each day.

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

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Connect with us!
Website: https://epicpublisher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpicPublisher
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/EpicPublisher/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/EpicPublisher/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Wednesday Aug 07, 2024

Financially empowering families to choose homeschooling

Wednesday Aug 07, 2024

Homeschooling has become very popular for parents seeking more flexibility and customization in their children’s education. Many expenses can come up when you are educating your children at home. The ability to use an ESA or Education Savings Accounts can ease this financial hardship. 19 states offer a type of ESA.

Article link: https://epicpublisher.com/education/unlock-state-funds-to-make-homeschooling-affordable/

There are A LOT of links with this piece.
All of the links for each of the states that have some kind of scholarship fund can be found on my blog.

Allowable expenses for an EEA or ESA account in Arizona: https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2023/03/Allowable-List-Published-04-23-2024.pdf

3 Reasons to NOT Homeschool https://epicpublisher.com/education/can-anyone-homeschool-no-3-reasons-to-not-homeschool/

71,520 enrolled in the ESA program in Arizona in 2024 https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2024/04/Q2%20FY2024%20ESA%20Report_SBE.pdf
FREEBIE: Halloween lesson plans!
https://epicpublisher.com/halloween-lesson-plan/

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Friday Aug 02, 2024

Art Unleashes Confidence and Creativity

Friday Aug 02, 2024

Art uses creativity to transcends words, foster emotional growth, self-confidence, and cognitive abilities. Many child development experts believe that creativity is just as important as learning to read and write. Nurture the artist within your child, for it carries immense benefits beyond paint on canvas!

Article: https://epicpublisher.com/activities/unlock-your-childs-potentialthe-amazing-benefits-of-art/

Links:
In an AI World, Should We Teach Our Kids to Write?
https://epicpublisher.com/education/ai-era-should-we-still-teach-kids-to-write/

Benefits of Art for Young Children: http://bkc-od-media.vmhost.psu.edu/documents/HO_Art_AnOpportunity.pdf

Benefits of Art for Elementary Aged Children:
https://meetthemasters.com/10-benefits-art-education-for-kids-elementary-school-students-love-art/

Coloring improves our mood: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/3-reasons-adult-coloring-can-actually-relax-brain

Color Psychology: https://mhanational.org/surroundings/color-psychology-explained

Creativity is as important as learning to read and write:
https://iste.org/blog/5-reasons-why-it-is-more-important-than-ever-to-teach-creativity

FREEBIE: Art helps with confidence-so do positive affirmations!
Here are 36 fabulously fun and uplifting (not cheesy) affirmations all on heart cut outs to remind your child that they are loved!
https://epicpublisher.com/36-heart-cut-out-positive-affirmations/

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

👉 Don't forget to subscribe & press the bell 🔔 for updates.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Saturday Jul 27, 2024

Homeschool, a better way to learn

Saturday Jul 27, 2024

An increasing number of parents are choosing to homeschool rather than send their children to traditional schools. This trend is a result of discontent and quality in public schools, curriculum choice, flexibility, and personalized learning options of a home education.

Article: https://epicpublisher.com/education/why-parents-are-embracing-homeschooling/

LInks:
Why a public school teacher thinks the public educational system is broken:
https://epicpublisher.com/education/why-a-public-educator-says-now-is-the-time-to-homeschool/

Pew Research on how Republicans and Democrats see the public educational system: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/10/26/parents-differ-sharply-by-party-over-what-their-k-12-children-should-learn-in-school/#wide-partisan-gaps-in-views-of-how-much-influence-parents-school-boards-and-governments-have-on-what-public-k-12-schools-teach

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Sunday Jul 14, 2024

Your child will love reading with an outdoor story hunt!

Sunday Jul 14, 2024

An outdoor story hunt is a fun activity that will get your kids moving and using their brains. It is like a scavenger hunt with a plot. Well, what if I told you, you can take reading to the a whole new level? What if you could incentivize your child to read with an outdoor adventure? This is it!

Refer to Blog:https://epicpublisher.com/activities/create-an-outdoor-story-hunt-for-your-child-this-summer/

Links:
Summer Reading Challenge:
https://epicpublisher.com/activities/the-ultimate-summer-reading-challenge-for-kids/

Questo, this is the app we used for Escape from Oz.
https://questoapp.com/

Other apps I like:
Strayboots, this has hunts in many places around the world.
I did the China Town and Little Italy hunt, they also have museum hunts.
https://www.strayboots.com/

Scavos: I have not used this one, but it says you can set up your own virtual scavenger hunt easily-so you could do a digital hunt based on your story!
https://www.scavos.com/

FREEBIE: If your child loved the activities for the story hunt, give them this free mini activity booklet!
https://epicpublisher.com/free-activity-booklet/

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

👉 Don't forget to subscribe & press the bell 🔔 for updates.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Thursday Jul 11, 2024

Homeschool: The Future of Education

Thursday Jul 11, 2024

Homeschooling: The Future of Education Public education is in a tailspin. I am a public educator who believes that now, while this foundational institutional finds firm legs again, every parent should look into homeschooling as a very viable option.

https://epicpublisher.com/education/why-a-public-educator-says-now-is-the-time-to-homeschool/

Links:
Fact check on Oregon not requiring Reading, Writing, or Arithmetic proficiency to graduate:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/oregon-graduation-proficiencies/

Critical Race Theory being taught in schools: https://www.iwf.org/2024/02/23/fact-check-is-critical-race-theory-crt-taught-in-american-k-12-schools/

Percentage of transgenders: https://usafacts.org/articles/what-percentage-of-the-us-population-is-transgender

Should we still teach our children to write? https://epicpublisher.com/education/ai-era-should-we-still-teach-kids-to-write/

Is it time to cut art permanently?
https://epicpublisher.com/activities/unlock-your-childs-potentialthe-amazing-benefits-of-art/

Homeschool children score 15-25 percentile points higher.
https://www.nheri.org/research-facts-on-homeschooling/

Freebie: Map out your entire homeschool curriculum
https://epicpublisher.com/map-out-your-entire-homeschool-curriculum-multi-year-planning/

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

👉 Don't forget to subscribe & press the bell 🔔 for updates.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Thursday Jul 04, 2024

Spice up your summer with our sizzling BBQ ideas

Thursday Jul 04, 2024

Summer is finally here, and you know what that means – it’s time to fire up the grill! BBQ’s can be as simple or as extravagant as the host wants them to be. Follow these 7 tips to host a fabulous summer barbecue stress-free!

Article: https://epicpublisher.com/activities/spice-up-your-summer-with-our-sizzling-bbq-ideas/

All your questions about sunscreen answered!  https://epicpublisher.com/activities/block-harmful-rays-sunscreen-and-your-child/

Beer Butt Chicken Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14531/beer-butt-chicken/

Paula Deen’s Amazing Crock Pot Mac & Cheese: https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/paula-deen-crockpot-mac-and-cheese/

7 Layer Salad Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/14295/seven-layer-salad

Spiced Minty Mango Recipe: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/mango-mint-spicy-mocktail/

Sangria Mock-tail Recipe https://recipesfromapantry.com/non-alcoholic-sangria-sangria-mocktail/#wprm-recipe-container-28896

Watermelon Aqua Fresca Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/214367/watermelon-agua-fresca/

Mint Berry Smash Recipe: https://tasty.co/recipe/mint-berry-smash-mocktail

Sweet Pepper Spritzer Recipe: (this one is really unusual): https://www.thespruceeats.com/sweet-pepper-spritzer-mocktail-recipe-5206259

FREEBIE:
Want a fun couples activity, regardless of the weather or time of year?
Start a Couple Bunco group!
https://epicpublisher.com/connection/couples-bunco-night/
Then get your freebie:
Bunco card https://epicpublisher.com/bunco-card/

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

👉 Don't forget to subscribe & press the bell 🔔 for updates.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher

Sunday Jun 23, 2024

Side-splitting comedies for kids of all ages!

Sunday Jun 23, 2024

Watching comedies together can be a great way to bond and create lasting memories. However, when it comes to finding comedies for kids, it's a jungle out there! Finding age-appropriate, or content appropriate movies that are still funny can be really hard! Here are 108 top family friendly comedies.

Article here: https://epicpublisher.com/activities/side-splitting-comedies-for-kids-of-all-ages/

Links:
Easy way for parents to “pre-screen” movies and TV shows: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews

FREEBIE:
Kindness calendar with 35 activities!
https://epicpublisher.com/kindness-calendar/

★★★ HOPE YOU ENJOY THESE VIDEOS AND FIND A LOT OF VALUE IN THEM! ★★★

👉 Don't forget to subscribe & press the bell 🔔 for updates.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicPublisher