3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms

With back-to-school season right around the corner, I keep thinking about a moment from my own high school years – a moment so small I barely registered it at the time. I noticed a kid sitting alone, stuck out my hand, and said hi. That was it. What I didn't know was that it would change his life, and honestly, mine too.

This is a re-air of one of my favorite episodes from the archives, originally recorded as an interview I did on the podcast Becoming for Teens. I'm bringing it back now because our schools need more kids brave enough to look up, reach out, and make someone feel like they belong. And the truth is, so do our communities.

You'll come away from this one thinking about:

💜 The letter Brian wrote me at graduation, and what he said about that first handshake

💜 Why the kindest thing you can do might feel awkward or forced at first (and why that's okay)

💜 The small but specific things teens (and moms!) can do to make someone feel seen

This episode is worth listening to with your kids on a family night, in the car, or anytime when they're a captive audience. I think it'll spark a conversation you'll both remember.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

***

Announcement:

Take the free Self-Assured Motherhood Quiz — it walks you through six key areas of motherhood and shows you where you're already doing well and where you could use a little more support. It takes about three minutes.



Related Episodes:

445: How to Set Boundaries without Damaging Relationships // Rachel on Happy Mom Summit

429: How Ordinary Moms Can Make a Difference // Sharon McMahon

419: 3 Things Moms of Children with Disabilities Want You to Know // Katie Blackburn



Episode Sponsors:

AirDoctor: Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code 3IN30 to get $250 off select AirDoctor air purifiers, including the 3500, 4000, and 5500 models.

Quince: Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Fodzyme (KiwiBiosciences): We're so excited to partner with Fodzyme and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to ICanEatAgain.com/3IN30. Finally, you can enjoy your favorite foods without the pain.

K12 Powered Schools: See how K12 Powered Schools can help unlock your child's full potential. Enroll online today at K12.com/3in30.

Let's Connect!

Join me on Instagram!

Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life

Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course

***

Lately, my kids have been watching a lot of TV. More than I'd like to admit. And for a while, I let myself spiral about it. What kind of mom lets her kids zone out on screens all day? What is that doing to them? But then I caught myself, because I've learned that there's a difference between self-confronting and shame-spiraling. And, once I stopped the shame-spiral, I reminded myself that our family is going through a hard time right now, and if some extra screens are going to support us through it, that's not the end of the world. What our home needs most right now is compassion. My kids need an extra dose of compassion, and so do I. That's what gets us through hard times.

This week's episode is a recording from a small group coaching call I did back in 2019, with about twenty women who were in the thick of hard seasons with their kids. We talk about how to support your kids through struggles, and how you can support yourself, too.

In this episode, you'll hear:

💜 What one woman in the group said about being grateful she had a really hard firstborn

💜 Why one mom realized that worrying about what her in-laws thought of her parenting was actually getting in the way of what her kids needed most

💜 The concept of "shark music," and how the soundtrack playing in your head during your kid's meltdown might be making everything harder than it has to be

If you or your kids are in a hard season right now, I hope this episode can give you some support.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

***

Announcements:

Wondering where to start on your journey to Self-Assured Motherhood? We created a free three-minute assessment at 3in30podcast.com/quiz that shows you exactly where you are across all six principles, including Support Their Struggles, the principle at the heart of this episode.

Related Episodes:

357: Tips for Staying Calm During Your Big Kid's Big Meltdowns // Cheryl Cardall

440: Tools for Parenting a "Spicy" Child // Mary Van Geffen

449: 3 Simple Strategies to Prevent After-School Meltdowns // Alyssa Blask Campbell

Episode Sponsors:

BetterHelp: 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/3in30 to get 10% off your first month of online therapy.

Quince: Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Fodzyme (KiwiBiosciences): We're so excited to partner with Fodzyme and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to ICanEatAgain.com/3IN30. Finally, you can enjoy your favorite foods without the pain.

K12 Powered Schools: See how K12 Powered Schools can help unlock your child's full potential. Enroll online today at K12.com/3in30.

Let's Connect!

Join me on Instagram!

Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life

Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course

***

Grief has been close to my family lately, and in the weeks since losing my brother-in-law Logan, I've found myself returning again and again to the memories that hold the people we love, long after they're no longer here.

This July 14th marks twenty-three years since my mother passed away from breast cancer. I was nineteen years old. And this episode (one of the most personal I've ever recorded) is my tribute to her.

My mom had a gift for seeing strengths in her children before they could see them in themselves — and for my mom, helping me find my voice, quite literally, was one of the most loving things she ever did for me. This episode is a musical tribute because music is where she first showed me who I was.

In it, you'll hear about

🎵 The nights my mom stayed up late making eight gorgeous costumes for me, and how those long hours spent together shaped me

🎵 What she said to me on the morning of July 14th, just a few hours before she passed

🎵 How my mom intentionally helped me see my strengths when I was an insecure seventh grade girl

This episode is about grief, yes, but it's also a celebration. It's a celebration of how my mom helped me find myself, and how her love is still shaping me today.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

***

Announcements:

One of the greatest gifts my mom gave me was helping me know my own strengths. If you're wondering how well you're doing at knowing and celebrating yours, we have a free three-minute quiz waiting for you at 3in30podcast.com/quiz — it will give you a visual snapshot of where you're thriving in your self-assured motherhood journey and where there might be a little room to grow.

Related Episodes:

390: Living with Grief without Losing Yourself // Shelby Quinlan

472: When the World Feels Heavy, Try This // Shannan Martin

104: How to Move Through Grief towards Joy // Anna Packard

Episode Sponsors:

AirDoctor: Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code 3IN30 to get $300, plus a three-year warranty.

Quince: Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Fodzyme (KiwiBiosciences): We're so excited to partner with Fodzyme and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to ICanEatAgain.com/3IN30. Finally, you can enjoy your favorite foods without the pain.

K12 Powered Schools: See how K12 Powered Schools can help unlock your child's full potential. Enroll online today at K12.com/3in30.

Let's Connect!

Join me on Instagram!

Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life

Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course

***

I have been a writer my whole life. Long before this podcast existed, writing was how I made sense of my hardest seasons, how I figured out what I actually thought and felt, and how I slowly found my way through pain I didn't know how to carry any other way.

Some of that writing happened in therapy. And some of the most important pages I ever filled were written during my recovery from an eating disorder.In this episode, I share three of those pieces: an essay I posted on my personal blog, a narrative therapy piece my counselor guided me through, and a letter I wrote to my own body. Together, they trace a journey from desperation to hope to something that finally, finally felt like peace.

In this episode, you'll hear me share:

✍️ What my counselor asked me to write that cracked something open in me, and why I think anyone doing hard inner work should try it

✍️ The running path conversation that changed everything

✍️ The letter to my body I was sure would come out angry — and what came out instead

This is soul care in its most honest, vulnerable form. I hope something in this episode gives you permission to honor your own needs and do deep, healing soul-care.

Note: This episode contains references to faith and prayer as part of my personal healing journey.

For full show notes, click here.

***

Announcements:

⁉️ Curious how well you're honoring your own needs as a mom? Take my free three-minute assessment at 3in30podcast.com/quiz.

Related Episodes:

480: How to Stop Letting Your Body Image Steal Your Summer // Dr. Lexie Kite

481: What to Do When Your Child Says "I'm Fat" // Steph Wood

302: How to Heal Your Relationship with Food // Natalie Shay

Episode Sponsors:

BetterHelp: 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms is sponsored by BetterHelp. Go to betterhelp.com/3in30 to get 10% off your first month of online therapy.

Quince: Make your summer wardrobe feel easier. Go to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

Fodzyme (KiwiBiosciences): We're so excited to partner with Fodzyme and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to

ICanEatAgain.com/3IN30. Finally, you can enjoy your favorite foods without the pain.

K12 Powered Schools: See how K12 Powered Schools can help unlock your child's full potential. Enroll online today at K12.com/3in30.

Let's Connect!

Join me on Instagram!

Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life

Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course

***

I'm a word person. (Occupational hazard of spending years as an English teacher, I suppose.) I notice when words shift — when something that used to feel simple and clear starts carrying extra weight, or gets claimed by one group of people until the rest of us feel uncertain about whether we're still allowed to use it the way we always meant to.

That's what's happened, at least in my experience, to the word "patriotic." And more than my own discomfort, I started to feel genuinely unsure how to teach my kids how to be patriotic in a country that often feels so divided by partisan politics.

That question is exactly what brought Sharon McMahon back to 3 in 30. Sharon is known as America's Government Teacher and is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Small and the Mighty and her new children's book, We Are Mighty.

This conversation will give you language and a framework for the patriotism conversations you've been wanting to have with your kids, but haven't quite known how to start.

🇺🇸 Why loving your country and criticizing your country are not opposites

🇺🇸 Why narrating your small acts of service out loud shapes how your child understands what it means to love their neighbors — and their country

🇺🇸 Why getting your child to the polls just three times in a row may be one of the most lasting things you ever do for democracy

With the 4th of July coming up this week, and especially this year as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we hope you find this conversation helpful.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

***

Related Episodes:

429: How Ordinary Moms Can Make a Difference // Sharon McMahon

392: How to Have Grace-Filled Political Conversations with Family & Friends // Sarah Stewart Holland & Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics

031: Three Easy Ways to Teach Children the True Meaning of Patriotic Holidays // Brittany Richman and Andrea Reeve, The American Moms

Episode Sponsors:

Knix Teen: It's not just underwear; it's giving our girls the confidence they deserve. Go to KnixTeen.com and use code 3IN30 for 15 percent off.

Let's Connect!

Join me on Instagram!

Get weekly-ish emails with BTS of my life

Find Your Magic in Motherhood: Free 3-Day Email Course

***