3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms

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.

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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

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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.

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For years, I had a vision in my head of the kind of mom I was going to be. I would be present and patient. I would have snacks ready after school and summers full of creative activities. When I finally became a mom, I struggled to match the realities of the daily motherhood grind and the ideal images of motherhood I had in my head.

This week's guest is Amy Marie Hann, author of Master the Mundane. I asked Amy Marie to come on the show because of a Substack article of hers I read all about letting go of "shoulds." Amy Marie shares three big things she finally let go of and what opened up for her once she did.

✨ The difference between liking the idea of something and actually wanting to do it, and how to tell which one you're dealing with

✨ What changed when Amy Marie stopped trying to be the house all the kids wanted to be at

✨ How Amy Marie found a way to work that didn't require choosing between two extremes

If you've ever felt like you're forcing yourself into "shoulds" that don't quite match your reality, this one's for you.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

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Announcements:

If this episode has you thinking about your own "shoulds," my course Motherhood Decluttered walks you through how to figure out what to keep and what to let go of — in a way that fits your life. Use code SUMMER through the end of June to get a 10% discount.

Related Episodes:

463: How to Let Go of Mom Guilt

473: How to Get Through a Busy Season

354: Letting Go of Heavy Expectations of Yourself // Sneak Peek from the Declutter Your Motherhood Audio Course

Episode Sponsors:

First Day: For a limited time only, our listeners are getting an insane deal. Use code 3IN30 to get up to 57% Off at FirstDay.com.

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.

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Fodzyme (Kiwi Biosciences): We're so excited to partner with FODZYME and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to icaneatagain.com/3in30.com.

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I have a friend named Laney who genuinely does not experience mom guilt. Not because she's a perfect mom, but because she's decided her kids are lucky to have her — and she means it! I used to laugh when she said things like that. But, now, after working for years on myself (I've come so far!), I understand that what I was struggling with wasn't only guilt over my shortcomings as a mom, but it was also guilt over the resentment I felt for everything I was carrying that led me to not enjoy my motherhood very much. The guilt was coming at me from every direction!

If any of that sounds familiar, this episode is going to feel like a very welcome exhale. This week's guest is JoAnn Crohn, certified life coach and author of The Best Mom is a Happy Mom. She helps moms go from martyr to model, and this conversation is full of honest, practical tools for getting there.

✨ Why JoAnn's husband didn't even realize the imbalance until they did this one exercise together

✨ The "guilt equation" from a psychologist that will completely change how you think about your own expectations

✨ The thing JoAnn's therapist said that cut through all the noise and told her exactly what being a good mom actually requires

If you've ever felt like the mental load of your family's life is sitting entirely on your shoulders, and if you've ever felt the guilt coming from every side, this episode is for you.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

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Related Episodes:

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

436: Embrace the Mom You Are—Not the One You Think You Should Be // Julie Bastedo

270: Simplifying Mom-Life // Chanelle Neilson

Episode Sponsors:

Tushy Bidet: For a limited time, our listeners get 10% off their first bidet order when you go to HelloTUSHY.com and use promo code 3in30.

First Day: For a limited time only, our listeners are getting an insane deal. Use code 3IN30 to get up to 57% Off at FirstDay.com.

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.

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Fodzyme: We're so excited to partner with FODZYME and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to icaneatagain.com/3in30.com.

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***

I am recording the intro to this episode during one of the saddest weeks of my life. My beloved brother-in-law, Logan McKenna, died unexpectedly last Sunday morning. He was only 44 years old, and we are simply shattered by this loss.

As soon as I got the call, I got into my car and started driving to Utah to be with my sister and her two teenage children. And as I was driving, trying to wrap my mind around the immensity of this loss, I thought, "I am so glad that Logan agreed to be a guest on my podcast a year ago so that we can have his goodness and wisdom recorded forevermore."

This episode originally aired in February of 2025, where Logan talked about how to support a loved one who's struggling with mental illness. I decided to re-air it today as a tribute to him, so everyone who listens will get a taste of just how good he was — and will understand just how much he will be missed.

The world has lost one of the most special souls who ever lived. I will be clinging to his memory and his legacy this week and always.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what the word "self-assured" actually means in the context of motherhood. And I think somewhere along the way, a lot of us accidentally absorbed this idea that being self-assured means being self-sufficient — that if we were really emotionally healthy or mature or confident, we would just… handle everything on our own.

But what I observed at my SAM Retreat last month completely reframed that for me. The women who seemed most grounded and alive and resilient weren't the ones who never needed support. They were the ones who knew how to seek it, receive it, and offer it to others.

In this episode, I'm sharing three takeaways from the retreat, and I hope you walk away feeling more convinced than ever that thriving in motherhood was never meant to be a solo endeavor.

💜 The nature phenomenon I learned about that made me almost tear up (and I'm not a crier!)

💜 Why "just think more positively" wasn't working — and what my nervous system actually needed instead

💜 How I turned a financially impossible dream into the best event I've ever hosted (hint: I didn't do it alone)

So here's to letting other people in. Here's to asking for what we need, receiving what's offered, and growing stronger because of the roots we share.

For full show notes, including takeaways, click here.

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Mary Oliver Poem

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Episode Sponsors:

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Quince: Head to Quince.com/3in30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns

Fodzyme: We're so excited to partner with FODZYME and offer you 30% off your first order when you go to icaneatagain.com/3in30.com.

Related Episodes:

433: Making Friends as a Mom: Why It's Hard—and How to Do It Anyway // Dr. Marisa G. Franco

448: Join Our Team! A Word from our SAM Sisters

453: How to Travel for FREE with Your Family (Really!) // Amber Paul

Let's Connect!

Join me on Instagram!

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

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