The birthday celebration continues with part two of our #my3in30 episode where we hear from mothers from the 3 in 30 community who recorded their own unique takeaways. I hope this will inspire you to think of your own and share them within your circle during the month of October. Don’t forget to check out Episode 150, which is part one of this series.
THREE TAKEAWAYS FROM 10 MOTHERS
Dr. Jennie Zolman is an optometrist and owner of the Draisin Vision Group in Charleston, SC and is a mom to three. She serves as a chair of the American Optometric InfantSEE and Children’s Vision Committee. InfantSEE is the October sponsor for 3 in 30, and we are so honored to be partnering with this incredible organization. Dr. Zolman is sharing her top three takeaways about infant and children’s vision:
- Early eye exams (between 6 months to 1 year old) get babies’ eyes ready for learning.
- For school-aged children, be sure to have a yearly comprehensive eye exam with your optometrist. Many learning problems can be attributed to vision problems, yet this is rarely considered.
- Give your kids’ eyes a break from screens. Remember the 20/20/20 Rule: for every 20 minutes on a screen, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away.
Instagram: @infantsee
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Mary Pugh lives in Draper, Utah with her five kids ages 7-15. She is sharing three key takeaways for how to let your child quit without feeling guilty:
- Know what your top values are for your family. Make a list of the things you value most for your family, and see if the activity in question fits in.
- Try something else, and remember there is more than one way to accomplish a goal.
- Don’t compare your family to any other family.
Related Episode of 3 in 30:
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Alicia Schick lives in Colorado with her husband and five boys. She is passionate about helping families get the nourishment they need during the times when it’s also the hardest to make it happen. Here are Alicia’s three takeaways for making healthy food happen even and especially when life gets hard:
- Adopt the mindset, “I can do this,” one step at a time. A new baby may not be the best time to make any changes, but what can you do?
- Invest a little time to learn.
- Create your own nourishing minimal meal plan. A list of healthy recipes made from ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Ex: stir fry, smoothie bowls, or instant pot soup.
Alicia’s website: www.myplantstrongfamily.com
Alicia’s Instagram: @myplantstrongfamily
Related episode of 3 in 30:
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Ariel Finlinson lives in Logan, Utah with her 3 children ages four to three months old. Through her Instagram, she provides a safe place for women to talk about sex so they can live up to their privilege of joy and fulfillment in sex. Ariel is sharing three takeaways about how to find more joy and fulfillment in your sex life:
- Find ways to connect with your spouse or partner. Sex is a combination of the connection we feel on other levels of our relationship: emotional, physical, spiritual, mental.
- Know your body. First: know and use the names in your body, and second, start to notice sensations in your body in your everyday life.
- Expand the definition of sex to inclue: pleasure, connection, closeness, warmth, tenderness, excitement, joy, laughter, trust.
Ariel’s Instagram: @ladies.talkinglove
Related Episodes of 3 in 30:
- Episode 058: What Happened to my Sex Drive and What Can I Do to Get it Back? with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife
- Episode 099: How to Talk to your Children about Sex with Kristin B. Hodson
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Sarah Good lives in Denver with her two children. As a pretty not-stressed-out mom who is enjoying her journey through motherhood, she took the time to think about why. Today Sarah is sharing three things she doesn’t do as a mom:
- Does not stress about screen time.
- Does not force her kids to eat things they do not want to eat. She learned on Episode 120 that it’s up to her to serve healthy food to her children, but she does not put energy into forcing them to swallow it.
- Does not do bath time. This could be a different part of the day for you, but ultimately it’s an exercise in letting go of control, and allowing her husband to be the sole authority in their nighttime routine.
Related Episodes of 3 in 30:
- Episode 027: 3 Battles You Can Let your Child Win with Lisa Andersen
- Episode 134: Fighting Against Mom-Guilt
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Lindsey Escalera is the mom of two littles ages 2 and 4. She is an interior designer turned stay-at-home mom and knows all about the life of trying to create a well-designed home while having little ones. Lindsey is sharing three tips for creating a space that is beautiful as well as practical when it comes to having kids in the house:
- Control the clutter, do not try to eliminate it. It is about designing your home in a way that helps control the chaos.
- Buy stuff they can’t destroy and that can’t destroy them. Indoor/outdoor rugs, patterns, washable pillow covers and slipcovers.
- Embrace this season and accept that your kids live here too. Involve your kids in creating your home, because they will take ownership if they help.
Instagram: @everydaygracedesigns
Related episodes of 3 in 30:
- Episode 022: 3 Strategies for the Naturally Messy Mom with Candi Kidd
- Episode 008: Controlling Kids’ Clutter with Tana Parke
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Rebecca Brown Wright lives in Salt Lake City with her three children. Through therapy, she learned how to connect with her oldest daughter rather than punish. She is sharing three ways to help us connect instead of yell:
- Challenge yourself to not see your child as naughty. Flip the narrative that children who disobey are being bad. Dr. Ross Green teaches, “Children do well when they can.”
- When your child is melting down or exploding, give them a hug. Don’t punish–connect!
- Schedule meaningful times for connection. See this as insurance. Ex: every Tuesday at 7 pm, we’ll play for 15 minutes.
Website: rebeccabrownwright.com
Instagram: @pauseandconnect
Related episodes of 3 in 30:
- Episode 004: How to Stop Yelling at Your Kids with Ralphie Jacobs
- Episode 084: The Three Cs of Transformative Discipline with Katherine Reynolds Lewis
- Episode 077: How to Coach your Children through their Big Emotions with Georgia Anderson
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Allie Brown lives in Durham, NC with her husband and son. She has three takeaways for getting more involved in your local nonprofit community:
- Examine your interests. What gets your heart pumping for good or for bad?
- Do your research. Chances are there’s at least one organization in your area that’s working on the cause you care most about.
- Donate your time, talent, or treasure. Nonprofits often depend on donations from individuals and the work of active volunteers.
Related episodes of 3 in 30:
- Episode 051: How (and Why) to Get Involved in Politics as a Busy Mom // Lacey Parr
- Episode 110: How to Compassionately Respond to Homelessness // Meg Martin
- Episode 135: How Everyday Moms Can Support Refugees // Nelda Ault Dyslin
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Laura Moore lives in South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. She is a Registered Nurse with her masters in nursing education. Laura is sharing three takeaways to help the mom struggling with a chronic condition:
- Listen. Our bodies are smart and are designed to signal when something isn’t right.
- Act. Once we slow down and listen to our bodies, we are able to acknowledge there is a problem, and start working towards getting help.
- Move. This might be the last thing you feel like doing, but start small.
Related episodes of 3 in 30:
- Episode 082: How to Use Mindfulness to Cope with Pain or Illness as a Mom with Mindful Art Co
- Episode 107: Surviving Depression in Motherhood with Sarah McKenna
- Episode 076: You have Permission to Pause
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Melissa Sunday is from Farming, UT and has four children. She is the holiday enthusiast behind So Festive where she loves sharing simple ideas to help create holiday memories with our families. Today Melissa is sharing three of her favorite simple Christmas traditions:
- 12 days of Christmas is one of the best ways to spread joy to someone in need. Visit sofestive.com for lots of ideas!
- Christmas book advent calendar: wrap your favorite Christmas books, and read one by the Christmas tree each night.
- Focus on feelings. There’s a lot of pressure to do all the things, but focusing on feelings of peace, calm, and joy instead of expectations will help your family have a much more meaningful holiday season.
Melissa’s website: sofestive.com
Melissa’s Instagram: @sofestive
Melissa’s new Christmas book! https://shop.sofestive.com/
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Sponsors
This birthday month of episodes is brought to us by InfantSEE®, a program from Optometry Cares – The AOA Foundation. This is the organization that offers a comprehensive infant eye assessment for babies between the ages of 6 and 12 months old at no cost, regardless of family income or insurance coverage. InfantSEE® is devoted to helping families and children thrive, and I am just so grateful to partner with them.
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Don’t forget!
To receive a recap of ALL of the #my3in30 episodes (as well as every other episode we’ve ever had on 3 in 30, sign up here: 3in30podcast.com/takeaways
What are your three key takeaways? Let me know in a comment below!
