487: How to Raise Patriotic Kids When It Feels Complicated // Sharon McMahon

3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms

Cloud10

Parenting, Society & Culture, Personal Journals, How To, Education, Kids & Family

4.9 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 29 June 2026

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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 ***

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is sponsored by KT by Nix, period underwear designed specifically for teen girls.
0:05.8	One thing I deeply want for my daughter is for her to show up confidently in every situation,
0:10.7	including in a swimsuit. Being a teenage girl is already so much, and a swimsuit can bring up
0:15.6	a lot of self-consciousness even on a good day. The last thing I want is her period to be one more reason to hold back,
0:22.4	sit out, or feel like she can't just run toward the water with her friends. KT by Nix makes period
0:27.6	underwear and swimwear designed specifically for teen girls. With fun colors and styles,
0:32.4	she'll actually want to wear, nothing that screams period underwear. Some styles absorb up to nine super tampons worth,
0:39.3	so she's fully covered even on heavy days at the pool, and they look, feel, and wash like
0:43.7	regular underwear. So if you have a teen girl, I would hands down recommend KT. It's not just
0:49.4	underwear, it's giving our girls the confidence they deserve. Go to nixteen.com, that's k-n-I-X-teen.com, and use code 3-30 for 15% off.
1:01.3	That's k-n-I-X-teen.com code 3-N-30.
1:10.8	Welcome to 3-30, a podcast to help you feel more like yourself within your motherhood.
1:16.3	Each 30-minute episode features three actionable takeaways to help you become a more self-assured mom,
1:22.2	someone who knows yourself, honors your needs, and loves your people.
1:26.6	Listen in to feel encouraged as we learn together how to overcome overwhelm and find more magic in motherhood.
1:33.1	I'm your host, Rachel Nielsen. I'm so glad you're here.
1:41.6	I'm a wordsperson, which I suppose is the occupational hazard of spending years as a high school
1:47.1	English teacher.
1:48.7	But I notice when words shift, when something that used to feel simple and clear starts
1:54.1	carrying extra weight or gets claimed by one group of people until the rest of us feel uncertain
1:59.6	about whether we're still allowed
2:00.9	to use that word in the way we always meant to. That's what's happened in the last decade,
	...

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