A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

Shannon Watts is the founder of Moms Demand Action, a six-million member organization she describes as “maybe the world’s largest real life field experiment for what happens when you show women how their abilities and their burning desires and their values align, and how they come alive and can achieve things they never imagined possible.”

We are thrilled to have her on the Brave Writer podcast today to talk about her upcoming book, Fight Like a Mother.

In this episode, we talk about:

• how both misogyny and motherhood shape women’s journey to, and through, advocacy,
• how to withstand blowback and the discomfort that comes with growth, including celebrating small wins and “finding your people,”
• and how social media has allowed women to bypass traditional media gatekeepers.

Our conversation with Shannon about the intersection of motherhood, feminism, and activism is one that will keep us fueled for a long time. We hope you enjoy it.

Show Notes

Moms and Advocacy 

The fierce protective nature commonly found in moms can help them bust through the misogynistic baggage that’s been heaped upon them their whole lives. Whether it’s advocating for common sense gun laws or advocating for a child in the education system, the love a mother has for her child can bring out the best in her as an advocate and as a fully empowered adult.

Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

Just like being pregnant or parenting teens, moms have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable when being activists. Bucking authority and facing backlash can make many stop their advocacy before it even really starts. In her book, Shannon acknowledges this and gives concrete ways women can overcome these obstacles and build stamina for the fight.

Media Gatekeepers

Despite creating one of the largest grassroots groups in American history, and being an expert on policy, Shannon still often gets shut out from major media appearances. When she is let in, she’s often relegated to the role of describing the emotional side of the issue. Shannon talks about how social media has been huge for her and other women to bypass traditional media gatekeepers to get their voices heard.

Our conversation with Shannon about the intersection of motherhood, feminism, and activism is one that will keep us fueled for a long time. 

Resources

• Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
• Pre-order a copy of Julie’s new workbook, Becoming a Critical Thinker. 
• Check out Shannon’s book and other books we’ve recommended on the podcast in the Brave Writer Bookshop. 
• Get involved at MomsDemandAction.org. 
• Sign up for Shannon’s Substack
• Follow Shannon’s on Instagram: @ShannonWatts 
• Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
• Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684

Connect with Julie

• Instagram: @juliebravewriter
• Threads: @juliebravewriter
• Twitter: @bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Connect with Melissa

• Website: melissawiley.com
• Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
• Instagram: @melissawileybooks
• Twitter: @melissawiley

Produced by NOVA Media

Today on the Brave Writer podcast we answer a listener’s letter. An excerpt::

My kids craft. All. The. Time. They wake and craft. Hot glue and paper scraps everywhere. Markers and lost lids everywhere. Cardboard everywhere. Currently they’re making some kind of escape room with string strung everywhere like a spider’s web. 

I let them be and I read aloud for an hour or so, so that our morning starts fun. But then I can’t stop them. And the energy it takes me to try and get them to clean up and then refocus on some math or whatever drains me before I can even begin. I do short (no busywork) lessons but even that they balk at because they just wanna do their own thing that they are on a roll with. And they are ALWAYS on a roll!!

The mess stresses me out…I wonder if you have any caring ideas for the frazzled mom. I wish I loved artsy chaos. I am not my best self in it. I’m exhausted with the struggle of trying to keep some order and also do the lessons we need to do.

We’ve all been there: trying to wrangle wild, messy children away from what they’re engrossed in and towards a small lesson or two that needs to be done. It can become a daily grind that frazzles and exhausts you, maybe even making you doubt yourself.

So today we open the podcast listener mailbag and respond to “Molly,” a mom who is looking for ideas to unfrazzle her life.

While it’s natural to feel frazzled sometimes, you shouldn’t have to live in a constant state of frazzlement. We hope our conversation today helps “Molly” and all the other homeschooling families out there.

Show Notes

Big Picture: Your Voice Matters

First, let’s talk big picture: Your needs as a mother matter. While you’re finding the balance between letting the children engage in curiosity-based learning and making sure they’re doing what they need to do in order to keep future doors open, don’t forget your own needs for a functional home and life. 

If your kids are at an appropriate age, you can disclose to them that you are feeling frazzled and why. You can engage them in planning how to make a change. Keep in mind, this is not the same thing as dumping or manipulating their emotions. 

Specifics: The Tactics

There are tactics you can try to manage physical space.

• Designate certain areas for certain activities.
• Use bins (lots of bins).
• Break up cleaning up activities into two separate parts: Picking up and putting away.

There are also tactics for smoother transitions between activities. Give your kids a roadmap of the day so they know ahead of time that there will be transitions. Play music, light a candle, or create some other ritual that shows one time period has ended and a new one is beginning. Use natural transitions like mealtimes to help the process.

Communication is another important tactic. Recognize your children’s emotions, but stay matter-of-fact about the transition. Speaking firmly but with a smile goes a long way. Remember, you are showing your child how to make transitions and changes, a skill they will need for the rest of their lives.

Resources

• Be like “Molly” and send us your questions! Text us at +1 (833) 947-3684 or email us at [email protected].
• Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
• Good news: There are enough weeks left to do a writing project with your kids that will leave you feeling confident and accomplished this school year. Sign up for a Brave Writer online writing class. Our classes start every Monday, and each one only lasts three to six weeks. Sign up today!
• Pre-order a copy of Julie’s new workbook, Becoming a Critical Thinker. 
• Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!

Connect with Julie

• Instagram: @juliebravewriter
• Threads: @juliebravewriter
• Twitter: @bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Connect with Melissa

• Website: melissawiley.com
• Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
• Instagram: @melissawileybooks
• Twitter: @melissawiley

Produced by NOVA Media