EP 66: Letting Go of Your Mom Guilt for Good With JoAnn Crohn

I know her courses are successful, they even helped my own daughters with getting their homework done and getting off to school on time. JoAnn is also a perfect example of the importance of perseverance. From getting her national board certification when she was a teacher to finding products and courses that resonated with her audience, not giving up has been her mantra.

If you struggle with mom guilt or need a new approach to convince your kids to do what you want, this episode is perfect for you. JoAnn has so much wisdom to offer, both as a mom and a former teacher, and as a business owner. Today’s episode definitely runs the gamut to talk through all those different things but also to talk about the importance of persistence and what it means to keep going even when at first you don’t succeed.

Highlights

[04:22] – The Do it Scared podcast is one of JoAnn’s favorite things to listen to in the car.
[05:14] – JoAnn runs a site called No Guilt Mom and it’s designed to help moms feel less guilty about all things parenting.
[05:24] – She started this site, because when she was growing up her parents were expected to do it all, especially her mother. There was a mental load that mother’s were expected to carry.
[06:23] – JoAnn was scared about being a mom, because she didn’t want to give up her whole life for kids.
[07:04] – Things changed when she saw her husband’s cousin’s version of parenting.
[07:39] – JoAnn was also a teacher, so she is all about making kids self-sufficient.
[09:27] – JoAnn has been part of Elite Blogging Academy since 2015.
[09:52] – She has also been part of EBA Mastermind since 2016.
[11:37] – JoAnn didn’t get much traction with her blog until last year. Be true to yourself. Don’t emulate what everyone else was doing.
[12:38] – Things exploded when Ruth challenged JoAnn to write three posts a week. Her word of the year was a flywheel.
[13:55] – JoAnn rebranded to No Guilt Mom and people knew what she was all about.
[14:58] – You need to figure out who your audience is and who you’re talking to and what’s going to resonate with them.
[15:18] – Now that JoAnn has her foundational piece down, she can answer questions she gets from readers.
[16:51] – Homework 911 teaches kids to get their routine and life skills for their homework. She tried Homework 911 for parents, but it didn’t resonate. She then decided to do a class for kids, and her first course was born.
[18:08] – At Ruth’s house, getting her youngest daughter to do her homework is a struggle. Her daughter watched the homework course and was instantly hooked.
[19:48] – JoAnn engages with the kids, and Ruth’s daughter watched all of them. Her other daughter watched them, and there are no homework problems.
[21:35] – Tame Your Morning Chaos will get kids to school on time. Ruth thinks these courses are truly life changing.
[23:08] – JoAnn has a Not So Bummer Summer course which teaches kids to make a goal and then negotiate with parents to get it done. She teaches kids to do what you want them to do, so they can do what they want to do. They are empowered with their negotiation skills.
[26:21] – It’s important to teach kids not to be so dependent on their mom or parent.
[26:36] – One of the reasons that we have so much guilt is we feel like we have to do everything for our kids. We can’t do everything for our kids and take care of ourselves and do everything else we need to do.
[27:18] – When you are bombarded with tasks and no one is helping you, it’s overwhelming.
[28:21] – A lesson that keeps repeating for JoAnn is don’t give up. This started for her when she was a teacher and working on her national board certification.
[31:07] – She missed the first time she tried by 15 points, and the second time by one point. This was her last chance, and she made it. She doesn’t give up, and she takes that into her business.
[34:04] – It also took JoAnn awhile to hit on the right product and courses. She persevered until things resonated with her audience.
[35:51] – JoAnn is a people pleaser and after that a procrastinator and an outcast. She did notice that she holds herself back in order to please people. She stopped this. She hasn’t put herself out there as much as she could. She is ignoring the voices that make her procrastinate. Doing it fast doesn’t allow time to overthink.
[39:08] – She also uses time limits for keyword research.
[41:18] – Practice on building a fear immunity.
[41:41] – JoAnn constantly struggles with. On Sundays she turns off her phone and focuses on what is in front of her. She also makes plans to go out with friends.
[44:49] – JoAnn goes to a coffee shop every morning and writes 750 words. She always dreamed of sitting in a coffee shop to work.
[46:12] – She is fired up about her book, A Parent’s Companion to Homework 911, and it’s coming out in August.
[46:58] – She is also creating another homework class for older kids.
[47:59] – Ruth’s kids are starting a new school that is all project-based learning.
[48:42] – The best advice JoAnn has received is to keep going.
[49:39] – Don’t quit on whatever you are working on right now.