Pardon the Mess with Scarlet Hiltibidal - Christian Motherhood, Biblical Parenting, Raising Christian Kids

Christian Parenting
Christian Parenting
  • 4.9 (844)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

As parents, we know raising kids is the opposite of neat and tidy. Pardon the Mess is a podcast for Christian moms who love Jesus, love their kids, and still feel behind on most days. Each week, host Scarlet takes one real parenting mess (morning meltdowns, discipline guilt, raising kind kids in a world that doesn't feel kind) and untangles it with honesty and grace, one small, faithful step at a time. No five-step systems. No longer to-do lists. Just clarity about what matters most and permission to let the rest go. Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

  1. 2d ago

    Summer is Long…What Do I Do With My Kids?

    Summer always seems to come with big expectations. We imagine memory-making adventures, endless family fun, and kids who magically never complain. But somewhere between snack requests, screen-time negotiations, and trying to keep everyone occupied, many of us end up wondering if we're doing enough. In this episode, Scarlet Hiltibidal shares why the best summer isn't necessarily the busiest one. Instead, she explores how the gospel frees us from the pressure to create a "perfect" summer and invites us to faithfully enjoy the ordinary moments God has already given us. You'll also hear from special guest Anna Van Dyke, who shares simple, practical rhythms that have helped her family cultivate faith, connection, and joy throughout the summer. Whether you're staying home, traveling, or just trying to survive another hot afternoon with your kids, this episode will encourage you to embrace intentionality over perfection and remember that God is already at work in the everyday moments. In This EpisodeWhy summer can leave moms feeling overwhelmedHow the gospel frees us from the pressure to create a "perfect" childhoodSimple spiritual rhythms your family can build into everyday lifePractical ideas for creating meaningful summer memories without overschedulingFinding joy in the ordinary instead of chasing extraordinary moments Scripture FocusColossians 3:17Luke 10:38-42 Special thanks to Anna Van Dyke who shared her own experience with this for this week's Messy Mom Moment! If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a positive review, and share it with a friend who may need hope today. Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Resources: The Adventure Bible Cozy Earth (use code PARDONTHEMESS for up to 20% off! And if you get a Post-Purchase Survey, make sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here!) Get your copy of Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today! Get to know Scarlet here Sign up for Morning Minute Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  2. Jul 9

    I Don't Know How to Help My Child Through Friendship Drama

    Few things are harder than watching your child come home hurt by a friend. Whether they're feeling left out, navigating conflict, experiencing rejection, or struggling through friendship drama, many moms find themselves wondering: Should I step in? Should I stay out of it? How do I help without making it worse? In this episode of Pardon the Mess, Scarlet Hiltibidal shares personal stories, practical encouragement, and biblical wisdom for helping children navigate relational conflict in a way that reflects the heart of Jesus. Through the lens of Matthew 18, she'll explore how we can teach our kids to pursue reconciliation, extend forgiveness, and find their identity in Christ rather than in the approval of others. If you've ever felt helpless watching your child struggle socially, this conversation will encourage you to trust God with their relationships while helping them develop the skills and character they'll need for a lifetime of healthy friendships. In This Episode:Why friendship drama affects moms so deeplyThe difference between protecting your child and preparing themWhat Jesus teaches about conflict and reconciliation in Matthew 18How to help your child navigate hurt, rejection, and misunderstandingsTeaching kids to pursue peace instead of gossipHelping children separate their identity from their friendshipsPractical ways to walk alongside your child without taking overHow the gospel transforms the way we handle relational conflictScripture Referenced:Matthew 18:15Ephesians 4:31–32 Special thanks to Vanessa Dolberry who shared her own experience with this for this week's Messy Mom Moment! If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a positive review, and share it with a friend who may need hope today. P.S. Scarlet also joined Steph on The Christian Parenting Podcast earlier this week for a great conversation on embracing the Gospel for real-life parenting messes! Listen here or watch here Resources: The Adventure Bible Get your copy of Faith in Action: Prayers from James for the Next Generation today! Get to know Scarlet here Sign up for Morning Minute Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  3. Jul 2

    I Don’t Know How to Trust God’s Goodness After a Miscarriage

    In this deeply personal episode, Scarlet Hiltibidal shares her own experiences with miscarriage and the difficult questions that often accompany loss. Through stories of grief, fear, and surrender, she reflects on the difference between questioning God's goodness and learning to trust His goodness even when circumstances don't make sense. Whether you're walking through pregnancy loss yourself or supporting a mom friend who is, this conversation offers biblical encouragement, honest hope, and practical ways to care for those who are grieving. Together, we'll explore what it looks like to cling to God in heartbreak and find comfort in His unchanging character when life feels uncertain. In this episode: Scarlet's personal experiences with miscarriageWrestling with faith in seasons of lossTrusting God's goodness when life doesn't feel goodBiblical encouragement for grieving momsPractical ways to support someone experiencing pregnancy lossFinding hope and healing in Christ amid unanswered questions If you've ever wondered how to hold both grief and faith at the same time, this episode is for you! Today's Scripture Focus: Psalm 34:18, Romans 8:32, Lamentations 3:22-23, John 11:35 Special thanks to Scarlet’s little tiny infant baby sister (who is 32!) Aubrey Fuhrman, who shared her own experience with this for this week's Messy Mom Moment! If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a positive review, and share it with a friend who may need hope today. Resources: The Adventure Bible Get to know Scarlet here Sign up for Morning Minute Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  4. Jun 25

    A Bad Diagnosis & Letting Kids See Hard Things

    How do you talk to your kids about cancer, suffering, terminal illness, or the possibility of losing someone they love? Whether it's a grandparent's diagnosis, a chronic illness, a devastating loss, or another painful reality, there comes a moment when we realize we cannot protect our children from every hard thing this side of heaven. In this episode of Pardon the Mess, Scarlet Hiltibidal shares from a deeply personal place as she reflects on her mother's battle with stage-four cancer and the challenges of helping her own children navigate grief, uncertainty, and difficult questions. How much do we tell our kids? Should they see us cry? How do we help them process suffering when we're still processing it ourselves? Together, we'll explore what Scripture teaches about suffering, why Christian hope is different from wishful thinking, and how parents can model faith in the middle of fear. Rather than shielding our children from every hardship, we have the opportunity to show them what it looks like to trust Jesus when life hurts. This conversation is ultimately about more than cancer. It's about helping our children discover that God's presence is real, His promises are trustworthy, and His love remains steadfast even when life feels fragile. Today's Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 "Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day..." Special thanks to Jennifer Sieber, who shared her own experience with this for this week's Messy Mom Moment! If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who may need hope today. Resources: Get to know Scarlet here Sign up for Morning Minute Hopeful-ish: Sadness, Weariness, Donkey Attacks, More Sadness, and Other Stuff You Need the Gospel For Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  5. Jun 18

    I Don't Know How to Help My Kids Feel at Home When Home Keeps Changing

    How do we help our children navigate change when their hearts are breaking over what they're leaving behind? In this week's episode of Pardon the Mess, Scarlet Hiltibidal shares from a lifetime of moving, from her childhood years spent relocating across the country to the many ministry moves she's made as a wife and mom. She explores the unique challenges of helping children process transitions, say goodbye to people and places they love, and learn to trust God in unfamiliar seasons. Drawing from personal stories of moving with young children, leaving beloved churches and communities, and helping her family build new lives in new places, Scarlet discusses the tension many parents feel: wanting their children to embrace what's ahead without minimizing the grief of what's being left behind. But this episode isn't ultimately about moving. It's about belonging. It's about helping our children understand that while homes, schools, churches, friendships, and circumstances may change, God never does. Through biblical examples like Abraham, Moses, Ruth, and the Israelites, Scarlet highlights a powerful theme woven throughout Scripture: God's people have always been travelers, strangers, and sojourners learning to trust Him in unfamiliar places. The Christian life has never been about finding perfect security in this world. It's about learning to anchor our hearts in the One who never changes. In this episode, Scarlet discusses: • How to help children grieve the people, places, and routines they love • Why grief is not evidence that a move or transition was a mistake • The tension of feeling both excitement and sadness during major life changes • Biblical examples of faithful people who followed God into the unknown • Why earthly homes, relationships, and comforts make poor ultimate foundations • How transitions reveal where we are placing our security and identity • Practical ways to help children build trust in God's faithfulness during uncertain seasons • How to cultivate gratitude for God's gifts without clinging too tightly to them Today's Scripture Focus: Hebrews 11:13–16 A special thank you to Caroline Downen who shared her own moving to Japan and back experience during the Messy Mom Moment! If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who may need this reminder today. 00:00 Embracing Transitions: A Personal Journey 12:02 Navigating Grief and Change with Kids 17:50 Finding Home in a Changing World Resources: Get to know Scarlet here Sign up for Morning Minute Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  6. Jun 11

    Loving Each of My Kids Well (When They All Need Something Different)

    How do you love your children well when every one of them seems to need something completely different from you? In this week's episode of Pardon the Mess, Scarlet Hiltibidal explores one of the most common tensions in motherhood: the desire to make sure each child feels deeply loved, seen, and secure, even when their personalities, needs, struggles, and seasons of life look nothing alike. Drawing from her own experience parenting four very different children, including sharing the adoption story of her daughter Joy, Scarlet reflects on the unique challenges and unexpected gifts that come with loving children individually rather than identically. From navigating a wide age gap between siblings to understanding different temperaments, emotional needs, and life experiences, she discusses the pressure many moms feel to keep everything equal, and why equal isn't always the same as loving well. At the heart of this conversation is a beautiful gospel truth: God Himself does not interact with every one of His children in exactly the same way. Throughout Scripture, we see a God who knows people personally, pursues them individually, and meets them in the unique circumstances of their lives. He is not a generic Father offering generic love. He is a deeply personal God who sees, knows, and cares for each of His children completely. This episode is also a reminder that our children's deepest security will never come from having perfectly balanced parents or perfectly equal circumstances. Their security comes from knowing they are fully known and fully loved by God. While we will inevitably fall short, the good news of the gospel is that our children do not need perfect parents. They need parents who consistently point them to the only perfect Father. Today's Scripture Focus: Psalm 139 A special thank you to Scarlet's 13-year-old daughter, Joy, for joining this week's Messy Mom Moment. If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who may need this reminder today. 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 19:17 The Beauty of Individual Love in Family Dynamics 21:15 Understanding God's Personal Love for Us 23:32 Biblical Examples of Tailored Love 25:42 Practical Steps for Unique Parenting 27:30 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement Resources: Get to know Scarlet here Sign up for Morning Minute Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  7. Jun 4

    I Keep Feeling Like I’m Failing My Kids

    It’s officially Scarlet Hiltibidal’s first episode as the new host of Pardon the Mess, and she’s kicking things off with a conversation every mom needs to hear. If you’ve ever laid in bed replaying your parenting failures, wondered if your bad moments are shaping your kids forever, or felt crushed under the pressure to “get motherhood right,” this episode is for you. Scarlet shares honest stories from her own home, the parenting advice that radically changed her perspective as a young mom, and the freeing truth that the gospel was never about pretending we’re perfect parents. It’s about pointing our children to a perfect Savior. She explores how our failures can actually become places where grace shines bright, why joy and peace in motherhood cannot be built on performance, and how repentance, humility, and dependence on Jesus create a healthier home than image management ever could. In this episode, Scarlet talks about: • Why motherhood often feels spiritually heavy and emotionally exhausting • The difference between parenting for performance versus parenting from grace • How our identity in Christ changes the way we respond to our failures • The beauty of apologizing to our kids and modeling repentance • Why children do not need flawless parents — they need parents who know Jesus • How the Holy Spirit empowers us to live with joy, peace, and dependence instead of striving • Practical ways to reset the tone of your home when everything feels chaotic This episode is a reminder that your worst moments are not the truest thing about you. Jesus is still present in the mess, still forming your children, and still offering grace for today. Whether you’re parenting toddlers, teenagers, or somewhere in between, this conversation will help you exhale, laugh a little, and remember what matters most. Today's Scripture Focus: Romans 8:1-4 If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a mom friend who needs some hope today. Special thanks to Michelle Glass who shared a beautiful testimony for this week's Messy Mom Moment! Resources: Get to know Scarlet here Afraid of All the Things Sign up for Morning Minute Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide Prefer video? This episode is on YouTube! Connect with Pardon The Mess: Christian Parenting Pardon The Mess Scarlet’s Instagram Scarlet’s Facebook Pardon The Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  8. Trailer

    Trailer

    As parents, we know raising kids is the opposite of neat and tidy. Pardon the Mess is a podcast for Christian moms who love Jesus, love their kids, and still feel behind on most days. Each week, host Scarlet takes one real parenting mess (morning meltdowns, discipline guilt, raising kind kids in a world that doesn't feel kind) and untangles it with honesty and grace, one small, faithful step at a time. No five-step systems. No longer to-do lists. Just clarity about what matters most and permission to let the rest go. Pardon the Mess is part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit www.ChristianParenting.org. Our Sponsors: * Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MESS * Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Trailer
See All (676)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

4.9
out of 5
844 Ratings

About

As parents, we know raising kids is the opposite of neat and tidy. Pardon the Mess is a podcast for Christian moms who love Jesus, love their kids, and still feel behind on most days. Each week, host Scarlet takes one real parenting mess (morning meltdowns, discipline guilt, raising kind kids in a world that doesn't feel kind) and untangles it with honesty and grace, one small, faithful step at a time. No five-step systems. No longer to-do lists. Just clarity about what matters most and permission to let the rest go. Pardon the Mess is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Information

More From Christian Parenting

You Might Also Like