meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Clear Intentions with Diane Boden

Lessons in the Mess: What Sibling Rivalry Really Teaches Us | Justin Whitmel Earley (EP38)

Clear Intentions with Diane Boden

Diane Boden

Self-improvement, How To, Kids & Family, Mental Health, Education, Parenting, Health & Fitness

4.8952 Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Is it possible that sibling rivalry holds the key to teaching kids grace, empathy, and lasting family bonds? In this episode, author and third-time guest Justin Whitmel Earley returns to talk about his new children’s book, The Big Mess—a heartfelt story centered on sibling reconciliation and the value of family amidst everyday chaos. Justin shares what led him from writing for adults to crafting stories for kids, inspired by his love for parenting and the power of imagination. He offers practical insights on turning daily messes into moments of grace, building habits of forgiveness, and nurturing healthy sibling dynamics. Whether you're navigating screen time or sibling squabbles, this conversation is packed with wisdom for every parent looking to raise kids with empathy, creativity, and connection.

Note: I have listeners of all faith backgrounds that listen to the podcast. This episode is coming from a christian perspective so if that’s something that doesn’t fit what you’re looking for, check out the other episode that dropped this week or join me back here next Tuesday for a conversation that you don’t want to miss!

-----------------------

Links Discussed in This Episode |


About Justin|

Justin Whitmel Earley is a writer, speaker, and lawyer. He is the author of The Common Rule, Habits of the Household, and Made for People, though he spends most days running his business law practice. Through his writing and speaking, Justin empowers God’s people to thrive through life-giving habits that form them in the love of God and neighbor. He continually explores both how physical habits are more spiritual than we think and how spiritual habits are more physical than we think. He lives with his wife and four boys in Richmond, Virginia, spends a lot of time around fires and porches with friends, and is a part-owner of a local gym.


Episode Sponsors |

Clear Intentions would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!


Enjoy the Podcast?

Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 

Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.


Questions |


  • Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.


  • If you’ve been struggling with motivation to declutter or work through bad habits that keep you stuck, I’d love to help you achieve your goals! We’ll work together (locally or virtually) to discover what areas in your life are high priority to get you feeling less overwhelmed right away.  For more info on my processes, fees, and availability please contact!


Our Sponsors:
* Check out Blueland: https://blueland.com/clear
* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code MINIMALIST for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/minimalist-moms-podcast2093/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

it's about helping parents see that in the midst of civil and conflict, reconciliation and

0:06.0

beautiful things can happen. And in the midst of a messy household, reconciliation and

0:10.8

beautiful things can happen. And for parents, too, that there's something greater than our plans

0:14.7

for how today was supposed to go or how the kitchen's supposed to look. And that is being present

0:19.3

and loving that child,, yeah, is making the

0:21.8

kitchen really messy, but is also ours to love. To some extent, parents need to learn to

0:26.3

tolerate some of the mess. Conflict and messiness is the norm, not the exception. When we

0:33.7

give them the screen just to keep them from fighting, we're robbing them of the ability to learn

0:38.6

to reconcile, to be resilient, to negotiate and work things out. It's the things that are difficult,

0:44.8

including human conflict, that actually make us stronger and more happy in the end. Like with

0:49.0

most of life, the path to the good stuff is through the hard stuff.

0:53.9

Is it possible that sibling rivalry holds the key to teaching kids grace, empathy,

0:58.8

and lasting family bonds? In this episode, author and third-time guest, Justin Whitmell

1:04.1

Early, returns to talk about his new children's book, The Big Mess, a heartfelt story centered

1:09.0

on sibling reconciliation and the value of family

1:11.7

amidst everyday chaos. Justin shares what led him from writing for adults to crafting stories for kids,

1:17.4

inspired by his love for parenting and the power of imagination. He offers practical insights

1:22.5

on turning daily messes into moments of grace, building habits of forgiveness, and nurturing healthy sibling

1:28.4

dynamics. Whether you're navigating screen time or sibling squabbles, this conversation is packed

1:33.7

with wisdom for every parent looking to raise kids with empathy, creativity, and connection.

1:39.0

I do want to give you a heads up that this episode will be coming from a Christian perspective,

1:42.8

but even if that's not where your spirituality aligns, there is so much rich advice to be taken away from this conversation.

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 24 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Diane Boden, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Diane Boden and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.