More Human More Kind: Practical Guidance for Allyship and Parenting LGBTQ Teens

DAY 10MORE HUMAN MOMENTS FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL (AND COMPLICATED!) TIME OF THE YEAR!12 TINY REBELLIONS TO COUNTER HOLIDAY CHAOSEver caught yourself enjoying a moment, only to immediately feel guilty for it? If you’re parenting or advocating for an LGBTQ+ child in a world that feels heavy, joy can feel almost… irresponsible.On Day 10 of our holiday capsule series, Heather Hester names the guilt many parents and allies feel around feeling good and gently reframes joy as a vital, courageous act. This isn’t toxic positivity. It’s emotional resilience rooted in real life.In this 5-minute reflection, you’ll learn:Why joy triggers guilt during busy or stressful seasonsHow to reframe joy as nourishment instead of indulgenceA 30-second soft smile ritual that reawakens warmth, ease, and presence right when you need it mostStrategy: Joy is not betrayal. It’s nourishment. Let yourself feel it.Ritual: The Soft Smile – Relax your jaw, soften your face, let a quiet smile rise. Hold it. Let it restore you.Bonus Journal Prompt: Where did joy find me today? Write it down. Let it count.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventReceive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast and space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, and empowerment...

DAY 9MORE HUMAN MOMENTS FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL (AND COMPLICATED!) TIME OF THE YEAR12 TINY REBELLIONS TO COUNTER HOLIDAY CHAOSAre you finding it hard to celebrate the holidays when the world feels like it’s unraveling? If your heart is heavy with the weight of injustice, violence, and overwhelm, this episode is for you.In Day 9 of the More Human, More Kind holiday capsule, Heather Hester invites you to stop trying to hold the whole world and instead embrace the power of one kind thing. For parents and allies of LGBTQ+ kids, this moment of reflection offers both emotional permission and grounded action.You’ll learn:Why world overwhelm hits especially hard during the holidaysHow to recognize that your nervous system isn’t broken, it’s over-capacitatedWhy micro kindness isn’t trivial, but transformativeOne simple breath and reflection practice to help you reconnect with hope, agency, and joyToday’s Strategy: Micro Kindness as ActivismYou don’t have to do everything. Choose one small, authentic act of care, something that matters to you, your child, or your community.Today’s Ritual: Ask yourself: “What is one kind thing I can do today?”Then do it. With intention. With love. Without guilt.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventReceive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a

DAY 8MORE HUMAN MOMENTS FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL (AND COMPLICATED!) TIME OF THE YEAR12 TINY REBELLIONS TO COUNTER HOLIDAY CHAOSEver found yourself watching your LGBTQ+ child shrink at a family tradition that no longer feels right? You're not imagining it, and you're not alone.In Day 8 of the More Human, More Kind holiday capsule, Heather Hester explores why some holiday rituals, like gendered gift exchanges, no longer fit, and how that discomfort can be a powerful invitation to reimagine connection. Tradition should never come at the expense of belonging.You’ll walk away with:A framework for evaluating family traditions through the lens of inclusionPermission to retire or redesign rituals that no longer reflect your family’s realityCreative ideas for new traditions that center empathy, visibility, joy, and chosen familyA grounding reflection practice to help you reconnect with what truly mattersToday’s Strategy: Redesign traditions that don’t support your LGBTQ+ child’s safety, joy, or sense of belonging. Ask: Does this create connection or exclusion?Creative Ritual:Complete the sentence:This year, we will introduce a ritual that helps us feel ________.(Connected? Seen? Safe? Choose your value—and reflect it in one small new practice.)Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventReceive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.More Human. More Kind. formerly...

DAY 7MORE HUMAN MOMENTS FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL (AND COMPLICATED!) TIME OF THE YEAR!12 Tiny Rebellions to Counter Holiday ChaosScrolling social media this time of year and feeling like everyone else’s holiday is warmer, happier, or more “together” than yours? You’re not alone AND it’s not your fault.In Day 7 of the More Human, More Kind holiday capsule, Heather Hester walks you through the emotional and neurological roots of comparison, especially for parents and allies of LGBTQ+ kids, and gently guides you back to truth and authenticity.You’ll learn:Why social comparison spikes during the holidays (and what your nervous system has to do with it)How to shift from “we should be like them” to “we are enough as we are”A short and powerful hand-on-heart ritual to return to presence and peaceA reflection practice to help you reconnect with what makes your family uniquely beautifulYour Ritual: Place your hand on your heart and repeat: We are enough as we are.Optional journaling prompt: What is one thing I genuinely love about who our family is right now?Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventReceive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast and space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community—including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals—while addressing grief, boundaries, education, diversity, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation, social justice, and the power of human...

DAY 6MORE HUMAN MOMENTS FOR THE MOST WONDERFUL (AND COMPLICATED!) TIME OF THE YEAR!12 Tiny Rebellions to Counter Holiday ChaosDo you ever lie awake replaying moments you wish you could rewrite - things you didn’t know, didn’t say, or didn’t protect your LGBTQ+ child from? That quiet ache of guilt sneaks in, especially during the holidays.In Day 6 of More Human, More Kind's holiday capsule series, host Heather Hester helps you gently confront those feelings, not to punish yourself, but to transform guilt into wisdom. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, or advocate, this episode will guide you through releasing shame and honoring your growth.You’ll learn:Why guilt intensifies during the holidays for parents of LGBTQ+ kidsHow to shift your mindset from “I failed” to “I’ve grown”A powerful reframing mantra: “Guilt is a signal, not a sentence”A 2-minute journaling ritual that turns self-judgment into self-compassionYour Strategy: Reframe guilt as an invitation to grow, not a verdict on your past.Your Ritual: Journal on this loving prompt:“What is one thing I know now that I didn’t know then—and how can I integrate it with love?”Optional add-on: “How can I turn this guilt into one small act of growth and repair?”Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Become a private clientInvite me to speak at your workshop or eventReceive a free excerpt and reflection guide from my book, Parenting with Pride. Share More Human. More Kind. Please subscribe, rate, and review!Connect [email protected] Me A CoffeeWatch on YouTube Listen to *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to compassion, authenticity, and transformative allyship, especially for those navigating the complexities of parenting LGBTQ+ kids. Through this podcast, speaking, my writing, and the spaces I create, I help people unlearn bias, embrace their full humanity, and foster courageous, compassionate connection.If you’re in the thick of parenting, allyship, or pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heart-warming stories, real tools, and grounding support to help you move from fear to fierce, informed action.Whether you’re listening in, working with me directly, or quietly taking it all in, I see you. And I’m so glad you’re part of this journey.More Human. More Kind. formerly Just Breathe: Parenting Your LGBTQ Teen is a safe and supportive podcast and space where a mom and mental health advocate offers guidance on parenting with empathy, inclusion, and open-minded allyship, fostering growth, healing, and empowerment within the LGBTQ community—including lesbian, gay, bisexual,...