More Human. More Kind. | Parenting LGBTQ Kids, Unlearning Fear, Becoming More Human

What do you say to the voice that tells you that you haven’t done enough?This is the Friday companion to Tuesday’s episode on activism fatigue, recorded for the final weekend before Election Day. Heather turns that conversation into four small actions: one word, one tiny practice, one urge to resist, and one sentence for the tired advocate standing next to you. She also reads this week’s listener review.In this episode you’ll learn how to:Replace the voice that says you haven’t done enough with one wordStart a proof list that reminds you your work matters, and read it before bedResist the urge to do everything this weekend and pick just one thingOffer the friend or fellow advocate running on fumes one sentence that shares the loadPress play for four small ways to rest and recharge before Election Day.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my websiteJoin the Conversation on SubstackRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Support the Show - Learn more here!Watch on YouTubeListen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.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 grow their capacity for courageous connection.For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

Is that bone-deep exhaustion you’re feeling activism fatigue, and what do you do about it a week before the election?If you’ve spent this month learning, donating, volunteering, and having hard conversations at your dinner table, you may be running on empty. Heather names activism fatigue out loud, shares the moments she has asked herself what the point is, and draws on research from long-haul activists. She offers five practices that keep advocates going for years instead of months.In this episode you’ll learn how to:Understand why this exhaustion is normal and what research says about activist burnoutFind your way back when you catch yourself asking what the point is, and why that motivation can’t only come from outside of youUse everyday practices that keep advocates going, and apply them in the final week before the electionPress play to find out how to rest, come back into balance, and keep showing up long after November 3rd.What's the Point of a Revolution if You Can't Dance?Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my websiteJoin the Conversation on SubstackRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Support the Show - Learn more here!Watch on YouTubeListen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.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 grow their capacity for courageous connection.For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

What if one kind comment could do for your child what one cruel comment does against them?This is the butterfly effect episode for Tuesday’s episode on online hate. Heather turns that conversation into four small actions you can start right now. She also reads this week’s listener review and shares why the mob mentality can work in both directions.In this episode you’ll learn how to:Hold onto one word that reframes the antidote to online crueltyAsk your child to show you one funny thing from their feed, with no lesson attachedResist the urge to pile on in your own comment sections this election seasonSay one sentence that tells your child they can always come back to you, and won’t lose their phone for itPress play for four small ways to help your LGBTQ child feel seen online and at home.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my websiteJoin the Conversation on SubstackRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Support the Show - Learn more here!Watch on YouTubeListen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.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 grow their capacity for courageous connection.For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

Give yourself the gift of empowermentWhat do you do when you can’t stop your LGBTQ child from seeing online hate, and you shouldn’t try?Online cruelty and dehumanization get louder in the weeks before an election, and our kids are in the middle of it. Heather explains what’s driving the harshness in their feeds, including who is paying for some of it. She walks through six ways to build resilience without surveillance or confiscating phones.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Understand why your child’s feed is likely to get harsher before the election and what’s behind itHave real, age appropriate conversations about what they’re seeing without resorting to surveillance or taking their phoneHelp your child find at least one safe online space, and where to start lookingPress play to learn six practical ways to help your LGBTQ child take care of themselves online.If you or your child needs support right now, the Trevor Project is available at 1-866-488-7386 or by texting START to 678-678.The TrevorSpaceAllsides.comHi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my websiteJoin the Conversation on SubstackRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Support the Show - Learn more here!Watch on YouTubeListen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.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 grow their capacity for courageous connection.For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.

How do you stay hopeful and engaged when the news makes everything feel hopeless? What if the answer is smaller than you think?This is the butterfly effect episode for Tuesday’s episode on the load-bearing walls of democracy. Heather offers one word, one 15-minute action, one urge to resist, and one line for the next time someone says they’re just not political. Her reminder is that those walls aren’t made of granite. They’re made of people, and that includes you.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Use one word to change how you see your place in all of thisPick one race outside your state and do one thing for it from your couchCount the wins alongside the losses when the news feels hopelessRespond to “I’m just not political” with one line that brings the conversation back to the kidsPress play for four small ways to stay hopeful and engaged between now and November 3rd.Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!Feeling uncertain or overwhelmed? Stay informed - visit my websiteJoin the Conversation on SubstackRead my book, Parenting with Pride. Support the Show - Learn more here!Watch on YouTubeListen * Share * Review *NEW* episodes every Tuesday and Friday!This is a place to feel messy while you're figuring it out.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 grow their capacity for courageous connection.For parents, allies, and those pioneering a way to lead with love and kindness, I’m here with true, messy, and heartwarming 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 on this journey with me.