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

SPECIAL EPISODE ALERT!!

We are so happy to share this special episode that is a celebration of both 6 years AND 200 episodes for this podcast! It is honest and raw...and the sound may be a little off our usual high quality recording levels.

In this heartfelt milestone episode, Heather Hester is joined in person by two of her children, Connor and Grace, to share the deeply personal and powerful story of how their family moved from silence and fear to connection, growth, and unconditional love. (Steve, Isabelle, and Rowan were there in spirit and idea!) This isn’t just Heather’s story, it’s theirs. And it’s the story that quietly fuels everything More Human, More Kind has become.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How one family navigated the complexity of religious upbringing, generational trauma, and LGBTQ+ identity
• The emotional impact of unlearning what we’re taught, and how to rebuild with empathy and love
• What it really looks like to come out as a family
• The role of softness, boundaries, and intentional parenting in healing and advocacy
• How to lead with love when the world wants you to harden
• What Heather’s kids really think about her work and how it’s shaped their own evolution

Episode Highlights

• A Real Family, A Real Journey: Connor and Grace share raw reflections about how their mom’s upbringing shaped her parenting and how their family broke painful patterns together.
• Generational Healing: Heather opens up about the complexity of parenting while holding a bridge to a family system that couldn’t (or wouldn’t) grow with her.
• Softness is Strength: A look back at what it means to stay open-hearted in the face of discomfort, and how empathy became their family's superpower.
• The Awakening: The moment that changed everything from fear to fierce love and how it led to this podcast, this mission, and this beautiful, brave community.
• Coming Out as a Family: Connor and Grace reflect on what it felt like to step into authenticity together, and why that bond changed them forever.
• Boundaries as Love: How Heather learned to hold the line with her own parents without passing on pain to her kids.
• From Fear to Fierce Allyship: Why showing up again and again, imperfectly but courageously, is the most powerful thing a parent can do.

Key Takeaways

• Softness isn’t something you earn, it’s something you return to.
• Love doesn't erase pain; it makes space for it.
• Boundaries are not disconnection, they are love in action.
• Unlearning can be messy. But it’s where healing begins.
• You are not alone. You are not broken. You are becoming.

Connect + Reflect

• What stories have you inherited and which ones are you ready to rewrite?
• How might softness serve your parenting, your relationships, or your advocacy today?
• What boundaries could you set that honor your humanity and keep you connected to love?

Thank You

To every listener, every brave parent, every LGBTQ+ kid and ally: thank you for being here. For choosing growth, for choosing softness, and for choosing to keep showing up.

Special thanks to Connor and Grace for sharing their voices and their hearts so generously, for Steve, Isabelle, and Rowan for sharing their thoughts and support off mic, and to Samantha Mackey for facilitating this beautiful conversation and making the episode possible behind the scenes.

Thank you for being part of this unfolding story. Here’s to the next 200!

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Are you constantly bracing for impact this holiday season, snapping at your kids, holding your breath, pushing through?

If you’re a parent of an LGBTQ+ child, an ally, or simply a human feeling stretched thin, this episode invites you to soften, not as a weakness, but as a radical act of strength, love, and nervous system regulation.

In a world that rewards hard edges and overextension, Heather Hester offers a deeply human reframe: softness is how we stay connected to ourselves, to our children, and to what matters most.

Backed by research from Dr. Stephen Porges and personal parenting insight, Heather explores:

• Why emotional softness is a form of strength, not weakness
• How to recognize when your body and parenting are operating in protection mode
• The nervous system science behind soft tone, slower breath, and soft eyes
• Why LGBTQ+ youth especially need softness as a signal of safety and inclusion

You'll walk away with practical, heartfelt guidance on how to:

• Build soft but clear boundaries with extended family, friends, and yourself
• Practice “softer parenting” even in the middle of chaos
• Regulate your nervous system in real time with doable micro-practices
• Use softness as a tool for healing, empathy, and fierce allyship

This episode is for every parent, mom, and ally trying to hold it all together while still showing up with compassion and courage. You’ll learn to recognize your limits—not as failures, but as invitations to return to presence.

Tune in now to discover the simple but powerful ways to lead with love, soften with intention, and create emotional safety for your LGBTQ+ teen, even in the most stressful seasons.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Are you feeling pulled between preserving family peace and protecting your mental health this holiday season?

You're not alone AND you're not doing it wrong. The holidays are often an emotional minefield, especially for parents of LGBTQ+ kids navigating outdated traditions, family dynamics, and identity stress. This episode is your permission slip to pause, breathe, and make room for something more aligned.

Heather Hester offers a powerful, practical conversation about what it means to evolve, not erase, traditions that no longer fit who you or your family are now.

Whether you're a mom, dad, caregiver, or fierce LGBTQ+ ally, you'll learn:

• How to recognize when a tradition has shifted from comforting to constricting
• Scripts for setting boundaries without guilt or apology
• Why honoring your truth is an act of love, not rejection
• How to build new, inclusive rituals rooted in empathy, safety, and healing
• What your child’s nervous system really needs from you this season

This episode offers more than parenting advice, it’s a reframe of what real love looks like during the holidays.

When you, as a parent or ally, set boundaries with clarity and compassion, you model inclusion, emotional regulation, and authenticity. You show your LGBTQ+ child and yourself that they belong just as they are.

You’ll also hear:

• A 5-step “Boundaries With Love” framework you can use today
• Real-life examples from Heather’s own parenting journey
• Tools to dismantle the myth that sameness equals love
• Gentle encouragement to prioritize your family's unique needs

Listen now and take one simple, powerful action: Release the guilt. Embrace the boundary. Rewrite the tradition.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Are you an LGBTQ+ parent, ally, or advocate feeling exhausted by the emotional and logistical weight of the holiday season?

You’re not alone. Many parents and caregivers, especially those supporting LGBTQ youth, enter this time of year overwhelmed, overextended, and overstimulated, unsure how to protect their own peace while showing up for others.

In this powerful solo reflection, Heather Hester invites you to rethink everything you’ve been told about self-care.

Forget the candles and curated routines. This episode explores what your nervous system actually needs to feel safe, grounded, and connected, especially as an LGBTQ+ parent or ally navigating complex family dynamics, grief, or societal pressure.

You’ll discover:

• Why traditional “self-care” often fails LGBTQ+ parents and moms
• How to recognize which type of rest you really need (emotional? sensory? social?)
• The biological and emotional reasons this season feels harder and how to shift it
• How rest, boundaries, and breathwork become tools of love, empathy, and inclusion

What if your rest and regulation were a form of allyship?

When you, as a parent or advocate, honor your limits, you create a safer emotional space for your LGBTQ child or loved one. You model softness, stability, and trust just by being more human and more kind.

In this episode, Heather offers:

• A science-backed 1-minute breath technique to lower stress (no meditation required)
• A breakdown of the 4 emotional “seasons” and how to align your care with each one
• A practical guide to identifying your rhythm: motion, depletion, or recovery
• Gentle encouragement to release perfection, guilt, and performance-based love

Breathe with us. Then take one tiny, tangible step toward true rest. Listen now and rediscover the allyship that starts within.

Hi, I’m Heather Hester, and I’m so glad you’re here!

Feeling the pressure to find the perfect gift for your LGBTQ+ teen?

In this soft, grounding episode, Heather shares what really matters to LGBTQ+ kids this time of year and how your presence and thoughtfulness can be more powerful than anything wrapped in a bow.

• Discover 5 human-centered gifts that build connection and joy
• Learn how to create belonging through slow rituals and shared presence
• Get practical tips for meaningful, low-stress gift-giving even on a budget
• Unlearn the myth that more gifts = more love

Tune in now and walk away with a heart-centered plan to gift with meaning, not pressure. Your presence is already enough.

Key Takeaways

• Presence is the gift. The most meaningful thing you can give your LGBTQ+ teen is the feeling of being seen and safe.
• Intentional gifts build trust. Gifts that reflect identity, interests, or emotional needs foster connection not just excitement.
• Rituals matter. The 13 Sacred Nights tradition offers a grounding space for reflection, bonding, and family storytelling.
• You don’t have to spend a lot. A mug, a journal, a game, a handwritten note, or a shared recipe can say: I love who you are becoming.
• Performative gifting doesn’t equal love. True generosity is rooted in connection, not cost.

Links mentioned in the episode: