Seeking Different

In this episode, Hera and Estela discuss traveling as an SMC family to Cartagena, Colombia. Highlights include a scary bus incident in Playa Blanca and the incredible experience they had in the Afro-Colombian Village of Palenque. They share the highlights as well as some savvy tips for traveling with kids.

In this mini episode, Estela and Hera look back on the first season thus far to talk about favorite moments, things they learned, and Estela discusses how ignorance about non-traditional family can play out in the school setting. Isa makes an appearance at the end of the episode to give her definition of a donor as well as a hilarious look into the mind of a four year old. 

It was Independent School Decisions week in the DMV this past week and our house is all a buzz! In this episode of Seeking Different, Hera and Estela discuss what goes into deciding on a school and give an inside look from a kid's perspective of the admissions process - from "the buddy" to the on site testing to choosing the best school.

In this episode of "Seeking Different", Hera and Estela interview Mom Denise and her Son Sawyer. Sawyer explains how he feels his family is "normal" in their progressive town in the suburbs of Tampa, Florida. They also discuss what it's like to move between two parental homes, favorite books, and a love affair with Boba Tea. 

In this episode, Hera and Estela review the new Barbie movie. They discuss the parallels between Barbie and real life as well as review the movie from the perspective of a mom and of a kid. Hera also breaks down the parts of the movie that were likely not meant for kids and Estela highlights the parts she understood more than her mom realized. 

In this episode, Hera and Estela discuss recess and the playground where ALL the drama goes down. From navigating bullies to the evolution of kid conversations. The littlest McLeod - Isa - also makes a special appearance in this episode and reveals her understanding of "donor" as well as her feelings about heroes and Orange Juice. 

In the second episode of Season two - Hera and Estela sit down to chat with Melissa Lindsey, the founder and director of The Donor Conceived Community (DCC). DCC provides peer support, education, and resources for people navigating donor conception and DNA discoveries. Melissa shares her story, why she started the organization, and some tips for both parents of Donor Conceived People as well as children who are Donor Conceived. 

In the final episode of season one for Seeking Different, Hera and Estela sit down with Angela Stepancic (founder of Reproductive Village Cryobank) to discuss her plans to open the first Black owned cryobank that's specifically focused on helping Black families by sourcing Black donors. Angela talks through her journey to opening (coming summer 2023) to include why she was called to start this business, her thoughts around regulations in the sperm industry, and some of the things her bank is looking to do to revolutionize the way we think about sperm donation and improve access for Black families. 

In this episode of Seeking Different, Hera and Estela interview Lara McLeod (Hera's sister) and discuss the importance of having a village. Being a parent is hard no matter what type of family you have, and having a strong village to help raise your children is critical to family health. Lara, affectionately known as "Tia", discusses how she felt about Hera using a donor to become a mom, what being an aunt has been like for her, her feelings on family dynamics, and how being an aunt has influenced her views on parenting as a whole. 

In the first episode of season two, Hera and Estela and joined by little sister Isa as they give a quick summer camp recap and discuss the topic of consent. Hera explains to the girls how everything from touching hair to hugs and kisses are things that require permission.