Katherine Hedland Hansen

The conversation began again with this employee. He told us it’s pretty much impossible to avoid the violence, sex, and profanity. “It’s really the worst game out there for kids,” he told me bluntly, confirming my fears.

When I found myself suddenly not working 50 hours a week, I had no idea what to do with myself. But as my family eased into this new normal and found our rhythm, I’ve figured out a few things.

Yelling, swearing, name calling, idle threats. Not my proudest mom moment, but I know a lot of you have been there too.

My Facebook feed was flooded with pictures of sh*t this morning. Literally. Am I the only one who doesn’t want to see poop or pus on my social media?

I know a lot of parents struggle with how to have these uncomfortable conversations. My friends and I have talked — and laughed — about our boys’ questions and the approaches to them. Some of them laid it all out there for their sons early on. Others insist their sons still don’t know the difference between boys and girls. (Love you, ladies, but give me a break.) So when I was asked to write an article about how to talk to your kids about sex, I jumped at the chance. Here are some of the main points all the experts told me.

I always loved you. Even when you weren’t speaking to me. Even when you scratched my face out of a family picture. Even when you slammed the door and said, “You’re not my parent.” Even when we fought about school and grades. Even when you were a teenager and didn’t come home at night and Dad and I stayed up all night scared to death, wondering where you were.