When is the right age for sex? Q. When’s the right age to have sex? I’m going into high school in a few weeks, and I haven’t done it. Actually, I haven’t even kissed someone. I’m pretty sure I’m not ready for sex – the thought gives me equal amounts of excitement and anxiety. My ...
My column about middle school friendships hit home with many readers. Here are two responses. Response 1: I read your column on Thursday with a great deal of interest and a little bit of flashback. I’m in my early 40s and a parent of two elementary school girls. When I read the question from ...
Q. Why don’t I have a period yet? I live with my gram, and she’s old so I can’t ask her. My friend goes to a different school than me and they had a class in school about periods, but my school doesn’t. I have so many questions? Why do people have periods anyway? My friend says they ...
Q. I have a problem. Since my periods started two years ago, they’ve gotten worse and worse. My cramps are often unbearable. I’m in a lot of pain at least 3-4 days each cycle. I told my pediatrician at my yearly exam and she suggested to my mom that she take me to a gynecologist. My mom got ...
Q. I’m one of the teen fathers you helped. I remember you treating me with respect and encouraging me. One of the last things you said to me when I graduated was, “Call me if you need me.” Well, here I am, 25 years later. The baby we had as teens did well, mostly because her mother was ...
Author’s note: This column is a followup to last week’s Ask Mary Jo, where a father brought to my attention the toxic masculinity environment on some video gaming sites. After speaking with teens in our programs and at our Common Ground Teen Center, I concluded more research into the topic ...
