THE UNCOMFORTABLE TALK By Dr. Jacoby Irujo, DNP, APNP., PMHNP-C., CMH., As a dad, I’ve learned that parenting teens comes with moments that make you pause, reflect, and sometimes laugh hysterically One topic that was one of the funniest for me but is often swept under the rug is masturbation. It’s not exactly dinner-table conversation for most, but it should be a more normalized conversation, especially delivered by dad. I’m writing this post to share my thoughts on approaching this sensitive topic with empathy, openness, and a sense of humor. Also as a fan of masturbation myself and an advocate for it with my teens, I see it as a better option than teen pregnancy. Why This Topic Matters When my boys both started puberty it was obvious. They didn’t seem to ease into it, like some, more like plummeted into it.. Voices started changing, hair started growing in places, and showers started taking way longer than before, however when t...
