Today, an anonymous writer is tackling a topic that’s often treated with hushed voices and major shame: masturbation. And it starts with the most excruciating tale of adolescent embarrassment that I’ve read in a while: “We’d recently moved into a new house. Best of all, it came with a 1980s-style extra-deep, jet-enhanced tub. Naturally, it wasn’t long before I took her for a little spin. I filled the water to the brim, cranked the jets, and contorted my extra-tall frame like a Cirque du Soleil performer to perfectly position myself for maximum water-stream impact. And right before the grand finale, so to speak, my mother walked in.”

But she learned a little something from this… other than the importance of locking the door.

— Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

“Nobody wants a pile of presents with a side of budget lessons, but parents have to balance providing both — especially as kids get bigger and ask for pricier items for birthdays and other major life events,” writes Alexandra Frost. At the same time, as we all know, money does not grow on trees. (If only!) So what’s a mom to do? Let’s talk about it.