Askable Mama

Askable Mama Counseling & Mental Health Services
Early Sexual Health Education, Parenting

This story introduces so many great conversation starters …Is canoodling with a coworker, who is not your wife, in a pub...
07/18/2025

This story introduces so many great conversation starters …

Is canoodling with a coworker, who is not your wife, in a public place with likely 60,000+ people a place you should expect to have a private moment?

Is it fair to jump to conclusions about this person and his role as a partner? (I’d actually argue his personal life is none of our business and we have no idea what his commitments and agreements are in the bounds of his marriage but still think it makes for interesting discussion)

When an apology acknowledges taking accountability while also acknowledging what happened wasn’t fair, does it make the apology less sincere?!

Okay, perhaps I’m being a little tongue in cheek in my tone here, but these are interesting points of discussion with your older kids …and your friends and partners.

The start of summer is a great time to have body safety conversations with kids. Whether your child will be at day camp,...
06/06/2025

The start of summer is a great time to have body safety conversations with kids.

Whether your child will be at day camp, sleep away camp, in a new childcare arrangement or just a shift in schedule it provides a natural opportunity to acknowledge a shift, review what they know, and give them any additional new and necessary information.

Have more specific questions about how to have these conversations? Reach out!

Lots of parents are rethinking if and when they get their kids cell phones. This article from offers a window into many...
05/21/2025

Lots of parents are rethinking if and when they get their kids cell phones. This article from offers a window into many of the options now available.

This said, one thing I rarely hear parents discussing is what they mean why they refer to the “cellphone”. Many parents who have made the decision to Wait ‘Till 8th have still allowed their kids to use iPads. This is often without supervision, allows for access to the internet and apps, allows texting, and sharing of videos and photos.

I suggest parents ask themselves what they are trying to limit, protect kids from, or avoid, as well as what benefits they’re hoping to gain from a device, in an effort to decide what’s right for their child and family.






https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2025/05/alternative-device-fair/682837/

Two of my clinicians now have additional virtual openings for individual therapy clients - morning and evening options a...
05/12/2025

Two of my clinicians now have additional virtual openings for individual therapy clients - morning and evening options are available.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from some extra support right now (and who couldn’t!) check out their bios on our website:

www.mlktherapy.com




Your kids have great questions and YOU are the most qualified person to answer! But sometimes it can feel jarring or thr...
05/09/2025

Your kids have great questions and YOU are the most qualified person to answer! But sometimes it can feel jarring or throw you off when your kid asks a question you really weren’t expecting.

I’m here to help. Post here, DM me, or send an email with a recent question you received from your child and I’ll post some ideas on how to address it.




So excited for, and proud of, my colleague and friend Dr. Samantha Sweeney. Her second book Culturally Competent Kids is...
04/03/2025

So excited for, and proud of, my colleague and friend Dr. Samantha Sweeney. Her second book Culturally Competent Kids is a relevant and necessary resource for parents raising kids in today’s world.

Order yours today at your local independent book store, through the publisher , or that other online book retailer.

For fun - here is a photo of Samantha and I toasting to the release of our first book, Working with Worry, on a cold Covid night several years ago. Looking forward to celebrating the new book a tad differently.

Have you ever thought about how media shape our kid’s views on relationships and intimacy? From a young age, kids are ex...
03/24/2025

Have you ever thought about how media shape our kid’s views on relationships and intimacy?

From a young age, kids are exposed to messages about attraction, boundaries, and sexuality—often before they’re ready to fully understand them. That’s why having age-appropriate conversations early on is so important and why watching shows and movies can be great conversation starters!

By being an askable parent, you create a safe space where your child knows they can come to you with questions—without shame or judgment. This helps them develop critical thinking about what they see and hear, shaping their understanding in a healthy way.

It’s not about one big talk but many small conversations over time. Start with simple discussions about media, relationships, and respect, so they know you’re someone they can trust when bigger questions come up.

What shows or movies have provided conversation starters for you and your kids?

Are you dreading the day you have to talk to your child about p**nography?It is pretty inevitable that someday your chil...
03/20/2025

Are you dreading the day you have to talk to your child about p**nography?

It is pretty inevitable that someday your child will see p**n. Whether or not that first interaction, or any interactions after that, are intentional, it does require conversation.

My number one rule of thumb for language around talking to kids about p\*rn is making sure you let them know it is NOT an accurate portrayal of s\*x!

Conversations around this topic will probably take place in a variety of ways over several years. Here are some vocabulary words that may help when the time comes and many of them are words you and your kids can get an understanding of now.

What would you add to this list?

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