There’s things you think about when your spouse dies.
How you’re going to explain it to your children.
Making sure they get counselling.
Making sure they get fed every day.
Figuring out how to manage their schedules when before you had two people to do the running around.
How to shop with children in tow.
Having to endure the “oh I’m so sorry” looks and voices when people ask where their father is.
Then there’s things you don’t think about.
Having to teach your teenaged boy how to shave.
Having to have the safer sex converstations.
Having to have a conversation about sex, and how to make sure she ENJOYS it.
Those are the three I hadn’t thought about… until they came up.
My son who wants to shave needed razors and I just about had a meltdown in the grocery store buying them.
Both my son’s are at the age where safer sex is a conversation that has to be had… condoms need to be available… and how to use them…
And then last night… the conversation about actual sex.
He’s had sex. And so the conversation became…
… about consent.
… about making sure she enjoyed herself.
… about talking to her about what she likes.
… about how condoms can affect a woman
Those are conversations HE should be having with his son dammit! NOT me.
I am NOT supposed to have to teach my son how to have good sex. That’s his FATHER’s JOB.
The fortunate part of all this… is that he’s got a mother who:
A: is very open about sex, and has no problems talking about all aspects of it and
B: is training to be a nurse so will end up having to have these conversations with clients… so he gets to be the one I practice on.
This isn’t the life I wanted. I was supposed to be raising my kids with my husband and we were supposed to be Grandparents together.
But it is what it is. And I get to have the hard/awkward/uncomfortable conversations with my kids.
New Normal Sucks.
