Rape, sexual assault, boys, girls. It is on everyone's minds, including the minds of every media outlet available. First there was Steubenville, and then there was our Canadian version in Cole Harbour where Rehtaeh Parsons lived, and died.

We spend a lot of energy talking to girls about how to avoid rape but now, finally, the conversation is turning to talking to boys about respecting and expecting consent. In other words, teaching not to rape. 

But it's not an easy conversation to have and it starts very young. We should be teaching all kids about boundaries -- that the words 'stop' and 'no' have weight. Even professionals have a hard time with it. I asked Marnie Goldenberg, a mother of two, a lawyer, a sexual health educator and the person behind Sexplainer.com to write about how she spoke to her 8-year-old about sexual assault and how she was planting the seeds of informed consent at a young age.

Today is Pink Day. 

Which means that my boys are wearing pink to school, (along with their sister but she hardly counts). They don't really love the idea, but they go ahead with it half-heartedly. They don't want to be losers NOT wearing pink on Pink Day.

You know what I don't want to discuss with my 7-year-old daughter? Victoria's Secret or its little sister PINK. Or sexy underwear in general.

This means we generally avoid walking by PINK (or La Senza) with their psuedo-cute/sexy images featuring girls far too young to have fake boobs spilling out of gingham push-ups. PINK is Victoria's little sister -- aimed at college girls but with appeal to the younger ones as well. It's all pink and cutesy/sexy like Selena Gomez in store form. 

Do we need to talk about those family car stickers? You know, the stick figures where each adorable sticky represents someone in your family, right down to the goldfish bowl?

These seemingly innocuous figures are creating a lot of debate in the car pool. Do you love them or hate them? Do you think they are cute, but would never put them on the back of your car? Or do you think they are an abomination?

A Colorado six-year-old just wants to go pee with the girls and get on with her day, but her local school has said she has to use the boys bathroom or the nurse's office.

Coy Mathis was born a boy but has self-identified as a girl since she was a toddler. She has been diagnosed by a doctor and her passport says she is a girl. But the school says concern for the psychological well-being of the other students at the school lead to the ban.

My friend Heather Greenwood-Davis is passionate about people and how we treat them. Her trip around the world with her kids only made her more sensitive to those who don't have a voice. In the following guest post she asks parents to reconsider the idea of putting athletes and celebrities on pedestals without knowing who they truly are. 

Guest Post: The Problem With A Pedestal

Recently I overheard a conversation about Oscar Pistorius. The athlete nicknamed "The Blade Runner" - in relation to the double leg prosthesis he wore during his quest for Olympic glory on behalf of South Africa - has been charged with premeditated murder in the death of his girlfriend. It’s a grisly tale.

The couple I overheard discussing this was clearly shocked, as I think most people were, to hear the news. But their response, which was also likely common to many, is demonstrative of the problem we have as a continent.

“I can’t believe he could do that!” said one. “He seemed like such a nice guy…”

Shaking his head, the other responded, “He was a role model!”

Actually he wasn’t and isn’t.

What parent hasn't turned to bribing in a moment of desperation? Who hasn't added on an incentive trip to the ice cream store? Or handed over an extra cookie, or even a pack of Pokemon cards?

Show me a parent who hasn't resorted to bribing, and I will show you a parent who has never spent five minutes with a stubborn child outside of a dentist's office. Right this minute I am in the middle of the biggest bribe of my life; my son is studying for his Bar Mitzvah because he wants to have a party. (Before you shake your head, this is the tradition.)

Teen McKenna Pope walked into her 4-year-old brother's room to find him cooking tortillas on top of a light bulb. She knew then and there that she would get him an Easy Bake Oven for Christmas.

That is, until she went shopping and realized that the pink oven was overly girly and her brother wouldn't like it. She wanted to show him that it's "it's not 'wrong' for him to want to be a chef." So she did what an enterprising teen does these days.

She started a petition and Change.org and then she went viral.

While I'm still in recovery mode from my personal backaggedon, Heather Greenwood-Davis has stepped in to cover Jada's "controversial" remarks about her daughter Willow's hair. You may know Heather as The Globetrotting Mama, who travelled the world with her two kids and husband last year. They recently won National Geographic's Travelers of the Year, which is a huge honour.

Guest Post: Whip It Good

Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will and mother to Jaden and Willow, had the Internet talking last week when she posted “controversial” remarks on her Facebook page. What was the earth-shattering news that sent more than 40,000 people to her page and almost 3,000 to share her remarks? She told the world that her daughter Willow, 12, is in charge of her own hair.

My sons have been trying to convince me that Assassin's Creed, despite it's violent name, is actually a video game worth having because it has a historical perspective.

Their quick historical tour of the game had some non-sensical discussion of Templars, re-living your ancestor's experiences, secret assassin units and vengeance. Then we agreed that a video game in general was not a good basis for a history lesson.