Hey mommas. Is it time to talk to your boys about puberty?
There are three very important topics to talk about with our sons when they are growing into young men.
Boys start puberty around 9-14 years old, sources state. This means that starting to talk to your son around 9 years old is a good time.
» » » » » » » » » RELATED READ: Puberty: Having the “Body Talk” with Your Girl « « « « « « « «
As a mom, I feel like talking to my son about his body changing could be defaulted to their father, but this is an important conversation for all parents to talk about with their children.
This helps your son understand what is happening with their body and hormones, which would be extremely confusing without parental guidance. They can only get so much information from their friends that are their age.
So let’s dive into three very important changes that happen with boys during puberty!
Physical
Hair is usually the first physical change that will be noticed. Talk to your boy about the hair that will grow all over their body. It will grow on their genitals, armpits, legs, arms, face . . . all over their body! Let them know that this is normal and it might come at different times than other boys their age. Teach them proper ways to take care of their hair in each area, if needed.
The testes, scrotum, and penis will change and grow. This is so important to talk about with your boys. It is very common for children to receive misinformation about their body parts from friends. Let them know that this change will be important for their body in producing testosterone. Sometimes this will make the testicles different sizes. Ensure that your son knows that this is completely normal.
Arms, legs, and appetites grow. Boys need more food and rest, and their body grows big and strong into the young men they will be. They will most likely be taller than you soon.
During this time of growing, these boys will also begin to have pimples form on their face. WebMD states, “To understand acne, you need to know how your skin works. The pores in your skin contain oil glands. When you hit puberty, there’s an increase in sex hormones called androgens. The excess hormones cause your oil glands to become overactive, enlarge, and produce too much oil, or sebum. When there’s too much sebum, the pores or hair follicles become blocked with skin cells. The increase in oil also results in an overgrowth of bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes.”
Emotional
During puberty, your boy will go through so many emotions. Atriushealth.org says, “Puberty occurs when the hypothalamus, an area of the brain, begins to produce the hormone gonadotropin, which creates an increase in the male sex hormone testosterone. This signals to the rest of the body that it’s time to develop adult characteristics.”
Just like that new movie, Inside Out 2, your young man will experience those new emotions as well. Be ready to be there for him and help him understand these new feelings.
His emotions and brain are trying to understand adult complexities. His brain is growing. This is so important at this stage in their life, and they are going to be trying to understand so many new things.
Hormonal
HopkinsMedicine.org says,
- As the penis enlarges, the teen boy may begin to have erections. This is when the penis becomes hard and erect because it is filled with blood. This is due to hormonal changes and may happen for no reason at all. It may also happen when the boy fantasizes about sexual things. This is normal.
- During puberty, a boy’s body also begins making sperm. Semen, which is made up of sperm and other body fluids, may be released during an erection. This is called ejaculation. Sometimes this may happen while the teen is sleeping. This is called a wet dream (nocturnal emission). This is a normal part of puberty. Once sperm is made and ejaculation happens, teen boys who have sex can get someone pregnant.
This is a huge change in their hormones and feelings toward others. This is a big topic to discuss with your young man. All their new feelings will have them wanting to explore those new sensations.
Make sure you create a safe space for them to talk to you about these feelings and a safe and respectful way to explore these arising feelings.
Overall, love your son through all these changes. Ensure to open this conversation early and often. Make sure they are comfortable asking questions when they need that clarification.
CONGRATULATIONS, momma! You did it! You talked to your son about his body and the important topics about the changes he will go through.
