So, while your son has been dreaming of baseball, hockey and leaving earth for another galaxy with his imaginary pet Zibbit, adulthood has been sneaking up on him (and you).
Now he is right at the edge of puberty and you realize that there are questions that you must answer as his body strives to reach adulthood. Remember, you are his best resource for answers, but take a breath, there is help.
The beginning of puberty is shaped by many factors from genetics to environmental, and is usually marked by the beginning of changes to the body. There is a wide range of ages when a child may begin puberty; boys usually start between the ages of 11 and 12 and then continue to the ages of 16 to 18.
Your son will go through many changes during this time; most will be mysterious, some will be alarming and all will be embarrassing to a degree for both you and your boy. It’s best and most comfortable for your young adult to hear about this life changing process from you, but where do you start and how do you respond when he begins to ask questions?
Books
There have been hundreds of books written to aid in answering those questions. Here are just a few places to get you started.
- Libraries – Your local library is an enormous resource for you and will give you access to books and articles written for many stages of understanding, from the basics that would be easy for a younger boy to understand, right up to information targeting the teenager. Most will also give you access to many e-books on the subject.
- Bookstores – Most towns have one or the other of the major book chain stores, but don’t rule out the smaller used book shops. They usually have an interesting self-help or health section.
- Your doctor or the school counselor can be great sources for which books are recommended for your son’s age group and where to find them. Don’t forget your boys’ sports coach, as well.
Websites
There are various websites available to you, such as:
- Boys and Puberty from the site – KidsHealth by The Nemours Foundation.
- Puberty from the site – YoungMen’sHealth by The Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital.
- Puberty: Changes for Males from the site – SutterHealth by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Health
Growth Spurts – About 25% of growth in height occurs during puberty.
- During puberty, boys grow an average of 11 inches and can gain up to 65 pounds.
- They seem to grow out of clothes and shoes at an alarming rate.
- An eating machine now lives at your house.
- You hear all about strange pains in different places.
Moods – Yes, boys do suffer from Mood Swings – batter up!
- Your son lacks the emotional development to fully control his moods, so he will express exactly what he’s feeling when he’s feeling it and not realize it may be hurtful.
- He doesn’t really hate you and the outbursts of anger will eventually ease up.
- Yes, the sweet, reasonable, loving child really is still in there somewhere.
- Changes in hormones are causing this sweet little person to imitate The Incredible Hulk (“You won’t like me when I’m angry…”).
Acne – Seems to be a rite of passage – Discover more here about proactive plus for help!
- Acne is so common that it’s considered a normal part of growing up and 8 out of 10 young adults experience it.
- Unfortunately, we are judged by appearance and your child is very sensitive to this.
- If you had acne, your son will probably experience it as well.
- Hormonal changes, stress and diet to some degree are all contributing factors.
Peer Pressure – How to talk to your young man about Peer Pressure.
- Getting the balance right between being himself and fitting in with his group will tell how well he is coping with his peers.
- Peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing; it can keep your boy out of troubled just as well as it can push him into trouble.
- Bullying and Cyberbullying are common and very hurtful, and your child could either be a bully or be the target of a bully.
- If your son’s group of friends appears to have changed it may signal a shift in peer group allegiance and may be a cause for concern.
So, here you are – the proud parent of a moody, pimply, rapidly growing eating machine. You know what it’s like because you were through it all yourself, but don’t tell him that. He won’t believe you because how could anyone who grew up before the age of hi-tech computer games and cell phones possibly know what he is going through right NOW!
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