Boys' Puberty
Puberty in boys can begin at any time between the ages of 9 and 15 (The Nemours Foundation, 2020). This is a very special time for little men. The first sign that a boy is developing into a man is growth of the testes and scrotum. These changes are followed by pubic and underarm hair growth, an increase in height, deepening of the voice, erections and ejaculation, and the appearance of facial hair. The pituitary gland prompts the testes to begin releasing testosterone, the male sex hormone, into the bloodstream. Testosterone causes teenage boys to develop a manly build. This hormone is also responsible for producing sperm. Sperm production makes the male reproductive system capable of fertilizing an egg and fathering a child.
The ability to be a father is a very wonderful and unique gift that God has bestowed upon men. Ejaculation involves the release of semen, which encompasses millions of sperm cells. These sperm have the potential to join with a female egg to conceive a child. Adolescent boys in America typically experience spermarche (the first ejaculation of seminal fluid) at age 12 or 13 (Wikipedia, 2020). Boys may experience nocturnal emissions in their sleep as well as spontaneous erections and ejaculation during the day.
Boys mature later than girls do. At ages 12 and 13 they are often shorter and weigh less than their female peers. At 14 and above, however, many boys experience a growth spurt that adds many inches to their height. This new height may cause some teenage boys to be very tall and thin. Eventually, many young men become muscular once they have had time to fill out. Not all teen males grow significantly taller or develop muscles, however. It is important for adults to reassure boys that a shorter build or lack of muscle does not make them any less of a man.
Sweat production and the growth of a mustache and beard present the need and choice for boys to use deodorant and razors. It is best that an all-natural, pleasant scented deodorant be used that will not irritate the skin. The appearance of facial hair is a "relatively late development" (Steinberg, 2011, p. 37), starting with downy hair on the upper lip and progressing to whiskers on the sideburns, chin, cheeks, and neck (Gillette, 2020). It is a boy's personal decision to shave or not shave when the signs of a mustache or beard appear. It is beneficial for a father or other close male adult to show a teen lad how to shave through demonstration and modeling. Lathering the face in shaving cream and applying aftershave helps to make shaving less painful and guards against irritation.
Teenage boys experience a change in their voices eventually (Steinberg, 2011, p. 37). Some boys' voices become deep and low, while other lads' voices may not change as significantly. Deepening of the voice is caused by the growth of the larynx, which is stimulated by testosterone. This growth results in a prominent lump in the center of a male's neck called the Adam's apple. Occasionally at first, some boys may notice that their voices go from low to high and back again. These shifts are common and disappear after a while.
It can be very helpful and comforting for a boy to talk to his father or other close male adult about the changes he is experiencing. Fathers and caregivers should be calm and understanding when discussing puberty, especially erections and ejaculation, with young men. Such an attitude can help boys to feel reassured. As father of two BJ Foster (2018) says concerning spontaneous erections, "He needs to be ready and to know there is nothing wrong with him when it does [happen] [...] he needs to know it's normal". Boys must receive a positive message that these bodily processes are natural, happen to all healthy young men, and are nothing to be ashamed of.
All in all, puberty for boys is a step towards becoming the handsome men they were meant to be, both inside and out!
For additional helpful tips on guiding teen boys through this stage, you may want to take a look at this article from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
References
Foster, BJ. (2018). Puberty for boys: the things your son needs to know. All Pro Dad. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020 from https://www.allprodad.com/puberty-boys-things-son-needs-know/
Gillette. (2020). Beard growth science: stages of beard growth. Gillette. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020 from https://gillette.com/en-us/shaving-tips/how-to-shave/beard-growth-science#:~:text=In%20puberty%2C%20beard%20hair,last%20in%20the%20neck%20area.
The Nemours Foundation. (2020). Everything you wanted to know about puberty. TeensHealth. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020 from https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/puberty.html#catgirls
Steinberg, L. (2011). Adolescence (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Wikipedia. (2020). Spermarche. Wikipedia. Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermarche#:~:text=2%20Context-,Age%20of%20occurrence,16%20years%20old%20for%20spermarche.
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