Hi guys – This is a follow on from my other puberty article as I was asked about the “early signs” and what to look out for by KathrynR1402 .
Puberty is often a stressful time for both you and your child but as I 
talked about in my other article it doesn’t need to be. . There are lots of fun ways that you can take the pressure off. .
Spotting puberty can sometimes be very tricky but there are some ways in which you can do this BUT it helps to have the co-operation from your teen or preteen. Let’s face it; it is always good to have a pre-puberty talk if we can.
A pre-puberty talk need not be a big deal. . Something casual like “if you notice any changes in your body etc can you please let me know” or something similar is usually all that is needed. . I made it a game by making myself a super cool mum. .
There are also some other ways that you can pick up on when puberty is approaching. Here are some idea’s for you to look at..
~ Girls ~
Emotional changes – Some the early sign of puberty can begin at around the ages of 8-11 years. This happens because your daughter’s ovaries are beginning to grow larger and also preparing to produce oestrogen. Even though these changes are happening inside of the body quite often there are some changes in your daughter’s emotions. Keep an eye out for moods, extra tears, tantrums etc.
Height & Body - Keep an eye out for a change in height, your daughter’s hips will also being to broaden and you will notice that her body will seem curvier.
Body Top – Keep an eye out for changes in your daughter’s chest area. Watch for growth and swelling. You may notice your daughter is constantly touching the area; this is often because she is sore and uncomfortable. Some girls don’t have any discomfort so you will also need to look for the chest area to be moving or bouncing.
Another thing to keep an eye out for is hair developing under your daughter’s arm, sweating is also another indication of puberty, quite often sweating will occur before underarm hair develops.
Body Bottom – This can be embarrassing for both you and your daughter BUT it is also another sign of puberty. If you have a great relationship with your daughter then she will proudly tell you that she is developing hair “down there” BUT if you aren’t sure and you want to know then you may have to learn how to be sneaky.
Find a great reason to pop into the bathroom while your daughter is bathing and peek, make it quick so as not to embarrass yourself or your daughter. Sneaking is not ideal, so try and talk to your daughter instead.
Another obvious sign to look out for is thicker leg and arm hair. Many girls get quite upset at this as the feel less feminine and therefore many girls want to begin to shave these areas. The longer they can go without doing this the better off they will be as once you start you cannot stop as the hair become dense and course.
Washing – Keep an eye on your daughter’s underwear. Often when your daughter is beginning puberty there will be some whitish discharge (mucus) in her underwear. If you notice this then speak to your daughter and ask if she has been itchy or had any pain as sometimes this can be caused by Thrush. If your daughter has had no pain or itching then you will know that this is another sign of puberty.
Now for a tip – Your daughter’s first period will usually happen 12months after the first physical signs of puberty. This will give you time to have the talk. I also help my daughter to rejoice in her new beginnings. WE went out to lunch, saw a movie and brought some new clothes, my eldest daughter looks back at that time with great fondness as she remembers getting her first period and then spending so great one on one time with me her mum, she often thanks me . .
~ Boys ~
Height – This probably seems strange but height is a great indicator of puberty in boys. Between the ages 9-12 your son’s testicles will begin to grow and your sons hormones will become active, this often results in a growth spurt and your son will shoot up in height rather quickly.
Body Top – Your son will develop thick under arm hair and may also being to sweat. Sometime the sweating can be rather smelly so a good deodorant is very useful. Quite often as in girls sweating may happen before the development of underarm hair.
Along with underarm hair you should also keep an eye out for chest hair, this will begin as very fine hair and will slowly thicken and become darker. Many boys will flaunt this as they begin to feel like men and some will even pound their chest in fun bragging about ‘man hair’.
Some boy’s will also complain about being sore around their nipples, this is normal and is also a sign of active hormones. Many boys will have no problems here and will simply just move on BUT sometimes a boy will begin to develop a little further is the breast area. This is called ‘Gynecomastia’ and if you notice this you should have your son checked by your GP as there could be an underlying problem.
Body Bottom – Your son’s testicles, scrotum and penis will begin to grow and usually at this time your son will develop some pubic hair. Now if you are lucky your son will brag about his new hairs or your hubby will notice BUT there is also the chance that you will have to play sneak. Hopefully your son will brag and playing sneak will not be needed.
You should also keep on eye on your son’s leg hairs as these will begin to thicken and in some cases will also become longer and darker. Some boys will be very proud of this and will show off while others will hide them by refusing to wear shorts etc
Voice – Listen to your son’s voice as between the ages of 11-16 your son’s voice will deepen significantly. This happens because the increased hormones affect your son’s larynx and therefore it grows, thus making his voice deeper.
Facial Hair – Keep an eye out on your son face, quite often your will notice an increase in facial hair; this is more evident on your sons top lip and chin area’s. This hair is often very fine to begin with and many grown men refer to it as ‘bum fluff”. Once this hair begins to become thicker or long then your son will want to shave, this is when the fine hair will thicken and become course.
Nighttime – This can very an embarrassing time for many young boys, as they will begin to have ‘wet dreams’. Most boys will try and hide this so it pays to be extra vigilant. When making your sons bed remember NOT to run your hand over the sheet to straighten it out as you may come on contact with something you are not expecting.
Erections – Many boys are extremely embarrassed by this as these can happen at the most inconvenient times during puberty. These can sometimes happen when your son is nervous, excited about something, tired or for no particular reason at all. . If your notice your son has an erection you can either quietly point it out or simply just ignore it. Erections are another clue that puberty is either coming or has arrived.
~ Boys & Girls ~
Another sign of puberty may be acne. Sometimes our children will get acne at around the same time as puberty. The same hormones that trigger acne are also often responsible for puberty. As most of you know there is no easy fix for acne BUT keeping your child’s face clean in a great start.
There are also some medical conditions that may trigger early puberty. So if you notice puberty beginning earlier that 8 in girls and 9 in boys then it is advisable to speak to your GP so that you can be sure that nothing else is responsible.
~ When does puberty end? ~
There is no clear answer to this question. However many believe that puberty usually ends at around 18-19 in girls and 20-21 in boys. This is however just an idea as there is no clear sign of exactly when puberty finishes but it is believed to be around these ages. Another contributing factor that plays a role in when puberty ends is your child’s ethnic background, however the above ages is still around the same.
I hope that this article is useful to some parents out there and after writing this I have decided that I know FAR TOO MUCH about teenagers. . he he he
I would also like to thank my hubby (MrMintyMan) for helping me out with puberty in boys. He commented on not liking the trip down memory lane and I told him that he was lucky then that we had all girls!
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I look forward to your feedback.
Cheers Kellz xoxox
© Copyright 2008 Kellzacar. . All writings by Kellzacar remain the property of Kellzacar and should not be republished or copied without written permission. Kellzacar can be emailed via Minti. Any similarities are by coincidence only as all writings etc are the research and or thoughts of the writer. All links are to websites used or visited whilst writing this article.
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