How old was your son when he started getting pubic hair? - Page 6

[littlemomma]

SE, are you feeling sad that your child was not as open with you as some on this thread claim their kids were?

I hid ALL things puberty related from my mom and everyone, even my first period. i did not want attention, and i did not want to grow up.

it had nothing to do with my mom- she was wonderful.

[BAU3]

Originally Posted by littlemomma

SE, are you feeling sad that your child was not as open with you as some on this thread claim their kids were?

I hid ALL things puberty related from my mom and everyone, even my first period. i did not want attention, and i did not want to grow up.

it had nothing to do with my mom- she was wonderful.

(me too....)

[JustVanessa]

OP- I think you have a right to be worried and to be honest, I WILL be looking at my children past the age of 7.

Here is the reason why....my dp started having puberty related changes at age 7. My MIL was worried and took him to the doctor, they ran a bunch of tests and concluded that his adrenal gland was running at a higher than normal level. This was back in the early 1970's and they didn't do anything about it.
Fast forward-My dp is less than 5 ft tall. Due to his over-production of testosterone, his bone plates fused early and he never reached full height. He also has a lot of body hair and a very over-active sex drive.
Nowadays=this can be prevented and I would do anything I can to prevent it considering how dp had a very very hard time growing up and getting teased.

The first indicator my MIL had was pubic hair.

[Maiasaura]

Amazing thread. I can't believe I read through the whole thing, and that it became a forum for arguments about terminology and whether or not it's OK for a parent to be privy to their child's development!

I came on here, genuinely curious, because I am a single mother of an 8-1/2yo boy, and I wanted to know the consensus. There are no males, family or otherwise, for ds to ask anything. Dang if I didn't get much of an answer. My boy is naked as much as he can be, in the house. He wears clothing otherwise, and wouldn't be caught dead naked even on the porch at 7am when nobody's around and there are trees to shield him.

He has no qualms about being naked in front of me, and while I don't run around naked (not an issue about nudity, just self-consciousness about my fat, but he doesn't see that-- he prolly doesn't even notice that I'm not as nekkid as him in a day) I am not shy about changing/going potty/showering around him. Though I have gotten shyer about pooping with the door open, as he's gotten older.

That said, I came on here for two reasons:
One is, I have noticed small downy hairs on his pubic area. We've talked about puberty, and we're very open about the coming changes. He's not at all shy about talking to me. I'm sure he may show me his changes. The downy hairs he has are very, very light and since I don't scrutinize his pubic area, I was wanting to find out if they are normal downy body hairs, such as everyone has on, say, their arms, or if they're the beginning of actual pubic hair.
Two is, for the very first time, the other day (yesterday?) as we were reading in bed, I leaned over him for a hug, and <gasp> his armpit smelled oh so very slightly like BO!!!! He has never smelled before. He's only 8-1/2.

Could he be starting puberty?? This early?

[oldcrunchymom]

My ds started being modest around age 10, so it was after that. He's 13 now so I would guess 12 because he has some underarm hair now (not a ton of it but he does have some).

[yoanna_mother]

How old was your son when he started getting pubic hair?

“Parents are the best people to monitor their child’s growth and development. They are the people who know their children best. Health professionals act as partners to parents in this process. It is important to monitor your child’s development so that any possible problems can be identified and treated as early as possible. Children grow and develop very quickly, especially the teenagers. If some problems are not discovered and treated early, it can lead to further problems later in life”. However, there is a rather delicate point along these lines of thinking. How to update your impressions about your child`s physical development if you are single parent of opposite gender and probably have stop seeing him nude after reach certain age.

[BelovedK]

Hi all

I just wanted to let you know that several posts have been removed in the interest of keeping this thread peaceful. If there are issues between the posters, it is asked that you take it to PM. Thank you, BK~

[tiffani]

sometimes I really wish my kids were more modest around the house when they're feeling particularly goofy and exhibitionistic but I feel rather proud that my dh and I have overcome our baggage and allowed our kids to feel comfortable with their bodies around family members. I don't ever want my kids to feel uncomfortable being naked around us, and I can't think of a single reason why they *should*... I have an acquaintance who has skinny dipped with her entire family her whole life, and while I don't think I'd go so far as to take photos of these events and hang them in my bathroom (I think it's a big source of pride for her that her family is so comfortable with each other), I would love for my family to continue to be completely comfortable naked around each other throughout our lives. Not that I want us to make a point of being naked for nudity's sake, but being part of a family can be pretty intimate at times, and I want us to all always feel comfortable with that. I also understand that part of it is just personality, and some are naturally more modest than others, and I would always respect that -- I imagine that as my kids enter puberty they'll get more private, though they are all to happy to show it off now!

oh but wait, that wasn't the question! My dd just turned 10 and started getting pubic hair a few months ago, and my son is 8 and I can't even imagine having to think about it for several years, especially considering he JUST lost his front teeth!

[itsrtimedownhere]

i don't know about pubes but my 10 year old brother called me from across the country to tell me he was growing armpit hair. when i'm home, he will change in front of me. if it's not a big deal for him, it's not for me.

[Theoretica]

I voted other because I can't fathom what would possess my (formerly ardent nudist) 16yo son to share that information with me.

If I had to guess I'd say 12, because that's around the time he started really being 'private' with changing clothes etc. and I'm guessing there was a good reason for it I respect their right to privacy and don't intrude, and we're certainly not a prudish family by any stretch of the imagination!

[littleteapot]

The sexualizing of the father/daughter relationship on this thread is REALLY disturbing me. Owning a penis does not make one a pedophile.
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I know my husband (and dad, for that matter) are decent men. My teenage sister has come out in a towel many times in front of my husband and somehow he remained not a pedophile... which is apparently amazing? This is a weird thread, y'all.

Anyway...
I asked him for his own experience and he said around 12 or 11. I was 14.

[tiffani]

Originally Posted by littleteapot

The sexualizing of the father/daughter relationship on this thread is REALLY disturbing me. Owning a penis does not make one a pedophile.

right, I wanted to comment on that and forgot... not that I have much to add other than ... why wouldn't a father, especially a single father or a father who was, for whatever reason, in a position to be the one to help his daughter through any variety of puberty moments, be every bit as interested, willing, and able to help his daughter, as mothers would their sons or daughters?

I honestly don't think it would be any different for my husband to help our daughter navigate a first period than it was when he changed her diaper. less hands on, most likely, but she is and will always be his baby, regardless of hair sprouting or fat depositing, or what have you. SHE might feel differently when the time comes, but now, at age 10, she wouldn't feel at all uncomfortable about asking him for help with ANYTHING at all, and she is still happy to be nekkid at home, even with things starting to sprout here and there...

[MusicianDad]

It is very comforting to know that there are still people in this world who won't stick a creepy lable on the fact that DD talks about everything puberty related with DH and I.

[SusanElizabeth]

Originally Posted by littleteapot

The sexualizing of the father/daughter relationship on this thread is REALLY disturbing me. Owning a penis does not make one a pedophile.
Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I know my husband (and dad, for that matter) are decent men. My teenage sister has come out in a towel many times in front of my husband and somehow he remained not a pedophile... which is apparently amazing? This is a weird thread, y'all.

Anyway...
I asked him for his own experience and he said around 12 or 11. I was 14.

[2xy]

I haven't seen my boys naked since they were seven or so. No idea when they developed pubic hair. I think the older one was 12 or so when he got underarm hair, and the younger one was 13.

I just want to comment on something. I like to be dressed. I'm not a horrible prude or ashamed of the human form. I just feel more comfortable with clothes on, just like I sleep better with a sheet even if it's really hot in the room. Maybe it's a security thing. I never told my boys to cover up. They just did. I bathed/showered with DS2 until he was six or so, at which point he preferred to shower alone.

They never ran around naked as toddlers/preschoolers, either. I know lots of small children like to be naked; mine didn't have any interest in it.

Even as a kid, I liked to be clothed. My parents were very free with their nakedness. By the time I was ten or eleven, I was sort of grossed out by seeing my parents' genitalia while we ate dinner. Seriously. Nobody taught me that nudity was bad or gross; I had my own brain with my own thoughts and came to that conclusion myself. Preferring to be dressed doesn't make anyone a bad person or an extremist.

As for the skinny dipping/pedophile discussion, I think the whole argument is ridiculous. Pedophiles target children who are accessible, plain and simple. Children who are swimming are usually supervised.

[Dar]

Some posts have been remove because they referred to a now-deleted post. Remember, the red triangle is your friend!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

My ds just turned 5 so I have a few years I hope before the issue comes up. If he stays like he is now then I am sure I will see when it happens

I am happy to know that it can happen as early as 8 because I had no idea.

[amynbebes]

Not a clue, he'll be 13 in a few weeks. He did proudly brag that he thinks he's getting armpit hair but I think he's seeing things

[Debzmomof1]

I have read all the replies and find it odd that everyone thinks it odd that you see you son naked.

My son is 8 and doesnt have a problem with undressing in front of me for his shower.  I still have to go assist him to wash most the time as he doesnt do it. (he has ADHD) However i dont feel his condition is the reason he doesnt care about being naked in front of his mother.  He is my son, I gave birth to him so whats the problem with nudity.

Anyway he is 8 like i said and has absolutely no signs of pubic hair.

x

[philomom]

Originally Posted by jennifer_lc1 

... am i the only one who won't be looking at their childs body after 7 or 8?? that just irks me.

My son got the "natural modesty" thing kick in about the time he went to school. I haven't seen him wholly naked since then. My daughter, on the other hand .. is like me.. casual .....about nakedness and skin. I've seen her naked many, many times.