Without realizing it, a boy in the 12+ age group could wake up one morning with wet sheets. There are no warning signs to prepare him. He might think that he has wet the bed during the night, but with more checking, he will realize the wetness is not due to urine. Without a plan, he could feel confused and wonder what to do about this situation. He will also question if it is normal for this to happen.

Illustration from I’m a Boy, How Are Girls Different?

When your son is approaching this age group, here is a checklist of topics for you to consider discussing with him.

• Semen, that consists of sperm and fluid, that comes out of the end of the penis is called an ejaculation.
• The fluid part of the semen comes from two glands: prostate gland and seminal vesicles located in the pelvic cavity.
• The sperm part of the semen was produced in the testicles and was propelled to the penis for the ejaculation.
• You might have an unexpected ejaculation while you are asleep. Here is a set of sheets for you to use if that happens. This is called a wet dream and it is perfectly normal for your age.

I know this topic is a bit challenging for parents to talk about with their sons, especially at this age. I want to partner with you to help you make this happen. My book called I’m a Boy, Hormones! is available on Amazon and explains the answers to all of these topics. Just leave the book somewhere that he will notice it and let him explore the content on his own. On my website I am continually posting new items to help you as you help your son.  For example, there are 7-Minute Chats that accompany the book that I have written for you to get the conversation going. I encourage parents to keep the Chats at 7 minutes or less and include a favorite treat. If you achieve 7 minutes, you are doing great!

Let’s work together on this to make sure our sons are informed and confident.