It seems natural to teach our daughters about hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, because they are part of the menstrual cycle. Changes in the levels of these hormones throughout the cycle results in a menstrual period each­ month and that is something every young girl needs to know about.

For our sons, hormones are also important, especially testosterone. You can credit this hormone with many of the physical changes your son experiences during puberty. But it would also be interesting for your son to learn that testosterone is what causes the formation of fluids, called semen, from the prostate gland and seminal vesicles.

Illustration from I’m a Boy, Hormones!

Semen is the fluid part of an ejaculation. Semen nourishes sperm that are mixed into the semen during ejaculation. Ejaculations don’t begin until puberty because of the need for testosterone.

This is important information for your son to understand about his body. Although it might be uncomfortable to have a few small chats about this topic, just think about how great it is for him to be informed as he approaches sexual maturity.