Reddit reviews What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: Revised Edition
We found 15 Reddit comments about What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: Revised Edition. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
What s Happening to My Body Book for Boys
You must not have tried too hard.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1683370260/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Rz5UBbDN27MFF
https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Boys/dp/1557047650
https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Boys/dp/1557047650
Seriously though this vid is awesome, great job.
Has he read any books about his body or taken sex ed yet?
It's normal when going through puberty to be uncomfortable with your body, the changes.
If he is worried he is "small" he may not realize that he is still growing and changing. Maybe he is comparing himself to the other boys or things he has seen online. (Does he understand the concept of grower verse shower?)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Boys-Body-Book-Everything/dp/1604333529
http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Boys/dp/1557047650
/r/askmen may be helpful but I'd recommend /r/daddit.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I don't think anyone ever taught him how to properly take care of his own body. It sounds like he knows why he smells, he showers twice a day thinking that's what other people do when they smell; they shower!, and he's not understanding why he still smells despite "doing what everyone else does". It's my take on this that no one ever taught him how to properly bathe and clean his body. I don't really know how to approach this. I'm female, and when I was starting puberty I would shower... let the water pour on top of me, but I didn't actually wash my hair or body. I don't know why but I didn't. I started to smell. My Mom noticed, obviously, and bought me a book called The Care and Keeping of You. It was an American Girl book and it really helped me understand how I needed to take care of my body. I was unsure of how to ask for help because I was embarrsed and for a while just chose to live with this. Maybe you could find a male-equivalent of the book my mom got me. Buy some products and stash them in your bathroom. Tell roommate you got some stuff that he's welcome to check out and use. Leave the book on the back of the toilet as poop reading material. He might pick it up when he has privacy and might gain some info he was too afraid to pursue on his own. I know the male version exists. I'll look for the title for you.
Other things you can do to help him and not alienate him:
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EDIT: This seems like the closest to the Care and Keeping of You I had, but for boys but based on reading through some reviews, I think "What's Happening to my Body?" might be the best book to leave somewhere roomie can find and look through in private. If some jackass down the hall comes into your room making fun of it, just say someones mom brought it up to the dorm and you guys like to laugh at it. But keep it in the bathroom so that it can be looked at when smelly roomie is alone. He knows he smells, and I'm sure he wants to know how not to smell despite what he says. It sounds like deflection because he is shameful, but hides behind pride.
Some general life advice... being 15 can be rough. Hell, being a teenager at all is rough. I'm sure you've been through a sex ed class, but if you haven't, I'd suggest you pick up a What's Happening To My Body? Book For Boys, and maybe The Bisexual's Guide To The Universe, if it won't get you into trouble. If you don't have a library card, get one. They're free and easily the best investment you can make. No one can ever take your knowledge from you.
Basically, right now, it's wise to put off dating and wait until you hit late high school or college, when people are generally a little more stable and a little less crazy. Hormones make folks do all sorts of stuff, and some of it will be a bit regrettable in the long run. Don't worry so much about getting your 15-year-old self laid, start setting the foundation to getting your 18 to 25 year old self laid. You'll have much better prospects and more freedom then.
If you're into reading, read. Expand your mind, expand your vocabulary. You'll need it for the SAT and for college. It will help your social life immensely if you can carry on an interesting conversation. They say a man who reads lives and dies thousands of lives, while the man who doesn't read lives only once.
Similarly, you're probably just starting or just about to start puberty, which means you're going to get taller and more muscular. This is a great time to get fit or get toned. Even just walking around your neighborhood in the afternoon will help. Exercise improves your mood, which can be really important during the teenage years. Also, if nothing else, you'll need those leg muscles and that stamina for fun things later. Hiking is excellent.
If it hasn't already, your metabolism is probably going to spike and you're suddenly going to be able to eat everything. You will probably feel like you're eating Mom 'n' Dad out of house and home. This is normal. You will probably get much taller, and your body will get bigger. Your face will break out and it'll feel like you're fuzzy all over. This, too, is normal. Don't worry about it, don't panic, and don't stress about acne. It happens to everyone. It's one of life's great ironies that at a moment when our bodies are full of hormones and all sorts of friskiness, that we tend to look our worst. That's normal, don't worry about it. You're growing and becoming something greater, so take advantage of it. Focus on preparing and making yourself really shine a few years down the road.
If you've got a hobby, put some real time into it. A good hobby or two will really help improve your life; it's important to have something you can feel passionate and capable about. Similarly, try the different clubs in school. Some stuff is really pretty cool, even if it may seem a little weird or dorky at the outset. For example, I joined the Model United Nations on a whim when I was in high school, and it was one of the best experiences I ever had. I still miss it, over a decade later, and it's part of what spawned my interest in global politics.
If you can, start setting aside a little money now. You'll thank yourself when your first car blows a head gasket, when you're trying to wrangle your first bills together, or when you're trying to figure out how many meals you can stretch out of a 24 pack of ramen. Your family is supporting you right now, try to appreciate it while it lasts. There's a personal finance merit badge that you need for your Eagle. It may sound boring, but pay attention to that; there's a lot of skills there that you will need in your near future.
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And some sex advice, while I'm at it. Condoms: They have expiration dates, and they generally keep for roughly three years. They're one of those things it's better to have and not need, than to need and not have. Depending on the state you're living in, you may not be able to enter an adult shop until you're 18 or 21. That's okay. You can get condoms and lube at most pharmacies, and sometimes the grocery store. If you're going to have penetrative same sex, you're going to need lube, especially your first time. Your first time is assuredly going to be awkward, both with a male and with a female. Take your time and don't rush. Don't sweat it. It's awkward for everyone, just keep talking to your partner and listen to what they have to say. Being a giving lover is a skill worth having.
When it comes to toys, etc, don't use anything stiff or hard on your rear. Start small, get something medium-soft, and stay clean. It helps to use a condom on your toys, and "too much" lube is almost enough. Try to stay away from anything homemade, too. You can get stuff online pretty easily, and you can usually order stuff with a prepaid gift card that acts like a credit card, such as an American Express card. You can also get these at grocery stores. Similarly, a small tool box with a padlock can be a handy investment. I'm not encouraging you to hide or lie to your parents, just that sexual stuff is personal, and it's generally no one's business but yours.
Clear your browser history.
Also, porn makes everything look better than reality. That's kind of the point, and they can sink all sorts of money into making their actors look amazing. Don't stress about it. No one's perfect in real life.
(Facebook's the same way. When you look at other peoples' facebook pages, you're seeing their highlight reel. Meanwhile, you're living through all of your behind-the-scenes stuff, and life can be messy. Don't compare yourself to others, we're all living through the messy stuff as best we can. Be compassionate, a kind word goes a long way.)
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Let's see, what else...? Brush your teeth, wear deodorant, and go sparingly with the cologne. That stuff is strong, and if you can't smell it anymore, don't go reapplying it in the middle of a dance or giving it to all of your friends like I did. We must've had an aspen-scented cloud around us, and we never knew. :P
Your parents can sometimes feel like big jerks when you're a teenager, it can feel like they don't understand and they never will. It's true, it's been a while since they were teens, and they may have forgotten what it's like. However, your parents care about you and they know a lot, so learn what you can. Learning how to cook is an excellent skill and it will help you out a lot. Cooking your own meals will help with your health, your budget, and your ability to impress a date. Learn what you can now, while you've got the freedom to do so.
As an afterthought, don't forget that there's a ton of people in real life and here on reddit whom you can ask for advice. If you're embarrassed, you don't have to give your name and you can fake up your details if you need to. Hang in there, it's all going to be okay. I know it's cliche, but that whole thing about "It Gets Better"? Yeah, it really does. Sometimes we spend so much time and effort trying to find something, that when we stop looking, we'll turn a corner and it'll slam right into our face. Life's funny like that. Don't panic about your situation, try not to compare yourself to others. Work on you, first and foremost. You're stuck with yourself for life, so make sure it's a good one. =\^.~=
tl;dr: I took the time to write this, please go back up and read it. Use your brain, use your common sense, trust yourself, and start preparing now to be awesome when you're starting out as an adult. That first step out on your own can be hard, and there's a lot of stuff that may take you by surprise. Be Prepared.
I think you did fine, but leaving the onus on him to come to you with questions might not work out. I suspect that a lot of kids aren't very comfortable or very willing to come to their parents with embarrassing questions right out of the blue. And lecturing doesn't do much good. The best approach, in my opinion, is to have short, ongoing, regular conversations about sexual and reproductive health, especially as his development continues and the conversations need to get more specific about some of the details. The more you talk about it, the less awkward it gets, and he'll be more likely to ask questions when it just becomes part of a normal conversation. Also, there are tons of great books about sexual and reproductive health and puberty out there. Get him three or four books and let him read. Get him the girls versions, too, so they're not a complete mystery. I'll include some recommendations below.
Here are some of the things I've added to the conversations I've had with my kid, specifically about porn:
-Pornography only shows actors performing sexual acts for the camera. Typical intimate, physical, sexual relationships between two people don't look very much like porn, so don't be fooled into thinking that's what a sexual relationship really looks like.
-Whether or not watching pornography is ethical or moral is something I think people need to decide for themselves. A lot of people think it's unethical for the following reasons: a) it doesn't show realistic relationships and distorts people's sense of what sex should look like; b) the actors, especially the female actors, are often exploited because they were in a vulnerable position and were taken advantage of; c) there are problems with things like human trafficking; d) some of the actors are underage; e) it can cause problems with addiction and desensitization; f) how would you feel if it was your daughter or sister performing? Do you think you should treat other people's daughters or sisters any differently?
But other people would say there's not a problem with looking at porn, especially if you're careful about the above problems. And a lot of people watch porn, so it's not weird or unusual. But deciding if it's right or not will have to be up to you.
If you do decide to watch porn, I would say -- as with anything else -- do it in moderation, and make sure it's not affecting your ability to have healthy relationships in real life.
Good books on puberty and reproductive and sexual health:
American Medical Association Girl's Guide to Becoming a Teen
by American Medical Association et al.
American Medical Association Boy's Guide to Becoming a Teen
by American Medical Association et al.
What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: Revised Edition
by Lynda Madaras et al.
My Body, My Self for Boys: Revised Edition by Lynda Madaras et al.
The Care and Keeping of You 2: The Body Book for Older Girls
by Cara Natterson et al.
What's Happening to My Body? Book for Girls: Revised Edition
by Lynda Madaras et al.
My mum gave me this when i "came of age". Didn't think I'd find it that helpful but it was pretty insightful.
here ya go
I'd suggest getting an age-appropriate book to discuss with him, such as The Boy's Guide to Becoming a Teen (for pre-teens) or What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys (for older teens). It's Perfectly Normal is another great one aimed at both girls and boys, about age 10 and up.
This is a great book. http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Boys/dp/1557047650
I always kinda knew in a sense, but I didn't really understand what was going on until I read about homosexuality in a book about puberty when I was 10 I think. My parents had it in a book case that was pretty easily accessible to us kids. In retrospect that was a good idea, I'd do that with my kids; I would feel the need to have "the talk" with them at some point but having a book lying around would be good if they happen to start being curious about it earlier than expected; easy, not embarrassing, more reliable than the internet (which has good resources but an 8 year old might not be able to tell them apart from the bad ones).
But getting back on topic, I always kinda knew but knew 100% as soon as puberty hit, it was just a little while before I had the concept to attach it to.
/u/Paralily & /u/atomic_winter - you win!
Send me addresses, or put the books on your wishlists from these links, and I will have the books sent out ASAP!
(edited to add links, bc derp)
https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Boys/dp/1557047650
I think it's quite normal for him to look. I think before buying him one, I might also buy him something like this as well.
If you have boys and are looking for a good, comprehensive book about puberty that teaches actual scientific facts this book is great. What's Happening to My Body? Book for Boys: Revised Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/1557047650/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_z32PzbNKMPJYJ There's a girl's version too. Both versions talk about the opposite sex's experience with puberty as well, but in a respectful way. None of this 1950's crap.
http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Happening-Body-Book-Boys/dp/1557047650