Boy almost 14, no sign of puberty - would you be concerned?

[Anonymous]

I'm older and have seen lots of boys grow up into men. Never seen a boy not go through puberty at some point.

[Anonymous]

As others have said, are you absolutely sure there’s no sign of puberty? Not that it means your son is abnormal, if no puberty yet.

My son has no noticeable leg or pit hair or voice change yet the ped told me he was in early Tanner 2 at his 13 year old check up. She could only tell by peeking at his testicles. Literally nothing else is obvious to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

OP here. I never considered red shirting him and would never do. He was so academically advanced as a preschooler he had to wait years for the other kids (and the teaching) to catch up with him. He’s still very advanced academically (eg taking calculus in 9th grade). Red shirting him would have just been a waste of a year. That he’s small isn’t an issue, but I am wondering about puberty.

I’m sorry your description is obnoxious. Hopefully he has some humility unlike you[b].

+1

There was a typo there, he’s in precalculus for 9th, not calc, but other than that 100 percent accurate. How exactly would you like me to state it? I’ve had years of people asking why I didn’t redshirt and that gets obnoxious - but I get why you have to be defensive about why you did and how it gave your kid an academic advantage as well as a physical one. My kid didn’t need an academic advantage and could have been put up a grade and still excelled. It’s not a brag, it comes with its own issues, but if that threatens you, that’s your issue.

You could have simply said academically he was ready for Kindergarten. No need to be insulting about “waiting years for kids to catch up to him”. No threat to me, I also have a child who is gifted. I truly hope that you don’t speak about your child’s peers to him the way you have described them here.



Is your son socially awkward or immature? I have literally never had anyone ask me why I did not redshirt DS who is extremely small. Usually the smallest in the grade, boys or girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP's son is the youngest possible age for his grade as well.
This is one reason people redshirt boys with September birthdays.

100% this. Some freshman kids will already be 15 or turning 15 shortly thereafter.

That is absurd and not developmentally appropriate.

What? It's completely normal. DC's birthday is in August right before the school cut off in our area and until a few weeks ago was 13, but now is 14. DC's friend's birthday is in September, will turn 15 then and will spend most of freshman year 15 years. Other friends have October birthdays and will also be 15 most of 9th grade.
How is it not developmentally appropriate? In some private schools you'll see 16 year old freshmen.