Mlltown. NJ t.

1988

The medlcdl «J(1!en[ c:J ths bookI.., has been rr?V1t'\M'd OJ

Amerk:an MedIcaIIXA:>mM', AssociatIon. Inc .

.rd haS been acc~ foILM among e~ adoIe5cer1l boys OJ

National AssocIatJcn of School Nur2S • National PTA

~I F'Io::Juas ~ dCknONledges \/lim 1h.'I'1k> the rr?V1fW c:J tm IXJokIeI oy

Harry L PIne. MD fiACOG /v1eck:aj DiIl'C!OI .nY'! lht· dlx:M> ~tons

FmonaI Produas IS !he atUo' c:J !he bookit1: .1ro:1 ~ 50/(:1)1 rt<.pOn5IbIe /oJ ~ COf1(ere,

 Welcome to a wonderful adventure!
The journey into young adulthood is an exciting
time-and it's a time about w hich you probably
have a lot of queslions.
That's why I'd like to introduce you to my friend
Greg and his friends Sam and
Hmd. They had quite a few
qll('sliollS, 100, and felt that
Il\aybe I>y he;) ri Ill-( I heir slory,
SOIIW (If YOllr qw'siiolls l1Ii~111
Ill' ollISW(,It,d h I Inll, il lIIily
Il«'lp YOII ,illS WI 'I qllC 'sl UHIS
YUII'! lI It'VI'1 11111111.\ 111 .Ihoul
"slollg lu ·lolI',
Tilt, (''' IWIII'lIn's 01 (~rcg,
/Irdd .lI ul S.1I11 II lay 1)(' much
IIkt, )/0111 OWl! , Iwl ('ven if they
ill(' lICIt IllIill" you'll like
tlll'SI ' Ilm'c' It it'lltis as much
ilS I d CI.
llt'n,'s it pidurt' of the three
rlmillJfljrllf/. (i/l'g of them and a liUle aboul each olle:
lind Sur//.
Greg is on the quiet side- but he has al l ki nds of
interests. Mostly he likes baseball, basketball and
astronomy. He saved up for a long time to buy a
telescope. Greg says it's not a real good one, but it
lets him get a fairly close look at Venus and the
moon. He also likes Kate-but he'd never let her
know, even thoug h he's nice to her. If he had a wish,
it would be that he could have had a brother or
sister. (Mostly an older brother.) He also wishes that
his parents wouldn't corne to his baseball games or
make him go out with them.
Sam thinks that Greg is about his best friend ill Ih('
world, aside from his brothers and sister a ncl Ilis
uncle. Sam is a good student and isn't emiJarl'ils"c ,"
to get good grades, because one day he willlis 10 Itl'
a doctor. Because his mom is a nurse, he's always
gotten straightforward answers to his questions
about the changes his body is going through. Just
like Greg, he really likes baseball. In fact, he met
both Greg and Brad on the Uttle League team.
Brad really values his friendship with Greg and
Sam. His parents were divorced a few years ago, and
even though he knows his mom loves him and tries
hard to make everything right at home, it's not the
same without his father around. He's a really good
athlete, but sometimes he does things that aren't
good for him. like smoking.
Brad, Greg and Sam hope that you will learn
something about yourself-about what growing up is
all about, both physically and emotionally. You
might even find that some of their situations are a
lot like yours. For instance, the way Greg, in par­
ticular, finds that the way he feels about girls is
changing. Or that Brad feels he has to show off to
earn the respect of his friends and classmates. And
that Sam isn't always as sure of himself as he seems
to be.
Through their story, Greg, Sam and Brad hope
you learn that all boys are going through much the
same kind of changes you are. And they think you
will find that the most important thing for you to do
is like and respect yourself ... so you can feel com­
fortable with who you are.
~~
Susan James

 m n Exciting New Challenge.
"I don't know about you, but I'm scared:'
"Shoot, Greg, what's to be scared about?~ said Sam.
"I mean, health class is just about bodies and stuff. You
see bodies all the time. Besides, you know how babies
are made, right?"
Did I feel stupid. I wasn't
really that sure I did know
how they are made. I mean,
kind of, but not exactly,
"Aren't they going to tell us
more, like about why certain
things are happening to our
bodies?"
"Oh man, where have you
been?;' Brad asked. "Or are
you so chicken because Kate
is going to be there?"
He started flapping his arms
and making clucking noises.
He just got on my case too
/(!r ull(!n I'm much about girls. Most of the time I thought girls
r I() /N.' lul/,·,. were a pain, especially when they pass notes back
n IIII.' girl~.
«'/11/(1' Klile and forth to each other about you. It seems like they
do that a lot. I think that's what made Brad extra
sensitive, because one time he found out about a
note about him that this girl named Beth wrote.
Sam piped in, "Hey, you guys. If I were you, I'd be
more worried about tryouts for the baseball team
than I would be about health class. It's like I told you
before, they'll just show you some pictures like the
ones in my mom's medical books. And they'll talk
about eating better and exercise and stuff like that:'
"Yeah, and about girls;' said Brad, "That's especial­
ly for you, Greg:'
I just got kind of quiet then. I started thinkinR
about the skating party we'd been invited to. 11\ lilt'
first real boy-girl party I've ever been to-not inl'lllcl­
ing the one my cousin Michele had last summer. I
wasn't invited to that one exactly, they just let me
hang around. It was okay, even though they were
juniors and seniors. It made me feel like a little kid,
almost; but in a way it made me feel a lot older,
hanging around with the high school kids.
Mostly, it just made me realize how much I didn't
know, and how many questions I had. It also made
me feel kind of bad that J didn't know who to ask.
l's Okay To Ask Questions.
The first day of health class was divided between
kids who were real quiet Oike me) and kids who
were acting like jerks and making stupid jokes.
As soon as Mr. Thomas, who's the science teacher
and also coaches the baseball team, and the school
nurse walked in the room, J fell embarrassed and
my stomach got all weird. Coach Thomas and Mrs.
Muller were teaching the class together. I wanted to
crawl under my desk. Then I looked over at Brad,
who was slunk so far down that he almost was
under his desk.
Coach Thomas spoke first. "I want to tell you all
that this is an important time in your life. A lot of
you may think you have all the answers-that this
class is just a waste of your time. And I'm going to
tell you that by the end of this session, almost all of
you are going to have more questions than answers.
That's okay. It means that you're concerned about
taking responsibility for yourselves. That's one of
the most important things yOll need to learn as you
become an adult:'
Then Mrs. Muller stood up.
"Who can tell me what puberty is?;' she asked.
, didn't even know how to spell it, let alone know
what it meant.
Sam raised his hand. Sure.
",t's the time when your body starts changing from

 being a kid to becoming an adult. It starts in your have tbe patience to wait that long, Brad:'
head, I think. I mean, there's something in your I was trying hard not to laugh.
brain that sends a message to your body to start "To answer your question, Brad;' he continued, "it
cranking out hormones. That's the way it works for doesn't happen overnight for anybody. And it's im­
guys, anyway:' portant to understand that everybody goes at his
"That's the basic idea;' said Mrs. Muller. "In fact, it own pace. That's the way nature works. Here's how
generally works the same way tor boys and girls, it generally happens:' Then he said:
except the hormones are different, and so are the
Male
glands. And of course, what happens once the mes­ fJelv40pmeni The first stage of development is pre­
sage is received is a good deal different. But let's talk (E':ll.'rnal) pubertal, and there is little change in the penis.
about what happens with guys firsl:" In the second stage of development, which
can happen anytime between the ages of 10 and
II/lle When boys reach puberty, the hypothalamus,
~"h'r~ '
15, a boy begins to get pubic hair at the base of
which is like the master switch in the brain,
his penis. At first, this hair will be straight and
sends a message, by way of the pituitary gland,
fine, but later it becomes coarser, curlier, and
to the testicles to start producing a hormone
there will be a lo t more of it. The scrotum­
called testosterone. Testosterone is a special
which is the pouch that contains the testes that
male hormone that causes some important and
is at the base of the penis-will start to get red·
exciting changes to take place in a boy's body.
der, or maybe it will just become darker.
The production of testosterone and the changes
During the third stage of development, usual­
it causes can start as early as age eight or nine
ly between the ages of 12 and 16, the testicles
or as late as age 15. But the average boy begins
will grow even more. Boys' voices begin to
changing physically at about 12 or 13. How early
deepen when the testosterone causes their
or late you or any other boy starts changing is
vocal chords and larynx to grow larger. (The
mostly determined by what is inherited from
larynx is w hat some people call the Adam's
your parents.
Apple.) Boys also s tart to perspire a lot more at
As the testosterone levels increase in a boy's
this time, especially under their anns, and their
body, he'll begin to develop hair on his body
skin becomes oilier. This oiliness may cause
and face. His penis and testicles will grow. He
some acne. Acne, or pimples, is a common skin
will grow in height, his shoulders will broaden
condition that often occurs during puberty. The
and he'll begin to develop more muscles. As the
basic cause is not known, but it usually disap­
hormone levels increase even more, his voice
pears by the late teens or early twenties.
will deepen and his testicles will start produc­
In the fourth stage of development, during
ing sperm cells.
which the penis becomes wider, boys s tart to
I almost couldn't believe it, but Brad had his hand up. develop hair on their arms, legs and maybe
He asked, "Just how long does all this take? I'm their chest. They'll also begin to get hair on the
not going to have to wait until I'm in college. am IT'
Then Coach Thomas spoke. "I doubt that you

5 6

 upper lip and chin. This will probably be heavy STAGES OF MALE GENITAL DEVEWPMENf
enough to start shaving sometime between the
ages of 14 and 18.
Throughout puberty, there are many changes
that occur-as many emotional ones as physical
"­
ones. / /'
"'"
~1(
During this time of change, boys may notice
that their penis may get stiff or hard more U
often. This is called an erection. Although most I
males, from babies to old men, get erections,
this happens a lot more in puberty because of
\ J
the increase in hormones. Sometimes an erec·
STAGE 1 STAGE 2
tion happens for no reason at all-maybe while
riding along in a bus or running on the track.
This is entirely normal and happens a lot to
boys. These erections can last from a few
seconds to a few minutes and aren't nearly as I \
noticeable to others as the boy might think.
Mole
'tdOpl1l1'nt
Testosterone also causes the testicles to begin
producing sperm cells, which are also called
" ";.}~ ,
/' //

In/I'r,wl)
spermatozoa. These speno are too tiny to be
seen and your testicles can produce millions of
speno each day. The speno cells are a man's
contribution to making a baby. When a speno
unites with a female egg cell in a woman's STAGE 3 STAGE 4
Fallopian tube, pregnancy may occur.
STAGE 1: Development before
Then Luis, who was usually even quieter than me, .­
p uberty hegins .
blurted out a question. "If you can't see sperm, how do <

:'\ STAGE 2: Pubic hair first ap­

you know they are there? What does a sperm look "'l.
~'''': '~ '~
p('ars at /)(1se of penis as testes in­
rense ITl sizl!. Scrotum becomes
like?" darker or redder.
~{ I~Jt"'I'
~ ~~ ~{I;J;J.;.."
"'-. . ) ....I •••'\-­

"That's a good question, Luis:' said Mrs. Muller. "If /_\~;~r

v -' STAGE 3: Pubic hair becomes
you were to look at speml under a microscope, they courser and curlier. Penis grows in
/Pfl g/h,
would look very much like tadpoles:' VJ STAGE 4: Pubic hair becomes
Mrs. Muller told us what happens Ilext: fu ller. Penis grows in width.
STAGE 5: Matured stage of
After the speno cells are produced. they move developm ent
to the epididymis, a storage chamber that's STAGE 5
attached to each testicle. They stay there, to get

7
8

nourislunent and to mature, for a few weeks. MALE REPRODUCI1VE SYSTEM

The mature spenn move from the epididymis

to the vas deferens, a long, thin passageway
that transports spenn that are stored at its up­
per, wider end. Once in the vas deferens, the
sperm move into the seminal vesicles.
The two seminal vesicles are small sac-like
glands that contain a special fluid. The mixture
GO ,,\: l spine
of that fluid and the sperm is called semen.
Once the sperm mix with this fluid, they
become really active and swim around. They
can whip their tails back and forth and move
by themselves. Semen also provides sperm
cells with nourishment
From here, the fluid and the sperm cells flow
into the ejaculatory ducts. These two ducts con­ pubic bone I- 7 J /I \ r, '< bladder
j '-',. ~ seminal
nect the seminal vesicles with the opening of
vesicle
the urethra in the prostate gland
There's o nly one prostate gland It's about the vas deferens ---1/- -- -+
/ / / II prostate
size of a walnut and is at the base of the bladder.
The prostate gland contributes a thin, milky penis - / - -
fluid that makes up the largest part of the semen. / I l rectu m
The semen-now a sticky, white fluid-carries urethra --J­ --J

the sperm through the urethra and o ut the tip

of the penis. When it is ejected from the penis-­ glans penis
..... :;;/ 7" an us
a process called ejaculation-it will amount to
epididymis ''d V
about a teaspoonful of fluid But there are about
J(
I I )

400 million spenn cells in that small amoWlt! testici l"

Ejaculation can happen in several ways. It may scroturn .~ ..
happen, for example, during sexual intercourse
when the penis is inserted into a woman's vagi­
na. It can also happen while sleeping. That's
what's called nocturnal emission or a ''wet
dream:' This is perfectly normal and is simply
the body's way of making room in the seminal
vesicles for newer sperm cells. Although males
ejaculate through the same opening from which This fepreseflts (l Ix)y with a circum cised fielll~'. WllCll (J hoy is circum cised. he ' las an
they urinate, these two things never happen at operation to felT/ OUe th e fOfeshifl-{) soli fold of s/?in from around the l ip of the penis.
While m any boys in tile U S hmx' heel/ circumcised. it is (lIsa common 10 hcwe a pent:,
the same time wilh (J foreskin.

9 10

 Wow. All this information was incredible. Coach

was right about having more questions now than ever.
Mrs. Muller said, "I'll bet there are lots of things
you'd like to ask. Mr. Thomas and I have a sugges­
tion. Why don't you all write your questions down
on a piece of paper and pass them forward or drop
them off after class. We promise to answer all your
questions-as long as they're serious:'
Then Coach said, "One other thing. Respecting
other people's privacy is a big part of being an adult.
We'll respect your privacy. You respect ours. No per­
sonal questions. Fair enough?"
Some kids wrote questions down right away. I
was saved by the bell. I needed a little time to think
about it.
A group of us walked out of class together to our
lockers. Nobody said very much. Then Brad said he
had to admit it was more interesting than he thought
it would be. Me too.

hanges in Girls.
Even though I felt a lot better about health class
than I had the first time, I hadn't written down my
questions until about the last minute. What I really
wanted to know was things like why a lot of the girls
were bigger than the boys. Like Sam's sister. She's
more than a year younger than Sam and me and is
a lot taller than either one of us.
When Coach Thomas and Mrs. Muller came in the
room, my face didn't even turn red or anything. Some­
how, I felt more grown up than I did the last time.
Sam's and Brad's questions were a lot like mine. At
least the ones they wanted to talk about. Anyway,
Coach Thomas said he and Mrs. Muller had looked
at all the questions and there were lots of good ones.
Then Coach said, "It appears that quite a few of the
questions are about girls. We want to let all you girls

Mewalked out of our health class with more qu('stions than we

had at the start of c/aso.

11 12
 in the class know that we hadn't forgotten you. And FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

we want to let aU the boys in the class know that we

had always planned to give the girls equal time:'
Then Mrs. Muller asked who remembered what
the definition of puberty was. I raised my hand right
away and she caIled on me.
I said, "Puberty is what happens when you start to
change physically. When you start to change from
being a kid to becom ing an adult. It starts when the
hypothalamus sends a message to start producing
certain hormones:'
"That's right, Greg:' said Mrs. Muller. "If you re­
member, too, we told you that in boys the hormone
is called testosterone. In girls, the hypothalamus sends
a message to the pituitary gland, which is at the base
of the brain. The gland produces hormones that in
turn instruct the body to begin production of a very
special hormone called estrogen' ~c;~~ cells (ova)
linino
Then she told us the kinds of changes that happen (endometrium) )." '
when estrogen and some other horrnone..<; start
working: uterus '\
cervix ~l
FpfIlolp Girls usually start their physical development
~Iupml'r/ I
between the ages of eight and thirteen. Just like
boys, they have different stages on the way to
changing from girls to young women. " vagin.al
like boys, girls grow a lot taller and gain
openmg
weight at puberty. A lot of this weight gain is
due to an increase in body fat rather than the
increased muscle tissue that boys begin to
notice. The proper amount of increased weight
and body fat is an important and nonnal part
of growing up for girls. At this time, she starts
developing a rounder shape in the hips and
other parts of her body. Her breasts start to
develop, and she'll also start to develop under­
arm, leg and pubic hair. At this same time, a
girl's vulva, which is the entire outside part of

13
14

her genital area, will enlarge. She will begin to
perspire Wlder her anns and may develop acne
as puberty progresses.
While all her outside changes are happening,
she's changing inside, too. Most important
among these internal changes are those that
are going on in her reproductive system.
I could see Sam out of the corner of my eye, and
he looked really nervous. He already knew more
than anybody about all this stuff, since his mother
was a nurse and all, but I guess he felt as uncomfort­
able as the rest of us having it explained. Mrs. Muller
kept talking. Now she was telling us about the big
things, Like how women can have babies.
The female reproductive system is made up
of her female organs. An organ is a part of your
body designed to perform a certain special
function, such as the heart, which has the job
of pumping blood. A female's reproductive
organs make it possible for her to have a baby.
They include the vagina, the uterus, two Fall~
pian tubes and two ovaries.
The vagina is a muscular tube about four to
five inches long. It connects the uterus with the
outside of the body. The part of the uterus that
meets the vagina is called the cervix. The uterus
is about the size and shape of an upside-down
pear. It's a hollow organ with a specialliniug of
tissue called the endometrium. At each side of
the uterus, within the area between the hips
called the abdomen, are two finger-like passage­
ways called Fallopian tubes. Near the ends of
these tubes are two small organs, each about
the size of a walnut, called ovaries. The ovaries
contain about 250,000 eggs, or ova, but they
don't look anything like eggs you're used to seeing.
15
Each egg is about the size of a grain of sand
Unlike males, who don't start producing sperm
Wltil puberty, females are born with all their
eggs. However, they don't start maturing Wltil
puberty.
With the onset of puberty, a girl's vagina be­
comes deeper, her uterus and ovaries become
larger and the blood supply to the uterus
increases.
Then, when the girl reaches a certain stage of
maturity, all of these organs start to do what
they were meant to do.
Each month the ovaries release one mature
egg cell. This egg cell goes into the Fallopian
tube. At the same time, the uterus is getting
ready to nourish a baby. The endometrium be­
comes thicker and rich with blood. If the egg is
fertilized by a male sperm, it will travel down to
the uterus and attach itself to the lining and
spend nine months growing into a baby.
Most of the time, the egg won't be fertilized,
so it won't attach itself to the lining of the
uterus. Instead, it will disintegrate and the lining
of the uterus will break down and flow out of
the uterus, through the vagina and out of the
body. This process is called menstruation or the
menstrual period That's what girls mean when
they say, "I've got my periocC' This menstrual
flow is a mixture of the blood and tissue that
passes slowly out of a girl's body each month.
Jimmy, this guy who had just started at our school,
raised his hand and almost whispered, "But doesn't
that hurt? Isn't it bad to lose blood?" Some of the
girls were giggling, and some of the guys, too. But
1 Mrs. Muller was pretty cool about it. She told us that
it is all a part of growing up for girls, and that it isn't
unhealthy and it doesn't hurt.
16

 There isn't a lot of blood over the three to
eight days of the period. The flow is absorbed
by a sanitary pad, which is worn outside her
body and secured to the girl's underpants with
an adhesiw strip. Some girls use tampons to ab­
sorb their menstrual flow. Tampons are rolled·
up cylinders of absorbent materials that are in·
serted into the vagina which absorb the flow
before it leaves the body.
The important thing to remember is that this
is a very normal and healthy part of a girl's life.
It doesn't mean that she can't be active or do
anything she nonnally does.
Before Coach Thomas or Mrs. Muller could even
ask if there were any other questions, Kate had her
hand raised.
'111011 "Mrs. Muller:' asked Kate, "there's something I'd like
to know more about. It's about diet. I don't mean los­
ing weight, so much, but eating right so we can feel
better:'
Coach Thomas spoke up and said, 'Td like to an­
swer that, because as a coach, I see the stuff some of
you kids eat for 'quick energy: Things loaded with
sugar may get you off the growld in a hurry, but they
drop you off real quick, too. I don't want to sound like
your mom or dad telling you to eat a1Jyour vegetables
because of all the starving people in the world. I just
want to teU you that the best thing is a balanced diet:'
Then Mrs. Muller said, "You've probably heard of
the 'four basic food groups: .. She wrote on the board
what they are:
1) Fresh fruits and vegetables.
2) Grains-including breads and cereals.
3) Meats-especially lean meats and fish
or poultry.
4) Dairy products-preferably low·fat
types of milk and yogurt.
17
18
She told us that good nutrition is very important
for us right now. When we eat right, we'll feel a lot
better and have more energy in the long run. She
said it's important especially for girls not to try to
lose weight by trying crazy diets or skipping meals.
We should all just cut out junk food and get more
exercise.
At least I felt good about that. I really like to get
outside and either play baseball or ride my bike.
This winter, my cousin Michele and her boyfriend
promised to teach me how to ski. 0 can hardly wait!)
About the food-well, I don't eat too much junk
food or drink a lot of soda. As long as I don't have to
eat brussels sprouts (or at least not too many of
them) then this is fine [or me.
After class, Brad and Sam asked me if I wanted to
go to the park and get a little batting practice in. I
said sure.
On the way to the park, Sam said he bet the en­
tire Yankees baseball team ate lima beans and liver
for dinner. Brad said he thought that was pretty
disgusting. I thought they had oatmeal and lots of
fruit for breakfast, and chicken for dinner with a side
of extra brussels sprouts. Brad said that didn't sound
too bad, except the part about extra brussels sprouts.
III nderstanding New FeeUngs As You Grow Up.
Sam was over at my house and we were studying
for our English test. It was maybe the one subject I
was better at than Sam.
To change the subject from Tom Sawyer; he asked
me if I had thought about any questions for health
class.
I said that J had, sort of. What J had really been
thinking about, though, is that I wanted to talk to my
dad about some of these things. Not so much about
the physical stuff. More about other things-like life.

 So I asked Sam how he talked to his dad about
things.
"You mean like girls?;' Sam said.
"Well, yeah-and other things like that:' I said.
Sam told me that when he wanted to talk to his
dad, or even his mom, about
something that he wasn't
totally comfortable with, he'd
start talking about something
else and ease into it.
He said, "Maybe you can
start with the tryouts for the
baseball team, or try to get
him to talk about something:'
After dinner, I said I'd help
Dad do the dishes. I started
teIJing him about looking at
the Sea of Tranquility on the
moon through my telescope
the other night. I told him I
was thinking that I'd like to
SomelmJeS il:l apply for the space program after I get out of col­
~p()rlUfII 10 m<' to
I7y my:;!"!, /0 Ihmh lege. He thought that was great
Jlx)lJllliings eJlld Then I began to get that weird feeling in my
.\1 gel sOnJ<- peace
anci qUlel. stomach again. I just came out and said, ''I've been
thinking about other things, like growing up:'
He looked a bit surprised. Then he asked me if
there was something in particular that I wanted to
talk about. I said yes. Girls.
"I guess I should have talked to you about that by
now;' Dad said.
I could tell he was as nervous as [ was.
Then he said, "I know you've started your health
class. Have you discussed anything about it there?"
uA little bit. I mean, about their physical changes
and stuff;' I said.
My eyes were glued to the floor.
"WeB:' Dad said. "I guess your feelings about girls
19
20
are changing a lot right now. I know mine were
when I was your age. That's part of your 'romantic'
self that's growing up:'
It was as though he was reading my mind. Not
that long ago girls were just there. Now it seems like
I want to spend more time with them, even though it
makes me pretty nervous being around certain ones.
Se:mol Then Dad said, "I guess the way I'd put it is to say
i?el{XIII.IIbllily
that there are three things about sex. First, sex is
what you are-either a male or a female. Then there's
somet hing called sexual feelings. U you've wondered
about a girl you know, like maybe what it would be
like to hold her hand, or even kiss her-that's a sex­
ual feeling. It's a perfectly normal, healthy thing to
have sexual feelings, and you should never feel
ashamed of them. There are many ways to express
sexual feelings, and as you grow up you'll have to
make lots of decisions about showing others how
you feel about them:'
I thought I was going to die of embarrassment, but
Dad kept right on talking.
"Often when people talk about 'having sex; they
really mean sexual intercourse;' said Dad. "It's the
physical union between a man and a woman that
occurs when the man puts his penis into a woman's
vagina.
"There are lots of reasons why kids your age
should not have sexual intercourse:'
He talked some more about how wonderful it is
to discover all kinds of things about yourself and the
world before you make a decision about your own
We. He said that it's easier when you're older and
know what's right or wrong for you, you won't feel
so pressured to go along with the crowd or do some­
thing just to feel like you fit in.
"That's one way you'll know that you're mature­
by making decisions based on good information and
your own values:'

 Then he said, "There are all different kinds of ways
to let a girl know you think she's special and that
you care about her. Just plain talking- and listening
to what she has to say- is one of the best ways. It
lets her know you're interested in who she is:'
Dad looked at me again and smiled, He said, "One
more thing about girls. I can't tell you all about the
different physical changes they're going through at
your age, but I can tell you that they're going through
a lot, too. It's very important to understand that this
is as confusing a time for them as it is for you- and
as exciting. You need to be as sensitive about their
feelings as you would like them to be about yours:'
He talked more about girls feeling proud and em­
barrassed about all different things. And we talked
about why it wasn't a good idea for kids to have sex;
not just because the girl could get pregnant, but also
because sometimes people can get diseases from their
sexual partner. He said they're called sexually trans­
mitted diseases, and that's how some people get AIDS.
I didn't want to say I was uncomfortable even
thinking about this, so I guess I was glad when he
said, "I know it's too early for you to want to have
sex with a girl, but it's important to talk about all
this-especially as your feelings and needs change,
There's a lot more you need to know:'
Dad said in case I was too embarrassed or if he
wasn't around and I had questions about sex, or
AIDS, or a nything else, I should go to the library
w here there is a lot of information on these things­
or I should ask our family doctor, school nurse,
teacher or an adult I feel comfortable with,
We talked about how we felt about all different
kinds of things. He told me how sometimes even guys
want to cry, and that it's okay. I wasn't sure about
that, but then Dad told me he had cried more than
once. Sometimes over really sad things-like when
his mom had died. Sometimes over happy things­
like when I was born.
21
He also said that family values and, for some peo­
ple, religion, are important factors that affect how they
live their lives, and that I need to understand all that.
It seems like we talked for hours. At the end, Dad
told me how proud he was of me. Then he hugged
me. Normally I would have gotten really upset. But
nobody was looking, so I guess it was okay. I hugged
him back.
making Responsible Decisions.
I had to get a new pair of skates for the party
tonight since I had outgrown last year's. I took it out
of the money I earned doing yard work. I guess I am
starting to grow up, in more ways than one.
Gr()()mill!l I even spent a little more time making sure that I
was going to feel extra confident. I was already doing
a lot of the grooming stuff that we discussed in health
class-like showering every day and washing my
hair and keeping my face extra clean. Mom got me
some astringent and some antibacterial soap, which
is a special soap that helps control acne and pimples,
because my face has gotten oilier. Since this was a
special occasion, I also trimmed my nails a nd used
some of my Dad's skin lotion, and some deodorant,
too. 0 sweat up a storm when I get nervous.) I really
did feel good about how I looked and felt, so I figure
I'll start making that part of my routine.
I guess I kind of wanted to make sure that Kate
would notice that I wasn't such a kid anymore, either.
On the way over to the skating rink, Sam said he
wanted my opinion on something,
He said, "It's about that new girl. You know . ..
Andrea:'
I said, ·Yeah. She seems pretty nice. What about her?"
I could tell Sam was feeling a bit uncomfortable. I
had guessed he sort of liked her. So I just said, "You
know, I hear she's pretty smart. And she plays the
guitar, too:'
22

 Andrea was going to be at the party, and I figured
if Sam knew something about her, he wouldn't feel
so nervous about starting a conversation. I mean,
what are friends for?
I could hardly wait to tryout my new skates when
we got to the rink. Kate came
up and said how great they
looked. I didn't even feel too
embarrassed.
Sam and I went out on the
ice and pretended we were
going for the Stanley Cup. He
told me he had gotten up the
nerve to talk to Andrea and
that she was really nice and
had offered to teach him how
to play the guitar.
A bit later Brad showed up.
He came out on the ice and
was trying to show off. Some-­
times he can be that way, al­
Gmil/ parf)1 ways trying to prove that he's cool. When he fell, he
kept acting like his skates were no good, and that it
wasn't his fault. It's real important to Brad to be best
pml~'
at everything. He doesn't like to lose and when he
does he isn't a very good sport about it. I understand
why he does that sometimes, even though I like him
better when he's just himself.
I heard him yell to me from the other side of the
rink, "Hey Greg. Come over here, I want to ask you
something:'
Sam came over too. Then Brad asked us if we
wanted to go outside and smoke a cigarette with
him. That really did it. I didn't exactly blow my cool
with him, but I did tell him that I thought he was
being a jerk.
Then Sam said, "You of all people. Man, you're
about the best athlete in the class, and you want to
risk that so you can think you're hot stuff by smoking.
You know what that does to your lungs and your
beart, and besides that, it stinks. Just because you
don't feel it now doesn't mean that it's not doing any
damage. Sometimes I can't believe you:'
Then I said, "Brad, most of
us really look up to you. Not
just because you're so good at
baseball and most every other
sport around, but because we
know you care about the way
we feel. You don't put us
down when we don't make
the catch or anything. I guess
what I'm trying to say is ...we
care about you, too. Don't
screw up your health just
because you think it makes
you look cool to smoke. It just
makes you look like a jerk:'
I think about my own health
S()me/ime.~ lJrad more than I used to. I've even been trying to eat
thinks iI's roo/to better.
sl/(lu' orr. /Jl/lllI'
(}op,m'/IIUl'e I, Brad had gone off by himself for a while. Just
II/mwlf 10 U.I
before the party broke up, he came over to Sam and
me and said thanks, and asked us if we wanted to go
out after the final baseball tryouts to celebrate, no
matter what happened.
I think what he meant was that he wanted to cele­
brate our friendship and how we were all growing up.
That sounded good to me.
lleel Comfortable With Who You Are.
This was the big day! I was ali the way up to the
final cut for the baseball team, and I was even more
nervous now than I was the first day of health class.
It was a different kind of nervous, though, than I had
felt that day. I felt really proud of myself for being

23
24

 able to get up in front of a lot of guys and do the

best [ could.
The position I really wanted most was third base.
Fielding the ball is about my best thing, but I would
be happy just to get on the team.
When it came my turn to
bat, I really concentrated hard.
Guess what, I hit a double my
first try! [ felt terrific about
that. My fielding was good, too.
Anyway, the next day Coach
Thomas announced the results.
I was a little bit tired because
I'd been too excited to sleep
the night before. It went away
real fast when I found out that
Sam, Brad and I had aU made
the team! Even though I got
right field instead of third base,
it was the best!
Most of all, it was kind of
u ·IIul. f Ju.~1
,(/ef
110 do my bt!st.
everything I had learned in the past month all wrapped
~(' al/ d,d. up in one. What counts most is to do your best. Pull­
ing for your friends is really imp0l1ant-and letting
them know you care about them is important, too.
Health class had taught me a lot about my body
that I hadn't even thought about before. And it made
me realize how confusing and exciting growing up
is- for all of us.
It felt good to be more comfortable in talking to
my dad- and other guys like Coach Thomas. It was
great, too, for Brad to know that he had people he
could turn to, as well: Sam and me, for example, and
even a couple of adults.
Yeah, it's great to feel comfortable with who you
are ...and to like yourself and growing up!

til rowing up is great when you learn the mOSI importanttiJing is

laking responsibility fOf your oUin aC/ions. And liking who you are!

25 26

D NDEX
Introduction . .. . . . .... .. . ....... . .. Pages 1-2
Male Puberty . . ...... . ............. Pages 4-5
Male Development (External) .... .... .. Pages 6-8
Male Development (Internal) ...... .... Pages 7-10
Female Development ..... .......... Pages 13-17
Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 17
Sexual Responsibility . . .. . ... ....... Pages 20-22
Grooming ... ... ... .. .. ...... ....... Page 22
Glossary of Terms .. . . .. . ... . ...... Pages 28r30
HARTS AND II.llJSTRATIONS
Stages of Male Genital Development ..... .. Page 8
Male Reproductive System ...... . ... ... Page 10
Female Reproductive System ............ Page 14
27
MALE BODY PAKrS
Anus (it ' nas): The opening in the body through
which bowel movements come out.
Epididymis (ep 'a-did-<l-mas): A storage chamber in
the male's body that's attached to each testicle. This
is where sperm cells are nourished and mature.
Genitals Oen' a-t ' lz): The external sex organs.
Hormones (hor' mbnz): Substances created by the
body that make specific things happen in the body.
Hypothalamus (hi I p6-thal-a-mas): The area of the
brain responsible for sending the message, by way
of the pituitary gland, to a boy's testicles to start the
production of testosterone, which is necessary for
the onset of puberty.
Penis (pe ' nas): The main male sexual organ .
Pituitary Gland (pe-tyoo ' a -ter-{}): A small gland
at the base of the brain which, under the direction
of the hypothalamus, is responsible for manufactur­
ing the chemicals that influence growth, metabolism
and maturation.
Prostate Gland (priis I tal): A maJe gland that's
located at the base of a boy's bladder. It contributes
a thin, milky fluid that makes up the largest part
of the semen.
Rectum (rek tam): The part of the lower intestines
f
which connects to the anus.
Scrotum (skrM ' am): The external male sac at the
base of the peniS in which the testes are enclosed.
Semen (se' man): The sticky white fluid that helps
transport sperm through the urethra and out the
tip of the penis.
Seminal Vesicles (sem ' im-Ilves I i-kalz): The two
sac-like glands in a boy's body that contribute a part
of the semen.
Sperm: (spann): The tiny cells produced by a male
that contain half the genetic materials necessary to
create a baby.
Testicles (les ' ti-kalz): The main male reproductive
glands in which sperm are produced.
Testosterone (te-stas ' la-rim I): The main male
hormone which must be released in order for
puberty to begin in boys.
28
MALE BODY FUNCTIONS
Ejaculation (i-jak' "a.Ja' sban): The process by
which semen is ejected from the penis.
Nocturnal Emission (oak-tarn ' l/e-misb' ~n): The
involuntary ejaculation of semen that generally
happens while a boy is sleeping. It's sometimes
called a "wet dream;' and is natu re's way of making
room for new sperm cells in the seminal vesicles.
Puberty (pyii' b3rt.e): The stage at which a boy
becomes physiologically ready for sexual repro­
duction.
FEMALE BODY PARTS
Anus (it' nas): The opening in the body through
which bowel movements come out.
Cenrix (sar' viles): The narrow end of the uterus
which has a small opening that connects the utenlS
with the vagina.
Endomebium (en' dO-me' tre-3lJ)); The insid
layer of the uterus made of tissue and blood that
nourishes a baby during pregnancy.
Estrogen (es I tra-gan): The main female hormone
necessary for puberty to begin in girls.
Fallopian Tubes (ie' lo-pe-~n): Two narrow tubes
connected to each side of the uter.us. At the end
of each tube is an ovary.
Genitals Oen ' ~ -t 'lz): The external sex organs.
Honnones (bar' monz): Substances created by the
body that make specific things happen in the body.
Hypothalamus (bi-po-thal' ~ -m~s): The area of
the brain responsible for sending the message to a
girl's pituitary gland to start the production of estro­
gen, which is necessary for the onset of puberty.
Ovaries (Ov' ~.rez): Two small organs where the
eggs (ova) are produced and stored. Each ovary is
about the size of a walnut, and there is one on
either side of the uterus.
29
Ovum (6' mm): The single egg cell which, when
fertilized by male sperm, grows into a baby. It is
smaller than a grain of salt.
Pituitary Gland (p~tyoo' a-ter-e): A small gland
at the base of the brain which is responsible for
manufacturing ti1e chemicals that influence growth,
metabolism and maturation.
Progesterone (priJ.jes' ta-rim): A female hormone.
Rectum (rek' tam): The part of the lower intestine
which connects to the anus.
Uterus (yoot' a-ras): A muscular organ about the
size and shape of an upside-down pear, located in­
side the body between the hips. ([his is where the
baby grows before birth.)
Vagina (VfJ-ii' na): The tube-shaped passageway
that leads from the uterus to the outside of the body.
Vulva (V~I' va): The entire outside genital area of
a female.
FEMALE BODY FUNCTIONS
Fertilization (fert' l-a·za' shan): What happens
when a male sperm unites with a female egg.
A fertilized egg becomes a baby.
Menstruation (men' stra-wit' shan): The process by
which the lining of the uterus is shed periodically
as menstrual flow. It usually happens about once a
month, except during pregnancy.
Menopause (men' ~-poz): The time at which a
woman no longer menstruates. This is a normal
event that generally occurs w hen a woman reac hes
her forties or fifties. Once menopause is complete,
a woman can no longer become pregnant.
Ovulation (abv' ya-lit' sban): The release of an
egg cell by an ovary.
Period(pir' ixJd): The days when menstruation is
taking place.
Puberty(pyii' bart-e): The stage at which a girl
becomes physiologically ready for sexual repro­
duction.
30