To be worried about 10 year old growing hair in armpit

[Jonsa]

I am a bloke. I think I was 13 when I started growing hair - I don’t remember it was over 30 years ago.
DS is just 10 yrs and 5 months and has started growing hair under his armpits. Wife assures me this is normal but I am unsure. Surely he is too young? I worry because he is a gentle boy and people assume he is a couple of years older than he is, and this won’t help.
should I take him to he doctor? Please be kind.

It's normal. 10 is not particularly early to start puberty.

A child's body develops on its own timescale, and if the child is healthy, there isn't anything we can, or should, do about it. Your son will be fine. Raise him well and you won't have anything to worry about.

From the NHS:

The average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12. But it's perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys.

Puberty does seem to be getting earlier but its not uncommon now. My oldest daughter was primary age when she hit full blown puberty.

a normal puberty in boys can start between the ages of 9 and 14 so your son is within range.

Surely this is his own biology, what do you mean getting to the GP? Surely you are not of these men who wants to raise a girl

My daughter grew armpit hair at 9. It’s perfectly normal

He doesn't need to see a doctor, it's normal.

It's within range but I have three children I understand it's jarring when puberty hits especially the first girl or first boy I have both it hit different with my sons to my daughter because I KNOW female puberty male puberty is a foreign country to me!

OP asked us to be kind. This post is completely unnecessary.

Where did this come from?
OP said nothing about a girl.

Are there any other signs of puberty? My daughter started growing armpit hair at 7, apparently it can be normal for some children, nothing to worry about unless more signs of puberty are showing so young.
At 10 I think it’s quite normal.

Our children are starting puberty younger than our generation. My DD was a tween when she started puberty whereas I was a teenager. It is not unusual for youngsters to start in year 5/6 these days so your DS is within the normal range.

I was 9, DH was 11. DD was 10, DS was 12.

In the nicest way possible OP you are worrying over nothing! 10 is a normal age to get armpit hair, I did too. Granted females tend to start puberty earlier but 10 is not an abnormal age for a boy, it's just the earlier side of normal.

Are children actually starting earlier or is it anecdotal? My mum was 10 when she started her periods 50 years ago, I was 12.

Perfectly normal but remember that while it is normal his body is starting to change but he is still a young child so just keep on parenting him how you always have while giving the space for this change just as you have for all the changes that come before.

you are worried because you love him and that’s ok but maybe do some research so you can eat up to speed on what’s coming next. We all have to learn so we are prepared to support our children.

I remember when my DS started secondary. There were boys in his class with deep voices and moustaches. I was a bit taken a back as all his primary friends and him were very definitely still little boys.

Don't worry OP - it is perfectly normal.

I read an article (I think it was in The Economist) that said cultural stress can cause puberty to start earlier in kids. It mentioned kids who grew up during Covid as well as things like wars and disasters. However my mum started her period at 10 in the 60s which I think is young as I started at 14 (although I suppose puberty can start years before periods)

In the nicest possible way, you are being silly. Listen to your wife.

My 10 year old has started growing pubic hair. He told me very proudly that he now has 12 hairs 🤣. It’s perfectly normal at age 10. He has also been wearing deodorant for a couple of years now.

Much of it is linked to weight, apparently. So with the increase in body fat of the population, the average age for puberty has decreased. On average.

I was 10 when I had my first period. My husband and son were both shaving daily at 13,if they didn't they had full beards. Children have become better nourished, in the dim and distant past most didn't get to the appropriate weight for puberty to start until much later. There is nothing wrong with your son. Just be supportive and let him grow up. And I'm 68,most of my school friends reached puberty at about the age of 11/12, so it's not new.

Boys are a funny breed, I taught some year 7s that were already 6ft tall and strapping young men with the start of facial hair to match - fabulous rugby players and year 11s that barely reached my shoulders and still baby faced only to bump into them once they had moved onto college for them to be far taller than me.

It's all normal and nothing to worry about.

What on earth are you going on about? Where has he indicated that?

It’s an especially stupid comment anyway as, funnily enough, girls grow hair under their arms as well, and usually at a younger age than boys.