You have an 11-year-old daughter and your best friend has an 11-year-old son. Your friend thinks that your daughter has entered puberty and is wondering when his son will begin puberty and what physical events will occur during puberty

What can you tell your friend about puberty in general and the differences in onset of puberty in boys and girls?
What will be an ideal response?

A good answer will be similar to the following:
Puberty is characterized by many physical changes that usually begin at age 11 in girls and at about age 13 in boys. The adolescent growth spurt is a period of very rapid growth when adolescents put on both height and weight. This growth spurt usually lasts about four years. In girls, puberty begins with the growth of the breasts, then the start of the adolescent growth spurt, the emergence of pubic hair, and finally the onset of menstruation, or menarche, which usually occurs around age 13. For boys, puberty usually begins with the growth of the testes and scrotum, followed by the appearance of pubic hair, the start of the growth spurt, and growth of the penis. Because girls tend to begin puberty at earlier ages than do boys, it is quite likely that your daughter has entered puberty and that your friend's son has not. Tell your friend not to worry because his son has not yet reached the average age at which boys enter puberty.