This is a normal occurrence at the onset of puberty and something that occurs in most male and female adolescents. The hormones that come with puberty also encourage a boy or girl to have sexual thoughts. It's part of the continuation of the species - in order for the human race to survive, sexually mature humans must think about having intercourse to start a new generation. A natural part of this process is the wet dream, where the boy or girl works out their questions and concerns in a dream state.
It is not very likely that your child is going to share with you if he or she has had a wet dream. Many would rather let you think they've wet the bed than talk to you about this. Most have already heard about wet dreams from their peers and don't feel that they need parental advice. In some instances, the child may not be prepared for this possibility. Your child may be upset and come to you. Reassure them that wet dreams are a normal occurrence in puberty and are also an indication that their bodies are developing normally. You may happen to see signs of a wet dream while changing sheets or doing the laundry if your child has not come to you. If a teachable moment presents itself, reassure your child that there is nothing wrong with them and use this for an opportunity to open lines of communication and trust during this critical time of development.
Wet dreams also occur in healthy adults, and studies also indicate that women are also capable of having "wet" dreams. Sleep orgasms may occur more frequently in men due to chemical or hormonal differences. According to an article by Louanne Cole Weston, PhD., around 33 percent of adult women have orgasms in their sleep and that the number increased dramatically between 1940 and 1986. The increase was attributed to more liberal attitudes about sex, education and positive feelings about sleep orgasms. The increase may be due to increased reporting. When men wake up after a sleep orgasm, semen is present as evidence. Since women do not ejaculate, there is no way to verify this. If women can't recognize a sleep orgasm, how can they report them to researchers?
Are Our Dreams Getting Wetter, Wilder?
May all your dreams come true!
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Parthena Black is a professional social worker and ordained minister with experience in tarot and runes. For private spiritual counseling and intuitive readings via e-mail, please visit her at oymygoddess.com.
