height query (girls)

rchddap1

I was overweight until I hit puberty, when things changes. However, my sister is larger that I (both upwards and across ways) and this didn't happen to her. So everyone is different. But we are both happy with the way that we are, which is the main thing.

It sounds like she eats healthily, but at the end of they day its will be up to her if she wants to lose weight. Afterall, you can try to make a child do more exercise etc..., but if they don't want to they'll dig there heals in. If she loves swimming that I would suggest encourging that as it will help. As she gets older she'll probably want to change her shape anyway as she begins to get to the teenage bit.

My partner's daughter is like a stick. And for a while there he was constantly worrying whether she was underweight. When she was 8 - 10 he was buying trousers, skirts etc... that were a few years too young for her so that they would fit nicely round her.

Each child is different and it is hard to compare them to the average child...as there isn't one. It all depends on how you feel, afterall, you know her.

aeuerby

Thanks for the advice.

Mostly all our eating habits are healthy so not much change is needed there. The exercise thing is difficult but as she loves swimming that is what we all do.

Her teacher told me that kids are starting to pick on her so she should change?!?!?! She did say that these kids have been delt with too. I've had another run in with this teacher but that's on another thread!

Anyway, Shannon is happy the way she is. My question about her rough weight has been answered so thanks for all your help.

Angela.

Sarahsaver

My 4 year old son is as tall as my 7 year old daughter, he weighs 23 kilos, so he is heavier than his sister. He is not overweight, and I don't think your daughter is either. My son wears clothes for 6 year olds, he is quite solidly built, but according to the charts he is the right weight for his height. Some kids get the height first, some get the weight. As long as its little more than 'puppy fat' how dare the teacher say such a thing!!! It is really insensitive and not at all constructive. I wish my daughter had a bit more meat on her, she is 3kilos lighter than her brother, when she sits on my lap I can feel her bony a*se and I treat all my kids the same, same healthy diet and everything.
If your daughter has about an hour when she is physically active each day I think thats enough. Does she walk to school? Are there any after school activities. Good luck and keep strong;)

Savvy_Sue

If you are concerned in any way about a child's height / weight etc then a call to the Health Visitor might be worthwhile. Even though you may not see them regularly after the child is 5 I still found mine helpful for queries like this at a later stage.

I presume they can do Body Mass Index calculations for children - they're probably even online somewhere. Although I wouldn't want to make a big deal about it with the child I would try to ensure that my child did not become clinically obese, or if they were classified in that way I'd want to see if we could get it down to overweight. It's a fine line to walk, because you don't want the child obsessed with weight, or thinking they are fat, but there are the long term health problems associated with being overweight.

auerby it sounds as if you are doing all the right things in encouraging more exercise, of the kind your daughter enjoys, and Jay-Jay is giving good advice in saying it's best to make family change rather than singling one child out.

Poppy9

My 10 year old daughter is a swimmer. My daughter is slight and always has been. I think this is just the way she is. She doesn't have a big appitite. Mind you she is not a telly watcher either. She is always fussing over something and jumping about. Anyway I digress. I have noticed that some of the girls in her group are on the big side. I found this strange as they all train 4 times a week and have done for a couple of years. They are very fit as they do 800m for a warm up. My oh who is very keen on keep fit and running says they are not burning body fat as their body temperature doesn't rise in the swimming pool.

My daughter has friends who are not keen on exercise. This I know worries their parents. One of these friends though has become as addicted as my daughter to Gymnastics. A local club runs a casual saturday session where you just pay if you turn up. As its casual they get a chance to try out all the equipment (while supervised). Because its not rigid they have great fun and are totally exhausted at the end of the session.

Also have you tried roller blading or scootering. Sometimes they don't feel as though they are exercising while having fun. Her size could also be an advantage if she decided to take up a martial art.

patchwork_cat

you say that your eldest daughter is 5 ft 5 and the shortest in her group at college.

You must live in a tall town!! I am 5 ft 2 and went through school feeling small, but when I got into the real world and even college I realised that in fact 1/4 of women are the same height as me or smaller. At 5 ft 5 I would say she is above average height.

I'd love to be about 6 ft 3 then I wouldn't have a weight problem!!

patchwork_cat

oops forgot for BMI of children try this link http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_bmi_calc.htm

hilstep2000

That business about adding mum and dad's height etc doesn't work! Neither does doubling their height at 3 years old! How do I know? well, my daughter is now 18. She stopped growing at 14. I'm 5'7, her dad is 6'. We were told she would be about 5'10 or 6', in fact she's 5'3! My son is 14 and has always been smaller than other boys, but recently he's shot up, so he may be going on for 6' like his Dad!
Don't worry about your daughter's height, my partner is 6'5 and as I always say to my daughter, "Men like girls they can tuck under their arm!!"

George_Bray

rchddap1 wrote:

I'm 5'2", which is a little sad as my sister is 5'8". I had to resign myself to the fact that good things come in small packages. My other half is contantly telling me that I'm the perfect height for him, which is very sweet.

Why is there this obsession with height? - that being taller is better, making parents so proud, whilst being shorter is a bit of a disaster, really.

Jeryth

It's not necessarily obsession; just a natural curiousity as to the diversity of mankind. Blimey, that sounds deep. I think it might be because, as children, we thought in terms of big (parent) and small (child and old people). When things don't conform to that childish ideal, we question it.

I was 5' at 10 years ; in my school I was tall with small feet (size 2). I also started "being a woman" at 10. When we moved into another part of the country, I had a routine checkup with the doctor, who said I wouldn't grow much more. And I didn't, just my shoe size, from a 2 to a 3. I'd love to know how the doctor could tell. I just supposed that the hormones that made me reach puberty relatively early had something to do with it. I actually never noticed my height until my schoolfriends became taller than me.

Now I'm looking forward to shrinking as I get older.