What is this generation’s obsession with height about?

[Anonymous]

Average height male. 5’8. Graduated high school in 89. Late bloomer. Hit puberty at 16. I went through a city public and never received a quarter of the flat out abuse - from both males and even worse females (and even parents) my 15 year old late blooming son receives at UMC suburban high school. What gives?

[Anonymous]

He is 5’3

[Anonymous]

Agree. It comes from the parents. It’s totally socially acceptable to brag that your child is 99 percentile in height as though this were an accomplishment and not random genetics. The obvious unsaid implication being that it sucks to be short. But it’s also evolutionary. Tall people have the cards stacked in their favor. It’s just one of those things your kid will have to deal with. We’ve all got something. Give them lots of encouragement. Show them this: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/why-im-so-short

[Anonymous]

Kids are hitting puberty earlier these days- boys too- which makes late bloomers all the more noticeable. Honestly, I think that is the largest part of this.

My 15yo son is also a very late bloomer and it has been extremely hard on him- so I totally understand where you are coming from. The late bloomers are a really small percentage of boys it seems- I think it used to be a lot more common. Most of the boys we know seemed to hit big growth spurts at 12 and look very much like men at 14-15.

At this age, I honestly don’t see it as being so much about height. There are plenty of more developed boys who are on the shorter side- it isn’t that big of an issue among peers. It is more about the physical maturity piece (and shorter height makes this more noticeable….the immature taller boys blend in better).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are hitting puberty earlier these days- boys too- which makes late bloomers all the more noticeable. Honestly, I think that is the largest part of this.

My 15yo son is also a very late bloomer and it has been extremely hard on him- so I totally understand where you are coming from. The late bloomers are a really small percentage of boys it seems- I think it used to be a lot more common. Most of the boys we know seemed to hit big growth spurts at 12 and look very much like men at 14-15.

At this age, I honestly don’t see it as being so much about height. There are plenty of more developed boys who are on the shorter side- it isn’t that big of an issue among peers. It is more about the physical maturity piece (and shorter height makes this more noticeable….the immature taller boys blend in better).

Forgot to add: does your son play sports? The sports piece can be extra challenging, for obvious reasons…

[Anonymous]

Yes. Unfortunately made varsity in his sport as freshman - so drubbing the big guys in their sport of choice has inflicted some of the abuse - but doesn’t explain it all.

Thanks to PP who said parents act like height is an accomplishment. He works really hard in his sport and is pretty solid citizen. But the daily - sounds like hourly on some days - emphasis makes me doubt humanity sometimes. Are we really this primal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Unfortunately made varsity in his sport as freshman - so drubbing the big guys in their sport of choice has inflicted some of the abuse - but doesn’t explain it all.

Thanks to PP who said parents act like height is an accomplishment. He works really hard in his sport and is pretty solid citizen. But the daily - sounds like hourly on some days - emphasis makes me doubt humanity sometimes. Are we really this primal?

He doesn’t play basketball does he? Obviously with that sport, height seems to be fixated on, and a common topic.

[Anonymous]

I think it trickled down from online dating to adults to kids. Height is one of the things people can filter dating profiles by, so it has taken on an outsize importance. It baffles and annoys me as well.

[Anonymous]

Meh. Tall people die sooner. I’ll toss a flower on your grave.

[Anonymous]

I am currently 5”7 and I was 5”5 when I graduated HS in ‘95 and I was never bothered by height. I played varsity golf in HS and D1 golf. I married a cheerleader who is 5”7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am currently 5”7 and I was 5”5 when I graduated HS in ‘95 and I was never bothered by height. I played varsity golf in HS and D1 golf. I married a cheerleader who is 5”7.

Why does marrying a cheerleader matter?

[Anonymous]

I’ve actually been noticing online nastiness toward short women lately too. 5’3”/5’4” used to be average. Now suddenly women are calling every woman they don’t like under 5’7” a “stumpy midget”.

I think people are just miserable and it makes them mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve actually been noticing online nastiness toward short women lately too. 5’3”/5’4” used to be average. Now suddenly women are calling every woman they don’t like under 5’7” a “stumpy midget”.

I think people are just miserable and it makes them mean.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people exaggerate their height too…especially men.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it trickled down from online dating to adults to kids. Height is one of the things people can filter dating profiles by, so it has taken on an outsize importance. It baffles and annoys me as well.

Agree. Being short isn’t acceptable for a lot of UMC families. I’m in the medical field and work with kids. You would be astounded by the number of parents seeking growth hormone injections for their tween boys- and if they shop around, they will absolutely found a physician that will write for them. No way the amount of kids on them have a true clinical deficiency.

[Anonymous]

Agree. I’m son is 12 and his friends and even their parents think it fine to comment on his height. I do believe they don’t intend to be mean spirited, but it is still unkind. These same people would never comment on someone’s weight- but height seems to be fair game. Which makes zero sense as one has no control over how tall they will be and at what rate they will grow.