Magnitude of growth spurt for boys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

[Anonymous]

Midgets stew in misery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Midgets stew in misery

Tall people have shorter life expectancy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

Probably the mom of a “super tall” seventh grader who is 5’8. And is done growing so will forever remain 5’8. But at least he’s the star of the middle school basketball team!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you all remember this stuff? I know what the annual ped exam says but honestly, I can't remember how tall my 15 yr old was at his last ped appt.

This.
The obsession w male height is real.

I really think it’s the shift in youth sports culture. For boys especially, being a late bloomer has a huge effect on whether or not they can stay competitive in MS/HS sports. There is a major coach preference for early developers, and the nature of male puberty is such that it is impossible for the boys who have not gone through puberty to keep up with those who have. It’s not even primarily about height or size (although those help in some sports), it’s about development. For boys, the growth spurt usually takes place during the later part of puberty, so it coincides with a huge increase in strength, power, endurance, agility, etc. It’s very difficult for the boys on the later side of gaining these advantages, especially if they are athletes.

It’s also a shift in calling all of these boys athletes instead of just like to play sports. Before the club play for money phase everyone knew who the athletes were and who the kids who just loved to play sports were. You could watch pick up games and see the one or two talented kids. Now parents think they can create athletes with coaches and running around everywhere to compete. It doesn’t work that way. It’s still the few boys you can pick out of the crowd.

Give your kids a break. There are a handful of spots in high school basketball, hockey, soccer, baseball. Don’t talk about their height or strength or any part of their physical abilities. If they enjoy sports there will be a spot for them. Encourage them to enjoy their sport wherever they play.

Of course boys who play sports are athletes. I agree with both of these posts and will add that so many reclassifying these days that my son who will start freshman year as 14 and 4 months will need to be in his growth spurt to play. He can’t afford to be 5’3” and I don’t know if he will be that or 5’7”.

That’s a problem. Parents who sign their kid up for 3rd grade soccer every Saturday and calling them athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

Probably the mom of a “super tall” seventh grader who is 5’8. And is done growing so will forever remain 5’8. But at least he’s the star of the middle school basketball team!

Lolz

[Anonymous]

DS1 - 10 inches in middle school, 3 in high school, 2 in college; huge spurt in 8th grade such that he had stretch marks on his back from the rapid growth (they eventually faded). Continued to grow through college, but at a much slower rate, stopping at about 6'1.

DS2 never grew taller than DS1 was in 8th grade, so not the same genetic pattern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

I know in the scheme of things, it’s a huge blessing to just have a healthy kid, but in reality parents want their kids to have advantages.

And for boys, height is a factor in that. Sports, dating, careers, etc, height is undeniably an advantage. Is it the only thing? No, of course not. But it’s something.

When it’s *your* son who is the smallest in his class, even most of the girls are taller, who is trying to stay in a sport he loves but is a boy up against men, or is enduring regular comments and teasing, it’s tough. Your heart breaks for your kid.

I mean, all kids have challenges of one sort or another. My DS2 was a very late bloomer. He ended up over 6', but yes, the fact that he was short through middle school and much of high school affected his athletic "career." OTOH, that career was likely going to end when he graduated from high school regardless (as the careers of most high school athletes do), so how big a deal is this in the scheme of things? Is it more of a "heartbreak" than his best friend who had terrible, terrible acne? Or his friend who really struggled with classwork? My DS1 was not so late of a bloomer and might have taken advantage of his height....but he was a tall kid with not a lot of athletic ability, so that was a different kind of disappointment.

Either way, they're both in their 20s now, over 6' and neither with a girlfriend in quite some time while shorter friends are paired up. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Anonymous]

My 15 year old is 6'2" and athletic but has terrible grades (and tutors). That height isn't going to help him overcome being declared academically ineligible for high school sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

Probably the mom of a “super tall” seventh grader who is 5’8. And is done growing so will forever remain 5’8. But at least he’s the star of the middle school basketball team!

Lolz

Sorry to burst the bubble of hilarity created by the idea that someone would think they have a tall son and then be rudely surprised by a (gasp) short son in the end. Lolz though. But no, I don't have a 7th grader with a beard who is 5-8.

The palpable angst comment comes from knowing people in real life who talk about this and agonize about it and their sons know. That's what is awful. I'm sure that's none of you and you all never convey your disappointment anywhere but on DCUM.

If it wasn't this it would be something else. Everyone has something. Life is not fair. Everyone's heart breaks for their kid some of the time over something. It's being a human who parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

Probably the mom of a “super tall” seventh grader who is 5’8. And is done growing so will forever remain 5’8. But at least he’s the star of the middle school basketball team!

Lolz

Sorry to burst the bubble of hilarity created by the idea that someone would think they have a tall son and then be rudely surprised by a (gasp) short son in the end. Lolz though. But no, I don't have a 7th grader with a beard who is 5-8.

The palpable angst comment comes from knowing people in real life who talk about this and agonize about it and their sons know. That's what is awful. I'm sure that's none of you and you all never convey your disappointment anywhere but on DCUM.

If it wasn't this it would be something else. Everyone has something. Life is not fair. Everyone's heart breaks for their kid some of the time over something. It's being a human who parents.

This is such a weird and dramatic take on a question that simply asked about when and how other people’s sons experienced the adolescent growth spurt, something that happens to them all. OP didn’t sound angsty, but you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

Probably the mom of a “super tall” seventh grader who is 5’8. And is done growing so will forever remain 5’8. But at least he’s the star of the middle school basketball team!

Lolz

Sorry to burst the bubble of hilarity created by the idea that someone would think they have a tall son and then be rudely surprised by a (gasp) short son in the end. Lolz though. But no, I don't have a 7th grader with a beard who is 5-8.

The palpable angst comment comes from knowing people in real life who talk about this and agonize about it and their sons know. That's what is awful. I'm sure that's none of you and you all never convey your disappointment anywhere but on DCUM.

If it wasn't this it would be something else. Everyone has something. Life is not fair. Everyone's heart breaks for their kid some of the time over something. It's being a human who parents.

This is such a weird and dramatic take on a question that simply asked about when and how other people’s sons experienced the adolescent growth spurt, something that happens to them all. OP didn’t sound angsty, but you do.

The conversation took a turn into short boy panic far before this poster chimed in. These threads always do. And they are posted nearly weekly. At least several times a month. There is angst on this topic for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The energy from parents of short boys is unmatched. It is awful really. I get why they feel this way but the palpable angst about it is a lot.

How tall are your sons?

Why does that matter though? You just want a misery stew with fellow parents of short sons?

It was already given away that person doesn’t have short sons. It’s like a rich person telling a poorer one that money isn’t so great and to stop worrying about it.

Probably the mom of a “super tall” seventh grader who is 5’8. And is done growing so will forever remain 5’8. But at least he’s the star of the middle school basketball team!

Lolz

Sorry to burst the bubble of hilarity created by the idea that someone would think they have a tall son and then be rudely surprised by a (gasp) short son in the end. Lolz though. But no, I don't have a 7th grader with a beard who is 5-8.

The palpable angst comment comes from knowing people in real life who talk about this and agonize about it and their sons know. That's what is awful. I'm sure that's none of you and you all never convey your disappointment anywhere but on DCUM.

If it wasn't this it would be something else. Everyone has something. Life is not fair. Everyone's heart breaks for their kid some of the time over something. It's being a human who parents.

This is such a weird and dramatic take on a question that simply asked about when and how other people’s sons experienced the adolescent growth spurt, something that happens to them all. OP didn’t sound angsty, but you do.

The conversation took a turn into short boy panic far before this poster chimed in. These threads always do. And they are posted nearly weekly. At least several times a month. There is angst on this topic for sure.

Please quote the post(s) that were panicking about “short boys.” I only saw people calmly sharing their experiences as requested by OP, until the above poster started wildly accusing people of extreme angst that would damage their sons.

[Anonymous]

Come to terms w the fact that you will have a short - average height son.