Reply to If your son is shorter than average, how did you help him build confidence?

Forum Index » Tweens and Teens

Reply to "If your son is shorter than average, how did you help him build confidence? "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote]He has never had any social issues at school and plays sports, but my concern is that being shorter than his classmates in high school may affect him negatively in terms of self-confidence.
[/quote]

High school students come in all different heights, especially at 14.  My son was about 5'3 at the start of 9th grade (he was not quite 14) but looked like a 10 year old for much of 8th grade so that was a big improvement.  He ended up being 5'9 by graduation (about average for a U.S. male) - some of his friends are shorter and some are taller.  The shorter ones are comfortable with themselves and weren't forced to join Toastmasters against their will to compensate for their height.  Most 14 year olds choose their own activities based on their interests.

95% of DCUM posters claim to have a son who is over 6 ft, but if you look at an actual high school class, there are plenty of boys who are 5'7.  They don't really stick out as being particularly short.

Are you and your spouse very tall?  I can understand a kid being disappointed in a projected height of 5'7 if their parents are really tall, but if you're not, then 14 is old enough to grasp genetics.  It sounds like maybe he's still waiting for that initial adolescent growth spurt, but it will likely come soon enough (with or without the milk and extra sleep).

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics