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

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[quote=Anonymous]All of the posts about miraculous growth spurts!

If your kid has been on a growth curve his whole life, it is unlikely to change. I'm 5'4. My husband is 6'0. I had kind of figured my son would be average--maybe 5'10. There is formula that shows height based on the mother and father.

But nope. My son was ALWAYS been between 25-35% on the height growth chart. It really hasn't changed since he was like 1 year old. He DID have a big growth spurt last year at 13-14 and grew like 4 inches and gained only 1 pound! So now he looks very lanky. I thought--wow-he's really grown! Maybe he has hit his stride and will end up taller? No. He was like 32% on the height chart. I think he's maybe 5'5 or 5'6 now. He is almost 15 and I assume will keep growing. I will be REALLY happy if he gets to 5'9.

The anxiety about boys and height is real. Studies show taller men tend to be more successful professionally (because of bias) and certainly some women reject shorter guys. But the reality is that there is not much you can do about height unless someone has a growth disorder. So, at a certain point you just have to accept it. One of the most successful men I knew is very short and fat and has been happily married for many years. I've also noticed that short guys who don't care about being short--who own it--seem to be just as well accepted as anyone. I'm sure it also doesn't hurt to be cute, funny and smart. Short, ugly and stupid is not a great combination.

OP, I feel your anxiety and your son's anxiety. Honestly, though, most of us aren't models and have our own insecurities. [/quote]

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