Gigantic 4 year old?!

[BloomingJudy]

Just wondering if anyone has any advice. ..my little girl is nearly 4 and she has always been very big for her age. She wears size 6/7 clothes, size 11 shoes etc. She's at pre school but looks big for reception and is head and shoulders taller than the nursery kids in her class. All fine, whatever, she's growing at her own rate and is perfectly healthy. But does anyone have any tips for how to deal with other people telling her she's enormous? And I mean people saying, TO MY 3 YEAR OLD "wow, aren't you ENORMOUS". She gets constant comments on her size. I try not to make a big deal out off it because I don't want her to feel that there's anything wrong with being whatever size you are. The only time I've blasted someone in front of her is when they referred to her as "thunder thighs" (that was a family member) but otherwise I try to make light of it. What would you do?

[barbarafyles]

Start to celebrate the fact that she's big and strong and healthy - encourage her to be proud of herself and the things she can do because she's big. Also when people make the comment " Aren't you enormous" SHE can reply " Yes and I can do ...... because I'm a big girl." Show them that you're a proud mum.

[fishybits]

I use the word "tall" rather than "big" with my DD. She's four but looks six.

[BertPuttocks]

I have a tall dd. When she started in Reception class she looked as though she belonged in Yr2.

When people comment she tends to shrug her shoulders and say "I'm just tall like my dad."

You may find that things even out a little as she gets older. My 10yr-old had some boys in her class who used to tower over the rest of the children. Lately a few of the smaller children have started to catch them up and a couple have actually overtaken them.

[allegretto]

I have the same problem except it's worse as dd is a twin and people say stuff like "your brother is much smaller" which obviously he loves . Some people don't think before opening their mouths.

[BloomingJudy]

Thanks all - Barbara I like the idea of getting her to be proud and say what she can do. allegretto people really don't think at all.

[Twistedheartache]

My 4 year old giant started reception last Sept in aged 6-7 clothes (which are starting to look short) and size 10.5 feet & there's a massive range of sizes there.
I just don't make a big deal of it - she understands she sits on row 4 on the carpet coz she's one of the biggest, we laugh about her super long legs.
Just an everyone's different approach - height like eye colour/hair colour.
I do get some looks if she gets grumpy & stroppy in public because she looks older but I always make a point of saying bethany you're 4 now not a baby etc

[Twistedheartache]

I'm terrified of the weight & measure thing after easter [rapidly] - I know she's a giant & high on nhs bmi thing, she was always 91% plus in the red book too.
She's only put on about 2-3lb in the last 18 months & has kept growing so is definitely growing into her weight but even so is still "overweight"
I had a tall friend at school who is now a tall adult and she hated it when she was 11 - I don't want dd to even think about it as anything other than totally normal

[MrsWooster]

Yep- make it positive: look at your beautiful long strong legs! You're so lovely and tall, like me/daddy whatever! Look how high you can reach/stretch/throw etc. Agree with tall rather than big and don't use the F word (Fat!) Just healthy eat and exercise and wait for her to grow into herself.
And never say "such a pretty face..."