Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Did you grow taller than your parents?

92 replies

NorthEndGal · 26/04/2019 14:27

My grandmother's on both sides were very short (just over 5 foot) and both grandfather's were at the 6 foot mark.
My parents were 5'6" and 5"9
I ended up being 5' 10 DH is 5' 10
Our DD is 6 ' 1" and a bit, DS is 6'
It makes me wonder , of they have kids one day, will they be taller still?

Also, I am just curious if it is the same with most people s families (each generation gets a bit taller)?

OP posts:
sugarbum · 26/04/2019 15:38

I didn't inherit my dads height (he was 6ft 4") I'm nearer my mothers (no idea but shes a bit shorter than me and I'm 5ft 4 1/2")

My eldest son though seems to have taken on my dads genes. He is now 5ft8" (at age 12) and has size 8.5 feet. He is also well built just like my dad was, and unlike my husband who is quite skinny.

elp30 · 26/04/2019 15:41

DF 5'6"
DM 5'5"

I'm 5'4" but by the time my father turned 75, he was 5'4" so getting shorter in old age was real for my Dad.

jackparlabane · 26/04/2019 15:45

Mum is 5 foot and her family are all a bit below average, men about 5'8.
Dad is 6 foot and his family think he's a runt - men 6'4 to 6'8, my gran was 5'10.

I mostly took after my dad's side - I'm 5'8.

RavenLG · 26/04/2019 15:48

Mum yes, Dad no.

Mum is 4'11, Dad 5'8. I'm 5foot exactly.

Family of short arses

DinosApple · 26/04/2019 15:50

I'm shortest out of all my family. I mean I'm not short (5ft5.5) but both my parents are taller. Both my grandma's were shorter though.

I'm interested to see where the kids land up as MIL was quite tall.

cliquewhyohwhy · 26/04/2019 15:53

Mum is 5ft2 and dad is 6ft1, I'm 5ft10 and partner is 6ft2. Everyone always comments on how tall my children are at a young age so god knows what height they'll be as adults lol.

Drogosnextwife · 26/04/2019 15:53

Yes I'm 5'10", my mum is 5'4", and dad was probably about the same as me but has shrunk a bit in his older age.

I don't know what DPS parents are but he is 6'3", his mum was pretty small but her dad was a very tall man. I think our kids will be massive, especially my youngest.

Pyjamaface · 26/04/2019 15:57

I'm 6ft, DM is 5'7 and DF is 6'1.

Both brothers are taller, my sister's are shorter than me but taller than DM.

DS is a bloody monster already at 10, don't know how tall exactly but he's already up to my chin. I'm gonna feel like a short arse soon enough

Itstartedinbarcelona · 26/04/2019 15:58

I’m the same height as mum was - 5ft8 my dad was 5ft10 but my brothers are 6ft6 and 6ft3. Similarly DH and his brother are both 6ft5 and their parents are similar heights to mine.

abcriskringle · 26/04/2019 16:03

No. I'm shorter than both parents. Roughly the same height as my grandmother.

Gertie75 · 26/04/2019 16:10

This may be a total lie but I'm sure I heard on tv that boys will always end up taller than their

Gertie75 · 26/04/2019 16:10

Mum

NoWayNoHow · 26/04/2019 16:16

I wish I was taller - everyone in my family (men and women) is over 5'10'' except my dad who's 5'7'' and my sister and I both got his genes and stopped growing at 5'4''

ALongHardWinter · 26/04/2019 16:36

My DM was 5' 2",my DDad was 5'9". I'm 5' 6",so right in the middle of the two. One of my brothers is 5 ' 8',the other is 5 " 11'.
My Ddaughter is 5 ' 9.5". Her DDad (my exH) was 5 '10",so I am slightly surprised she has ended up quite tall (for a woman anyway) especially as there is a history of shortness on both sides of the family,with her grandmother on one side being only 4 ' 10" and 4' 11 on the other!
My DGD is 12 and a half,and is already 5' 3",so it looks like she may take after her DMum (her DDad is 6'.)

Original poster
NorthEndGal · 26/04/2019 17:50

Seems like there is a fair bit of range

OP posts:
YahBasic · 26/04/2019 17:55

Mum: 5ft 4
Nan: 5ft
Grandad: 5ft 6

Dad: 6ft 3
Nan: 5ft 7
Grandad: 5ft 11

Me: 5ft 9

I’m very intrigued to see how tall my children will be, as DH is 6ft 1 and the shortest out of the males in his family. All of the males in our families are between 6ft 1 and 6ft 6.

AnnaDine · 26/04/2019 19:43

No - I’m 5” shorter than my mother and 10” shorter than my father. DCs are taller than me but shorter than their DF!

holly873 · 26/04/2019 19:44

I'm taller than my mum, but my brother is shorter than my dad.

JaretsGirlfren · 26/04/2019 19:45

Mum is about 5”2, dad is 5”7 and I’m 5”0. My sister is about the same as me, maybe a tiny bit shorter.

MeMeMeYou · 26/04/2019 19:46

My mum is 5ft and my dad 5ft 8. I’m 5 ft 4 and sister is 5 ft 2.

My partner is 6 foot 4. His mum is about 5ft 3 and dad is around 6 foot but apparently maternal grandfather v tall.

Our kids are small to average now but are young. Both oh and I were small kids

tinytemper66 · 26/04/2019 19:47

I am shorter.

MsAwesomeDragon · 26/04/2019 19:47

No. My dad's 5'11". Mum is 5'10". I'm 5'7".

Dd1 is now fully grown and is not as tall as me either. She's 5'6". Her dad is/was short for a man though, he was about my height I think.

arseabouttit · 26/04/2019 20:17

Plainspeaking

Don't know how to tag on phone but if you are still here tell me where you buy your DSs clothes from?!? My DS has huge feet and is 6'5 and it seems so hard to get anything to fit his legs! Just ordered some stuff from ASOS but any other places to buy for giants??

Ref actual OP - I'm 5'8.5 & taller than both parents DM was 5'7 and DF was 5'8 (in his prime, DF has definitely shrunk)

DH is 6'1.

Very much hope DS has finished growing - he's towering above all of us now & in danger of needing special doors like Peter Crouch soon!

archivebuildingsite · 26/04/2019 20:27

People often didn't used to reach their genetic potential maximum height due to sub optimal nutrition right back not just to being in the womb, but to how your mother developed in her mother's womb. Babies born 80-100 years ago were far more often born to mothers who'd been sub optimally nourished, and were also not always well fed themselves while growing up.

That's slowly petering out now in first world countries and people aren't always taller than their parents however well nourished in the womb and as children, because it's more likely that the previous two generations were well nourished too. Obviously different gene combinations account for being taller than one parent.

beenhereages1 · 26/04/2019 20:54

@arseabouttit - I know you didn't ask me but I'd really big up ASOS tall. DS1 is 6ft 1 and has 36 inch legs, they're the only place I can get school trousers that fit!