Dd is 12 and has put on weight in the last 6 months. She’s always had a little tummy since she was a toddler and a tendency to stand with her tummy pushed out so she’s never had a thin, lean physique.
My dm says that puppy fat is normal at this age, before her periods start, and thinking back that would have been a common narrative in my school days.
But nowadays we talk a lot about childhood obesity. I don’t want to ignore a problem if I should be acting on this; but I don’t want to give her a hang up if this is a normal pattern for her.
I’ve always been skinny which was a concern when I was young and everyone tried to fatten me up. By todays standards I think I was actually fairly healthy.
Some of the other girls in dd’s class have got tall, whereas she is relatively short.