Would I be unreasonable to think that a small than average child has a lower than average IQ, whilst a taller than average child has a higher than average IQ?

[Howsaboutthat]

I suspect that I probably would be if I thought that for a minute.

So why when a child small for their age does something well for their age it is commented by so many people as being such a great achievement, whilst when a child large for their age does something well for their age it is commented by so many people that of course they would do well it is down to them being bigger.

I have one of each child -
The short one finds the responses very patronising
The tall one finds the responses very critical.

Well.my DD is 6..on the 98th centile for height..and just mastering "hello"

People making the comments are probably just assuming they're older / younger than they actually are, nothing more.

Ah shut up, I'm 5 foot nothing and am far more intelligent and than my d umb sis who is 5 ft 7.

There's no correlation and people make that assumption because dim as mince is the prevailing wind.

It's a similar thought in misogyny where in the 19th century men tried to prove that women shouldn't have the vote because their brains were smaller.

My DC have always been tall. People presumed they were older than they were, but I don't think they thought they were more intelligent than a smaller person.

I was always tiny, and I don't remember people saying I did something well for my size either.

Ds is very small for his age, he is nearly 13 but wears 9-10 clothes. It makes his life a misery as he is constantly teased. He has an IQ of 136 which is in the gifted range. He would prefer to be taller and less intelligent.

It depends what you ae talking about. Anyonr who said "he did very well in the maths test, considering his size" would be completely bonkers. Anyone who said "he did very well in the rugby match considering his size" would be being perfectly reasonable.

youthecat I assume you know what an outlier is then given your lovely high IQ?

My dad was 5ft4 and played rugby for Sunderland 1st team. Height has nothing to do with it. Halfpenny, who plays for Wales, is quite small.

WhenSheWas, I hope you aren't referring to me as one?

I know a really thick tall person too

ds is little and cute looking. just as well really. he has asd and can occasionlly look about 1-2 years younger in behaviour. it is less embaressing when he only looks 3!

Having such a fantastic IQ, you will be fully aware that anecdote and data are different things......

I was always the tallest child and also the youngest (summer birthday and skipped a year, so two years younger. Still the tallest, though.). It drove me crazy.

Now though, people wonder where I got my leadership skills. "Because I've been put in charge of everything ever since I could remember because I was the tallest." And yes, I'm smart and have been identified as such from early on (see skipped year above), but to assume that height=intelligence would mean that everyone shorter than I am, which is the vast majority of the population, is not as smart as I am. That's simply ridiculous, though it would be nice for it to be true - I'd have made a fortune by inventing something or the money markets or something! Equally, if the presumption were true, we could determine lack of intellect by people being short. I'm not going to break it to Phelan Hill that he's not very bright. Would you?

It is the perception of the age thing in kids with height. Ad it isn't true, and it isn't fair and it isn't right, but then lots of things in life aren't. Find some good role models for your kids to show them how it can still benefit them ultimately, whichever end of the spectrum they are on, and don't be afraid to let idiots know they're being idiotic.

Because people equate size with age.
Even if they know the age.

Also, my reasonably tall ex was fairly fick, whereas I'm on the shortest side and have always been fairly bright - best student in class type, but also usually good at solving problems. except when I married him

For some reason tall people tend to be more successful than shorter people, but it may well be due to other people's perceptions of them than to intelligence.

I agree. DD is short for her age and everyone always comments on how brilliant she is although she is brilliant of course. But I've seen children much taller than her doing thing she can do and their efforts being shrugged off.

I think DD benefits from it confidence wise but do feel bad for those taller children