Children's weight, food etc.. confused!?

[WhiteWineAndChocolateOrange]

So DS1 is about 35-40th centile for weight (50 for height) and DS2 is about 75th centile (for height and weight). So they are healthy weight (DS1 on the lighter side, and could perhaps do with a bit more padding!)

They both eat and eat and eat. They always eat a big hearty breakfast (think porridge and the like), all their lunch and all their dinner and snacks in between. They are not in any way picky eaters, and DS2 is also partial to cake and chocolate!!

Now, whenever we have play dates, the kids who come eat hardly anything! And when we go to theirs, they again eat very little. Mine eat the lot!!! parents I know always tell me that X doesn't eat his dinner or Y doesn't like the school lunch and goes without!

So my question - why are my kids not enormous? And why are friends kids heavier than mine when they seem to eat nothing?

Genuine question! Genuinely confused! This is prompted by play date today in which my two children wolfed down all lunch and had seconds, and guest children had maybe 2 chips and half a fish finger! (and are not thinner at all)

It could be that your children have a faster metabolism or are more active.
It could be that other parents are feeding their children on unhealthy snacks to 'fill them up' if they don't eat their actual meal.
It could be that this thread is just a complete stealth boast

Not a freak then boast! Why would I boast that DS1 is underweight? I'm just really confused!!

Genetics.

Movement.

Or being extremely economical with the truth.

Sorry! * stealth not freak! (Not sure what is happening to autocorrect today!!)

My kid eats loads at home without visitors but hardly eats when on a playdate, home or away because it is too exciting. I have to give her more food after we come home. Could that be it?

I don't think it's genetics :) I'm a round tummied apple shape with extra padding for winter :) and so is DH! :)

You could ask that about anyone though OP . People have different metabolic rates and appetites. Children have growth spurts at different times which affects how much they need to eat / wright. Skinny children can become obese in teen years due to poor overeating, while DC on the higher centiles for weight suddenly slim out. Who knows really.

Yeah maybe you're right apples... I guess parents won't tell you if they have to feed up their kids free a play date! I hope that's it as have been starting to wonder if my two, especially DS1 have got something wrong with the, or diabtetes or something, they eat so much!

They might not eat lots at meal times but might snack more in between.

Perhaps you're a terrible cook who serves miserly portions, and visiting kids can't force themselves to eat your food, your unpicky kids eat your miserly portions and hold body and soul together but can't hold back from eating everything at school and on playdates because the food is better than they get at home...

Sorry WhiteWineAndChocolateOrange but when someone posts that they are "genuinely confused/ genuinely curious" and asking a "genuine question" they are always always being goady.

Exactly like when someone says "trust me".
Don't trust them.

"I'm genuinely curious/ confused" - nope, you aren't.

*after a play date, not free a play date! ( sorry)

Haha blueskies!!! It could well be something to do with my terrible cooking!!! :) haha!

Does anyone else not wonder this!? (I guess I'm just weird!!)

Mine won’t eat loads at school or when friends are around because she’s just too distracted. She’d rather stare at what everyone else is doing than eat. But she pounds away hearty portions after school and at home having supper with us. She’s about 30-50th centile as well.

Also realistically other parents may want to impress and feed healthy food when you’re around but their kids are eating bags of crisps in front of the tv after you/they leave.

What sort of age are they? DS is two and has days when he eats practically nothing, and days when he eats more than me. Normal height and weight.

Or maybe they are picky eaters, or less active, or snack more.

My son is on the 9th percentile. He's almost 3 and he wears 12-18 clothing.

He does not stop eating! Adult sized breakfasts to set him up for the day and then snacks between lunch and tea.

I have 15 Yr old twins who eat the same meals (90% of the time) ds is skinny as a rake, the most exercise he gets is walking to the fridge for snacks. DD dances 4 times a week, has healthy snacks (nuts etc at dance) and yet she's the one who could do with losing some weight since puberty kicked in - there's no logic to it (and DD would say its very unfair!)

It actually probably is genetics. You and DH being well padded as adults is irrelevant - were you skinny kids?

My sister was underweight and average height til she hit puberty and became slightly plump - not at all fat but size 10-12 at 5 ft 2.

Unfortunately my mother had this weird anxious pride in her skinny daughter and obsessed endlessly over food intake and weight of all her children - too much, too fat, too little, such a worry but so pretty, she'll never be fat...

Sister never got over getting a bit plump, started refusing to buy clothes or go out "until I'm slim" and eating disorders crept in. She was eventually 5 stone and diagnosed with anorexia, but of course she was trying to control her world with not eating by then, not just wanting to be the special but worrying too slim fragile one...

DD has the same physical genetics - skinny til she was 11, now a little bit plumper, not remotely fat but a 12 at 5 ft 4 and nearly 14. I will not say anything about her weight or eating ever, and nearly three my mother out a few times for going on about her weight in the past...

It can be genetic - skinny kid, plumper adult is common. Eating habits that work while growing and moving non stop also catch up with teens who often stop the restless eternal movement and no longer play the same way.

Kids will self-regulate and it's rare that they'll intentionally starve themselves.

Actually both your children are normal weight. We only get excited if a child is in the top or bottom 5%. 30-50th percentile is completely normal.