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
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

that kids are getting taller nowadays

163 replies

saragoepal · 28/05/2019 16:30

Hi I have two ds who are quite small for their age. Ds1 is 12 and 143cm, ds2 is 9 and 130cm. I’d say that is somewhat below average but not that much. However they are by far the smallest in their classes, and many kids in ds2 class tower over ds1! I cannot remember that when I was their age that kids were that tall. Is this just a coincidence or are kids really getting taller these days?

OP posts:
Whatisthisfuckery · 28/05/2019 16:34

DS is 11 and 148cm, which is about average in his y6 class.

Kids do seem to be getting taller but then I’m short so almost everybody is tall compared to me.

LovelyJubblee · 28/05/2019 16:35

My DS was the same height as I was at the same age, I'm female. But now, 6 months on he's stretching ahead of the height I was at the same age. I think some kids just grow earlier than others and then peak?

ChoudeBruxelles · 28/05/2019 16:36

Ds is 13 and above the 99.9% on height charts for his age. He’s 5’11”.

He is unusually tall compared to his friends but The ones who are the height that 50% says on height charts actually look really small to me

crocsaretoocoolforschool · 28/05/2019 16:40

My dd(15) is 5ft 9 and one of the smallest in her friendship group

I'm taller than she is but had no tall peers (female anyway) and felt like an absolute ogre growing up -I'm glad she feels like she's the norm

YerAWizardHarry · 28/05/2019 16:40

My 6 year old is taller than your 9 year old (around 135cm when I last checked) hes the tallest (but youngest!) In his class. Hes not weirdly tall though theres a few others who are catching up.

60secondfacetimer · 28/05/2019 16:40

My 7 year old is 138cm tall nearly as big as your 12 year old lol. Me and my partner are both tall and from the way it's looking all my three will be too.

Original poster
saragoepal · 28/05/2019 16:41

Yes that is what I mean, seems like what is 50% on the charts, is much smaller than the kids in ds's classes. Girls as well are really tall!

OP posts:
Vinorosso74 · 28/05/2019 16:41

We measured my 9yo DD a few days ago and she is 145.5cm (the 0.5 is apparently v important). She is the tallest girl in her class (Y4). I'm not tall at 163cm and DP is about 180cm.
There is a huge range in heights across the year group!

SallyWD · 28/05/2019 16:42

I've really noticed this! I'm in my 40s and about 5ft 8. For most of my life I've been a "tall woman". Taller than all my friends, as tall as some men. I've just grown used to that feeling of towering over other women. However, these days there are many young women (I mean teens and 20s) who tower over me! I've only noticed it in the last 5 years or so but I often find myself standing next to women who are several inches taller then me. It's definitely a new thing.

froggybiby · 28/05/2019 16:43

My DD will be 11 in September & is 152cm. She is quite tall, one of her friend is much younger but probably as tall as myself but her mum is very tall... I measure 165cm.

formerbabe · 28/05/2019 16:43

Lots of my ds's friends (year 6) are my height or taller. I'm 5'2".

I was very much average height amongst my own peer group. I'd be an absolute shrimp nowadays.

Children and teenagers are definitely taller nowadays.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 28/05/2019 16:45

7yo is 135cm, one of the youngest in her year (English Yr3). Average height for her class.
6yo, 120cm, birthday half way through school year (Yr1) one of the smaller ones in her class.

It's nothing new though .. I was talker than my parents before leaving Primary school. I'm not an overally tall adult, 5ft7

bestbefore · 28/05/2019 16:45

They also have bigger feet! I do think shoe manufacturing will have to change - loads of teenage girls are size 8+ and that's going to have to be the new normal range...

Roomba · 28/05/2019 16:50

My 6.5yo is 122cm and there are much taller children in his class. I remember when I was the same age our class measured ourselves. I was the second shortest at 117cm. So not much difference, especially when you consider that DS's father is over a foot taller than me!

edwinbear · 28/05/2019 16:51

9yo DS (Y5) is 140cms but all his peers have shot past him. He's youngest in the year so it's not that surprising, but he's a runner and finding kids that couldn't get close to his times are catching up with their longer strides. He's pretty upset by it all. I've told him if he went to bed/sleep when I told him to, rather than going up and down stairs until 10pm at night he'd be far more likely to grow!

Roomba · 28/05/2019 16:51

DS1 was taller than me at age 10, and is now 5' 10" aged 13.5. He is the tallest in his class by far though, most of his friends are tiny next to him!

Jakesmumandbump · 28/05/2019 16:57

If you’ve ever been into a very old house, you’ll have had to duck to get through the doorways and been aware of timber beams overhead. Humans are definitely getting taller.

NorthEndGal · 28/05/2019 16:58

Both of mine (DD and DS) ended up over six feet tall

Original poster
saragoepal · 28/05/2019 16:58

Indeed seems like my boys are tiny compared to most here...

OP posts:
namechangedforthis1980 · 28/05/2019 17:01

My sons are both the tallest of their friends ( amongst the top 2/3 in the year)

DS1 (15) is about 6ft 1in

DS2 (10) is 5ft 2in . He's taller, and has bigger feet, than his brother did at the same age, so I'm expecting him to probably end up taller than him

SouthernComforts · 28/05/2019 17:03

I've noticed this too. There were one or two tall (over 5 foot 9) girls in my year of 300 ish kids. I'm considered tall at 5 foot 8. My dd is much taller than I was at her age and there's at least 4 other girls her height in her class alone. I think she'll end up about 5 foot 10.

SouthernComforts · 28/05/2019 17:04

Oh and I wish clothes manufacturers would catch up with this. Dd is 9 and wears 8-9 leggings under dresses as they come to just below knee length Hmm

floraloctopus · 28/05/2019 17:07

DS is now 5 foot 11 and has been the tallest in school since year 8. He's just turned 15.

IceCreamFace · 28/05/2019 17:08

I know what you mean, my eldest turns 7 in two days and is 130cm I would have taught that was fairly tall but he's about average compared to kids in his class the same age.

formerbabe · 28/05/2019 17:08

My ds is 11 and I now buy him age 13 clothes. They fit perfectly but not much room to grow.