Brags about dc height/weight etc

[ProustianMadeleine]

I've never been able to understand. Why do people try to brag about their child's weight, height, shoe size?

I can maybe understand a newborn baby, "wow what a chunk, 10lb 6oz, well done you!"

But for example, BIL speaks about DNeice's height like its some sort of achievement for him! "Oh she's soooo tall for her age" "the tallest in the class" "dwarfs the other kids, even the boys!"
She's not freakishly tall as he seems to claim. She's 11 and a similar height to my 12 year old DD.
And who cares anyway? It's likely she'll average out and become one of the smaller children as she gets older because most boys will takeover in height with puberty.

We're also not a tall family in the slightest. DH, BIL and FIL are all under 5"11.

I also know someone who would brag about her 10 year old DD being in ladies size 12 clothes and having size 6 feet like she was so developed and mature.
She's now a very normal sized 15 year old.

I know we all think our children are great but I'll never understand this kind of crowing oneupmanship.

Is "sturdy and strong looking" a euphemism for overweight, as having a 'solid' toddler isn't something I'd brag about?!

Absolutely not @Crazycatlady79 😆 she's extremely sturdy! I've posted a pic of her with her face scribbled out and you can see she's perfect 🤩

My ds isn't the tallest in his class, he's quite average, but he regularly goes swimming and I do feel quite prideful that he is easily in the top five healthiest weight. He isn't overweight in the slightest, nor is he excessively skinny. He is 11 and very lean with moderate muscle definition. So I do sometimes brag about that I suppose, because I've managed to help him stay fit and healthy, unlike sadly many of his peers who are now already very overweight and struggle with physical activity.

I don't get the bragging about innate qualities though, like height, eye colour etc. Mine is also very clever but it's not something I brag about, it's just another of his qualities, like having wavy hair, or sticky out ears, or absolutely no musical ability whatsoever, or going a nice colour in the sun. Those things aren't achievements (or failings), they just are.

All these “only on MN are all the kids tall”…has no one stopped to consider that only those of us with ridiculously tall kids mention their height so it’s a skewed view? Plenty of posters don’t mention their kids height.

My DS (15) did actually hit 6ft at 14 and 10 months. It’s not a brag or a lie…just a fact. But I’m 5’8 and dad was 6’2 before he shrank a bit with age. So hardly unsurprising to think our kids will be on the tall side.

I mean I don’t feel boastful or proud of my DC’s weight as such, but I’ve put a lot of effort into feeding them properly (cooking from scratch, very rarely beige) and making sure they get sufficient exercise and fresh air (read: a lot!). This isn’t easy to do as I work FT and we don’t have a garden. So I feel I suppose satisfaction that I can hopefully transition them into adult life with healthy bodies. I’m sure they’ll dive into McDonalds as a young adult but I feel if they turn 18 slim it’ll be much harder for them to put on weight than if they’re already borderline or obese.

i love talking about how tall my ds is! His hair colour and beautiful long eyelashes. He has huge feet and he’s very well built for a little chap. Oh and his dimples - I love that chin dimple.

I don’t really care if people think it’s bragging, I just find it interesting to look at this amazing specimen of a human - how is it possible I produced him?!

@TeenLifeMum

She calls herself that 🤷🏻‍♀️ she’s a beautiful, confident 17 year old. Not everyone hears things how you hear them.
It's not how I see them. I'm old enough to know that people come in all shapes and sizes and there is beauty in them all. It's more that I know how girls talk and I've heard quite mean comments about so and so being so flat as a door or such and such has perfect boobs and bum. They seem fixated on having boobs and bums

I'm around a lot of young people in where I work.

@mathanxiety

Girls that age get called names regardless of shape or size. Girls with figures to die for and all the rest.
True true. You are quite right. Fortunately @TeenLifeMum 's dd is confident which is a good thing at that age.

I don't think it's a brag most of the time. You probably get the odd sporty dad who does, but not other than that.

I had two dc that were at the taller end, but also older end, so did appear tall in their year, and one slightly smaller than average summer baby who appeared, at times, tiny in their year.
I've chatted to people about it, I certainly didn't think there was anything particularly amazing in them being tall; if anything it made things harder for them as people expected far more.