My 2 worries for today...

[MrsGrump]

Today's crises of confidence:

1. DS is 4.5 yo and always telling other children off for being naughty. He seems a little too serious, and much less boistrous than the other boys, although he actually has quite a wonderful skill at befriendly the most aggressive children and playing well with them (he treats their pushiness as a game).
   Thing is... do you think we've repressed DS too much, are we making him too inhibited? Except I usually seem a lot more permissive than other parents in other respects (let my kids get muddy, climb things, run around, shout...). I hate to think I'm repressing my own child. Or that he'll seem like a super-goody-2-shoes when he goes to reception in 6 months!

2. DD is small for age, although probably bigger than her brother was at same age. She's 2.5yo but people keep taking her for 18 months! She's very baby-faced, with little hair, but I half-wonder if I should be worrying that she's barely grown into the 18-24month size trousers. I don't want to unnecessarily flag her up for HV's attention and get into that whole growth-monitoring merry-go-round. Do any other mothers of runts want to reassure me?
   She eats for England, incidentally, I have never understood where it all goes!

I can't comment on your DS as 4.5 years is way ahead of me! But my dd, 18 months, is also v. small though looks strangely grown up if that makes sense. She's got lots of hair and quite a lean little face so doesn't look babyish. But she gets loads of comments and no-one can quite work out if she looks older than she is but incredibly small or younger than she is and rather mature looking. I don't worry about her size really, though unlike your dd mine's a lousy eater. But she's fine and bouncy and bright so it's just the way she is. If yours eats well, I really truly wouldn't give it another thought. Dd is still wearing some 6-9 month old clothes by the way!

Dd is 18 months by the way.

stop worrying, they sound fine

My dd was tiny too and now she is very tall but still on the thinish side , but healthy.

My ds keeps telling me off and is serious, its down to personality I think

MrsG, I don't think you need worry overly.

My dd is 31 months and still in 86cm H and M leggings - just about outgrowing them. She has really fine wispy hair which have recently have cut into a bob and people assure me she now looks older. Eats as and when she wants to and there is no way of forcing her!! She's pretty healthy though. It is almost 6 months since she went to the dr last and that was for a check up(touch wood).

ds (6) is a "good" child - generally does what he's told at school and recognises bad behaviour but is by no means a goody two shoes - is often "watching" rather than actively caught at mischief!! Enjoy your ds whilst he is in this phase it may change all too soon when he starts school.

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my dd is on the small side too and eats loads ( wish I was the same!) she is happy and energetic and I don't worrry (anymore) She too is still wearing some 18-24 things - she is 2.6 - depending on where they come from. Sounds like your dd is just fine. Just thought - her winter had was a 6 - 12 month one! And her winter jacket having already done 2 winters will likely actually 'fit' her properly next year!

my dd is 17mths and 16lbs, still in 6-9 mth clothes and some 3-6 mths stuff
Rare highlight to fit the 12-18 mth vests and that was only down to using cloth nappies (which in turn are the only thing holding her trousers up...
My dd eats like a gannet, small but healthy
Good things come in small parcels you know
My son went through a little bossy phase, I thought it was due to him being an only child, he snapped out of it though when a bigger kid put him in his place on his first week in big school...
You're doing a smashing job of course!!!!!!!!!!!

Can I add my 2 worries?

1. DS1 (4) runs funny (turns one foot slightly inwards) and I think we may need to check he isn't developing some sort of problem with his foot...

2. DS2 (20 months tomorrow) is obsessed with cars & trains and spends ages lining them up etc then gets really cross if your move them ... and I'm sure I read somewhere that this could be an early sign of autism???

" only the paranoid survive...."

i am not paranoid!! dd2 does walk funny, she stands still with her feet tilted so she is 'balencing' on the outside of her feet. she sort of gallops along.

my other worry is that dd1 prefers to spend time at her grandma's than at home with me.

I tend to be knock-kneed -- I can comfortably walk with my toes almost completely turned inwards. I did develop knee trouble as an adult, but not until I cycled 1000miles in the space of 3 weeks, which was perhaps a contributing factor...So I would think the one inward foot isn't to worry about.
There was another thread about lining things up ... Maybe that would help you assess?

Someone was telling me that they went to an Adidas shop where they have a special machine (this is in Ipswich) to assess the way you run and there were 'pronators' and other sorts of ways of running, all came down to how you put your feet down. I got the impression that there might be a lot of variation in "normal", although the point of the Adidas assessment was to figure out which type of shoes are best for which type of running style. Maybe search for pronator and see what the Internet turns up?