Are all children behind (age wise) in clothes if average weights?

[tigerlillyd02]

Not that this is such a big deal, but just gets me wondering.

Whenever I take DS anywhere people naturally ask how old he is. When I reply he's just turned 2, or previously it was however many months, every, and I mean every time the other person will reply, gosh he's really big for his age isn't he? Of which I can never answer!

He's my only one so I don't have anyone to compare to. All I can go by is the fact that he's just a tiny bit over the averge line in those red books for height and right bang on the average line for weight (this was about 2 months ago).

But, in terms of clothing from shops, he's way behind. He's only just gone into 18-24 month clothes and 2-3 yrs, trousers especially are about 3 inches too long so doubt he'll be in them until well after christmas.

So, taking that into account I assumed he was probably more on the smaller side, so the comments came as quite a surprise. But now I wonder if these clothes are just made much bigger??

As I said previously, it's no big deal. He's rather healthy and looks in proportion so I'm not worried about it - more curious than anything and trying to figure out an answer next time someone tells me he's big. Do I just agree (which I have been doing after maybe stuttering a bit), or go by the red book and say he's about average or by the clothes and say actually he's small?

As a mother of many I can assure you that clothes sizing is very variable! Trousers are the worst. I don't look at label just see if they fit.

Ahh ok. I knew they varied slightly. I buy from a range of shops - Next, Asda, Tesco, Primark, Mothercare, Matalan (to name a few).... and with some he can still get away with 12-18 months, especially with trousers yet mostly he's just gone into 18-24's. I bought all his 2-3's a few months ago ready but every item is far too big at the moment... a bit of a pain seems as they're all winter clothes! Don't think I'll do that next year! :)

I really would not worry, my just about to turn seven year old still wears some 4-5 clothes and even manages to still fit in her 3-4 knickers. I would add that she is very fit (does 8 hours of Irish dancing classes per week). I think that you have to remember that most stores are now catering for the ?larger? child. For example Clarks often don?t stock width size C or D. Makes me feel that my fit slim daughter is being discriminated against because she is her correct healthy weight. On a brighter note, when your little boy gets to six and is wearing 4-5 year old clothes you will notice that they are sometimes at least a £1 cheaper than the 5-6 size.

I think the "isn't he big/tall" comment is more of a general compliment too so perhaps try not to read too much into it.

Definitely agree that clothes sizing varies wildly from shop to shop.

I think it's probably more that many people who don't have young children just have no idea how big an average two year old is as it sounds as if your ds is fairly spot on where he should be. My experience of childrens' clothes sizes is that it does vary greatly from store to store, and that generally if you have a slimmer child most clothes will be somewhat baggy around the middle.

For your answer I guess I'd reply with something like 'oh, he's pretty average really' (with a nice smile).

My children are tall and thin. dd is now in adult sizes (she is 11 and 5'5") but ds can still wear t-shirts from three or four years ago (he is very thin). I also agree with whyme2 generally saying a child is tall/looks older is meant to be a compliment (it certainly has always made dd very happy).

Thank you! I'll take it as a more general comment in future and just agree as I have been doing - I was taking it as gospel and wondering how tall/big do they consider he should be.

His dad is tall so I do expect that he'll grow to be tall at some point. But for now, I just considered him either average or slightly below.

In terms of clothes I think I'll buy to fit, as suggested in future - saves me buying a load of clothes that don't fit for the season they're aimed for! I didn't realise that stores are now catering for a larger child - that'll explain a lot! And I'm sure I'll appreciate all the money I'll be saving in a few years on the smaller clothes - of course providing he doesn't have a major growth spurt at some point and then become much taller than 'average' :)

At least you didn't get the comment i did about my daughter. She has always been overweight and after trying everything she can't lose an ounce. Was in a shop one day when she was about 4 and an old woman who i didn't know asked me how old she was and whether she likes school. I said yes she loves school and is very bright. Reply was "what a shame she is so fat" I could have knocked her flying but was so shocked that a lady (a loose term for her) of about 80 could have said that. Really upset me but dd didn't hear thank goodness.

My DD is the other way - she's 2 and a half but wears four-year-old clothes. She's not fat but seems to have wide shoulders and long arms/legs. There's no way I could get her into anything 2-3 year-old size. DS is similar - 11m and is just outgrowing the 12-18m sizes. Sizes do vary massively from brand to brand, though (and the more expensive ones are often the smallest!)

DD (3.10) is pretty average size wise and yes, I find that it bears no relation to what size clothes she's in. She's in 2-3 trousers but 3-4 pants, but some of her 3-4 dresses need leggings under as they're too short, yet 3-4 trousers are too long! I've only just ousted an 18-24m coat, mainly because I'm sick of the sight of it, rather than it not fitting.

yeah some sizes are just weird, my 23 months old is big for his age and has been since he was born but he still wears loads of 12-18 stuff especially trousers but he definitely is big for his age cos everyone says so

my DD is 2 next week she is a little smaller than average 25th centile, she has clothes in many sizes she has lovely orange cable hooded cardigan from pumpkin patch 6-12 months fits beautifully' most stuff is 12-18 months but 9-12 months for trousers her raincoat is 18-24 to allow for thick jumpers underneath, her shoes are size 21 (4.5)

boden i think are definitely on small size pumpkin patch/ next and gap about average mothercare a bit large; supermarket stuff a bit skimpy but not so much short as narrower, longer legs shorter bodies had sleep suits too short in body to do poppers under nappy but legs about 3 inches too long so falling over trailing socks bits

Clothes sizes vary DS at 13 months was too big for an 12-18 months pair of Dungarees from M & Co poppers would burst open the one time I squeezed him in. At 15 mo he's still wearing a pair of 9-12mo trousers from sainsbury's. I find he's true to size/age in h & m and john lewis.

Agree clothes size vary widely. Both mine have been bigger than their peers all the way, although their legs seem to grow at different times to their torso IME so they will suddenly have trousers swishing their ankles while tops ok, or tummies poking out under tops while trousers are fine

I find it really odd too. DS is 4.10 yrs and has been in 3-4 size clothes all year and will be in them for a while longer. He's always been on the small size but has had a growth spurt this year and is now the same height as his peers if not taller. DD is 3.4 yrs and has always been tall (91st centile for height) yet she has only recently gone in to size 2-3 trousers?!! I always find the sizing of shorts odd too as this summer DS was still able to wear some 12-18 month pairs perfectly comfortably -now what's that all about? PJs are always a pain too as DD grows out of the tops much quicker but can't go up to the next size as the trousers would fall down!

Boy is 14 months, he wears 9-12m trousers but 12-18m dungarees are snug and 12-18m tops and vests are just right. He's 91st centile for weight and nearer 75th for height. Its random I think

My older two both have noticeably long legs (people comment) but neither have ever worn trousers longer than their age, indeed at age 4 they were in 3-4 trousers; 4-5 were enormous on them. DS2 is just 4 and has at last gone into 3-4 tousers, although I get 4-5 tops as the tumble dryer shrinks them so much.

DD is Miss Average - 50th centile for both weight and height. As she got older I found that the sizes did seem to fit, eg age 7-8 fitted her when she was exactly 7-and-a-half!

I have always found that ASDA clothes have ginormous waistbands and would never stay up on my DCs when they were little unless they had adjustable waists.

Agree re the "tall" comment. My youngest is 4, and isn't tall, DD is as I've said, average, and DS1 iIS actually tall. They all get exactly the same amount of "isn't she/he tall?!" comments. I think it's a modern variant on the: "oooh haven't you grown" we'd get from our grannies.

It's a nightmare,
DS 12 is in 11/12 clothes
DD 9 is in 12/13 clothes.
He is very skinny but average height
She is tall and slightly rounder.

Ds is just turned 2. Yesterday he was wearing 6-9 trousers, it's more normal for him to be in 9-12 trousers and 12-18 tops. People still comment how big he is if they know his age, yet when people guess his age they normally say around 14 months!

mine are a little taller and rounder than average (both 75th centile for height)
they usually wear a size ahead. dd2 is going through a really chunky phase so sometimes needs 2 sizes ahead. But there is so much variation, even between different items within the same store. I prefer shopping with them, so I can hold stuff up and gauge by eye what's likely to fit.

DS1 (4.10) is in 5-6 tops but 3 trousers and I still have to have thrm taken up a few inches!

DS2 (2.7) is in 3-4 tops but still 12-18m in some trousers.

It is very variable, and depends on the clothing company. In general, i find that the French clothing brands run small and DSs take a size up. In the Scandi companies (Polern O Pyret, H&M), the sizes run big and I take a size down. In American companies, anything goes and UK clothing companies seem to run true to size.

Really annoying.

I have the opposite, ds is 6 but wearing 7-8 & 8-9, dd is almost 9 & wearing a lot of adult 8/10 clothes, kids stuff in a 12-13 if I can find it. They are both tall though. Dd is a size 4 shoe.

I think people say it in absence of knowing what else to say and generally having no basis for reference. DD is 4 but wears 5-6 or 6-7 clothes so is big for her age. Well, she's tall actually, completely in proportion. She's the tallest, yet youngest in her year. But DN who is nearly 4 is still in 18 months-2years clothing and gets the same 'isn't she big?' comments when we're out. She's not, she's worryingly small. I file it under 'things people say when trying to make conversation'. Same as 'are you hoping for x gender' to pregnant women, x being the opposite gender of dc1. Not based in anything concrete, more opening of mouth and generalisations falling out.

My DS is nearly 4. In 2w time, actually! But the clothes he can still wear vary enormously in size - he has a pair of shorts that are size 1 (Australian size, = for 1yo) that he can still wear and that still fall off his waist. DS was born on the 9th centile, and has pretty much stayed on it for weight; he isn't tall for his age either (but then neither DH nor I are tall). So his clothes vary between 1 and 3 in age; I have only bought things for age 4 that are either very expensive or that are special (a London shirt from Monsoon, for e.g., that is both expensive and I'd like him to be able to wear for a while). I fully anticipate him still being able to wear that when he's 6!

I found that a lot of the clothes I bought in Tesco could go for longer than his actual age as well, but he is on the dinky side, I guess. :)

I have never had the "isn't he big?" comment about DS (10), but he has always been unusually tiny, still wears some age 5-6 stuff, although vertbaudet comes up nice and small so he can wear age 8 in those if he turns them up a bit.
DD(7) gets the "isn't she big" comments, she's bang on average in the red book, but second shortest in her class (a quite tall/old in the year class). She is quite eloquent so people seem to assume she's bigger than she really is. I don't know why that is though.