a peek inside the fishbowl

1 | Marla

January 29th, 2010 at 9:44 am

Almost six, and just right.

2 | Jennifer Andersen

January 29th, 2010 at 9:47 am

My daughter is almost 20 months old and is in the 97% for height and only 50% for weight. My doctor is not concerned and neither am I. She doesn’t look skinny and will likely grow up slim since her father’s family are all beanpoles – very tall and slim. All of our neices and nephews on my husbands side are the same.

She is 35.5 inches tall and weighs 25.3 lbs.

3 | Elizabeth

January 29th, 2010 at 9:58 am

My older daughter, age 6, is very tall for her age, and very slim, looking a little underweight. This is just right for her, though, as she takes after my husband’s side of the family, who are all tall and slim. My younger daughter, age 3, is a little tall for her age, but rounder and heavier-looking than her sister, though she is not overweight at all. Again, she is just right for her, as she seems to take after my side of the family more.

4 | Annie @ PhD in Parenting

January 29th, 2010 at 10:00 am

My kid are 5 (boy) and almost 3 (girl). I would say they are both just right with regards to weight.

5 | Loukia

January 29th, 2010 at 10:00 am

Hi Andrea!
My 4 year old is a big little boy – as you can see from the pictures on my blog – he is 60 pounds, and one of the tallest in his class as well. While I do think perhaps he weighs too much for his age, I’m certainly not going to do anything about it – his doctor has never said anything negative about his weight to me, so, I think it is okay. However, he does snore and I think he has a bit of sleep apnia, so I’m going to monitor this. I did mention it to his doctor, and he said not to worry, give it time, etc. I think it’s common for kids at this age to have this, and they usually outgrow it when they are 6 and older. I am keeping snacking after dinner to a minimum, and offering only fruits/veggies/nuts. He does not ean unhealthy foods; he eat 3 healthy meals a day, home-cooked, etc.
My baby, who just turned 2 on the 18th, is 33 pounds. Also, as you know, us Greeks, we like food! ;)

6 | plastikgyrl

January 29th, 2010 at 10:01 am

Given their genetics, I’ll go with “just right.”

At 9.5 and almost 8, they’re both in the 50-55 pound range, and somewhere between 47 and 50 inches tall. I’ve been given flack by our old family doc about the boy’s low weight since he was 9 months old. As an infant, he was a fast gainer, hitting 19 pounds by 6 months. Then he stayed there ’till he was close to 2. He’s been slow to gain ever since. His dad’s 6’2 and 150 pounds at his heaviest, though, so I have never been worried about it.

7 | bushidoka

January 29th, 2010 at 10:02 am

Mine are 6 and 8 and just right. They have really good eating habits and we generally speaking do not have junk food in the house. We educate them on proper nutrition and eating. The boys often get kudos from teachers at school on their lunches – comments about how healthy their lunches are, and how they are setting a good example for everyone.

8 | Chris

January 29th, 2010 at 10:05 am

I think the curves that the height weight charts come with (where we get the percentile figures) are bogus. It’s your child’s curve that matters. If she stays on her/his curve, all is well, IMHO.

I would worry about sudden spikes or drops in weight only.

I’m pretty sure my four year old has been on the same curve. It’s a constant struggle to get her to eat vegetables and other stuff that contains vitamins, minerals, fibre etc., but to me that’s just part of the work of parenting.

So long as she’s steady on her curve, it doesn’t bug me.

9 | Stefania (Ingredients for Life)

January 29th, 2010 at 10:14 am

The Pea takes after me (petite) and The Peach, who’s the youngest, takes after Hubby. My children follow an almost vegan diet and I don’t worry that they’re not eating enough or too much.

I jokingly call The Pea my breastfeeding experiment — I breastfed her, it didn’t go so well and I stunted her growth. She’s always been at the 20th percentile for height and weight — she’s following a growth pattern that’s right for her. She eats what she likes and very little of it. She’s a very active kid, very alert and bright so she eats enough for her and I’m fine with that.

The Peach eats everything and is more adventurous when it comes to food. She’s in the 80th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight. She’s very long and lean. The doctor says she’s “healthy” b/c she has the typical signs of a healthy toddler.

I don’t usually care about the whole percentile thing b/c people come in all shapes and sizes and grow at different rates. I try to feed my children nutritious foods so I don’t give their weight much weight. :-)

10 | Melissa

January 29th, 2010 at 10:15 am

I don’t have their current weight/height, but to look at them I would say my youngest (6yrs) is just right (though body shape makes him look very “round” when clothed) and my oldest (almost 8yrs) verging on too thin despite eating like a starving locust.

As long as they’re eating healthy foods regularly, I don’t really stress about it. We’ve been telling them that everyone is shaped differently, just like we all have different finger prints. Making healthy choices is more important than the shape(s) of our body.

11 | Miche

January 29th, 2010 at 10:20 am

My 5 1/2 yo is just right for her build. However, by the books and clothing manufacturers she’s underweight. (But on the same trajectory since birth.)

12 | coffeewithjulie

January 29th, 2010 at 10:24 am

Hi Andrea,

My 7-year-old daughter is small in height and weight. She’s like a little bird. I think she weighs 43 pounds but she out-eats all of her peers.

My 18-month-old boy is off those curve charts for head size, height, weight, you name it. He’s like a little rugby player. I think he weighs 35 pounds.

I perceive, and doc agrees, both to be “just perfect” for themselves. We have some big, tall men in our family and some light women and men in our family — so who knows what genetics are there.

We are fortunate that both love all types of food — no pickiness to deal with. I let both eat as much as they want of anything they want (there’s no junk in the house anyhow) and just try to balance out all the food groups. I feel strongly that kids should not be forced to “finish everything on the plate before dessert” and encourage them to listen to what their body tells them. “Dessert” in our house is yogurt, fruit, etc so I never restrict it.

I’ll be curious to see how you use your info.

Julie

13 | Karen at Virtually There

January 29th, 2010 at 10:34 am

My kids are just right. Emily (5) ha always been on the thin side but looks very healthy and lean. She weighs around 42 lbs. Hope(3) has still got the toddler body and has always been a bit more solid than Emilydue to a different body type. She weighs around 33 lbs.

14 | Mary Lynn

January 29th, 2010 at 10:52 am

My three-year-old is at about 90th percentile for height and 55th percentile for weight. He’ll tall and slim, but has bundles of energy, so his doctor and I think all is fine.

At her last check-up, my almost six-year-old is also around 90th percentile for height and about 70th percentile for weight. Since then I would say she’s gained more weight than height, but to me she still seems to be in the healthy range. A few weeks ago she stepped on the Wii Fit scales and for the first time ever was informed that she was overweight, though I’m not altogether sure who well set up the Wii is to deal with 5-year-olds. Sometimes it’s hard to tell because I find kids tend to get a wee bit pudgy just leading up to a growth spurt, then suddenly they grow 2 or 3 inches in the course of 6 months and they’re suddenly skinny again.

15 | Susan

January 29th, 2010 at 10:54 am

My 5 year old boy weighs 48 pounds or so. I think he’s pretty average. He’s not skinny by any means.

My 27 month old girl weighs about 25 pounds. I think that’s quite a bit less than average, but again she’s not really skinny. She’s just petite.

Both kids are of average height. My son eats very well, my daughter is pickier but eats a good amount of what she likes. They get treats pretty reguarly but we also eat lots of healthy stuff.

16 | Miss Vicky

January 29th, 2010 at 10:56 am

At three I think it’s a little early to make any decisions about G’s weight. He’s filled out somewhat but he has always been wee. I’m more preoccupied with making sure he eats a balanced diet and gets lots of exercise. As for AJ, well, she’s only 8 months so as long as she stays on her curve I’m not concerned.

When I was 16 I had jaw surgery and had my jaw wired shut for 6 weeks. I was 97lbs by the end of it, and anemic. A few years later my father told me that I should aim for that as my “ideal weight”. I promised myself then that I would be very very careful of the things I said to my kids about their weight and their body.

17 | mrsgryphon

January 29th, 2010 at 11:07 am

Our 4 year old is just right, maybe a little on the skinny side if anything. The baby is 8 months old and delightfully chubby (23lbs). I was appalled that I was actually told by a nurse at the health centre that she is “overweight” and might be subject to diabetes etc. later in life. Really? She’s a BABY! She’s supposed to be chubby!!

18 | mrsgryphon

January 29th, 2010 at 11:07 am

Sorry, forgot to add that our 2 are both girls.

19 | Shan

January 29th, 2010 at 11:14 am

My 7 year old has a bit of a tummy and I would like to see that change, but we try not to make a big deal about it. My 4 year old is quite slender. We have a big healthy living shift going on in our house right now. I’m hoping it helps both my kids to eat better.

20 | karen

January 29th, 2010 at 11:14 am

My ll year old daughter has been in the 90 percentile for both height and weight since she was 2 months old. Her pediatrician has never has a problem with her weight. I have noticed that with the onset of puberty she seems a little heavier. I think it has something to do with posture. (hers is the worst, it drives me nuts) He shoulders are always slumped forward and she never ever sits or stands straight and this causes her tummy to come forward. This disappears when she proves to me she can actually stand straight. He doctor tells me this is because of growing so fast, I’m not convinced. She has also started to reject the healthy foods she onced loved, she now seems to only want high fat foods. Her doc says this is typical behaviour of a child going through puberty. I do worry it will affect her weight and I only worry because kids can be cruel.

My 7 year old son has always been in the 90 percentile for height and 40 percentile for weight. He is very tall and slim. I find it very hard to buy pants for him that don’t fall off of him. He is very healthy and active so I don’t think there is a problem. His father’s family were all very tall, thin children.

My daughter has started to notice that she has never been as thin as her brother. I think this has more to do with her peers mentioning how “skinny” her brother is. I worry that because they have such different body types she will consider herself the “big” one.

21 | Isabelle

January 29th, 2010 at 11:40 am

My son is 10 1/2 and he is on the thinner side.
The only thing that bothers me about his size is that it makes him more susceptible to teasing which then bothers him and makes him self conscious about his body type. Ha, society is tough, you can get teased if you are overweight or underweight. :/ Even though it does bother me sometimes I never try and ‘bulk’ him up with extra food. He does it a fairly balanced diet and he does only seem to eat when he is hungry and stops when he feels full so I certainly don’t want to mess with that.

22 | Erin

January 29th, 2010 at 11:45 am

Both my girsl are just about right. My oldest (4.5) is tall and slim. We (and our doctor) did have a period of concern when she didn’t gain any weight over a six month period. She had a bit of a spurt shortly after that but she is still very slim. We’ve added a few more snacks into her day and will keep her drinking homogenized milk for a while longer. My youngest is 18months and is losing her baby chubbiness. I think she’s a little more “solid” in her body type.

23 | Leah

January 29th, 2010 at 12:10 pm

Interesting topic. I think both of mine are healthy and perfect, though my five-year-old son has always been carefully monitored by the doctor for weight (he’s 34 pounds). I don’t worry at all though because he takes after his Dad, and he’s an extremely healthy eater. Given the choice between chocolate cake and an apple, he’d choose the apple every time. The other night we were having chili for dinner and for his second helping he decided he would just eat “the yummy part.” He picked out the kidney beans and ate them all up :)

24 | Finola

January 29th, 2010 at 12:12 pm

My 8 year old daughter has always been off the charts for height (>97th percentile and always the tallest child in her class, girls and boys included). She is in the 70th percentile for weight. She is tall and stunning (not biased me, nope not at all). My almost six year old is 50th percentile for height, and about 35th percentile for weight. She blends right in with her peers. They both eat well most of the time, but there are some treats in the house. But we are still making our way through their Halloween candy, so I guess the treats are not doled out too freely.
Can’t wait to hear where you’re going with this one.

25 | Kristina

January 29th, 2010 at 12:14 pm

My little guy is 2.5 years old & I think he’s just right! We eat healthy food 9 times out of 10, but while I pay attention to what we eat I’m not obsessive about it either. My mom used to tell us apples were dessert and it had the opposite result of what she was hoping for, haha! One thing we do is try to make things at home, especially since my son has a nut allergy, and this means we’re much more conscious of what’s going into the food. If you have time to do that, it makes a big difference, and now, even if it’s not homemade, I’m much better about checking labels. :)

26 | Sharon

January 29th, 2010 at 12:25 pm

Nathan is 8 yrs old about 45 lbs and is skinny as a toothpick like his parents before him when they were his age. SO he is just fine for his genetic makeup. I do think he doesn’t eat very well, but I didn’t either. Very picky eat ( a La Mom)
I do my own cooking very seldom order in, make lunches don’t buy them at school although I give kudos to our school for amazingly healthy and interesting lunches!
He just wants meat and pototes most of the time, as long as he eats ONE good meal a day I don’t worry to much. Grant you he has one heck of a sweet tooth.

27 | Stacey

January 29th, 2010 at 12:25 pm

I think that both my girls are “just right”, even though one of them is 50th percentile for weight and the other one is below the 3rd percentile for weight. I just keep reminding everyone who complains that *someone* has to be on the bottom of the chart!

28 | Binky

January 29th, 2010 at 1:17 pm

My 7 year old is very thin but then so was her mother at that age (genetic disposition) and her 5 year old sister is (imho) just right. Skinny daughter eats very little and “just right” daughter is a super picky eater but eats enough to maintain her just-right weight.

29 | andrea

January 29th, 2010 at 1:41 pm

Thanks everyone, for your comments so far!

I have another question for you. Do you think parents are able to recognize if their kid is overweight? Would you?

30 | Beth

January 29th, 2010 at 1:42 pm

My girls are (so far) very similar to each other in their body type and size. My 4yo weighs 36 lbs, and has always been around the 50th percentile for height/weight. She is a very solid little girl, but not overweight. I have noticed, like another commenter stated, that she usually pudges out a little just before a growth spurt. So now that we’re having trouble buttoning her pants, I’m sure we’ll be looking at pants that are too short by summer! She eats most things, and is great at trying new foods. She is a chocoholic (at 4yo!), but we limit it.

My 6mo old is 18 lbs, and very round, just like her sister was at that age. They get their body types from their dad, who always wore the “husky” jeans when he was little. I do worry at times that she is overweight, but based on her sister’s pattern, as soon as she starts to move (and it’s a little harder when there’s extra chub!), she will lose it and look more “average.”

Funny note…I often get comments that my kids are “huge” and tall for their age…when in reality they are pretty much average. My theory is because I am only 5ft tall, my 38 in tall daughter just looks tall in comparison! :) They both have tiny feet, so while they’ll hopefully surpass me in height, they likely won’t be that tall.

31 | Nat

January 29th, 2010 at 1:50 pm

So The Boy, 9, is solid. He’s sort of a 95th percentile kind of boy. He’s never been skinny. And he’s got that “fixing to grow look on him.” Great big hands and feet and a bit of a gutt. He’s also eating my out of house and home. Last time he did that, he shot up 2 inches overnight.

Dreading the teenage years.

32 | Mary Lynn

January 29th, 2010 at 2:02 pm

Hi Andrea…re: your follow-up question. I’m watchful of my kids’ weight, but not obsessive about it. I’m watchful because I was an overweight child and I definitely think this was a disadvantage to me. I was poor in sports and I generally felt a real lack of self-confidence. I don’t have a lot of photos of myself as a child (housefire years ago destroyed them) so I have a hard time piecing together when it was that I became overweight. I suspect by the time I was 7 or 8 I was already heavier than most of the girls in my class. I’ve worked hard as an adult to get into better shape. Right now I’m in a good healthy weight zone. I think setting a good example is key.

Anyway, having had that experience, I am mindful of how much the kids weigh. I mentioned in my other comment that my daughter seems to be a bit on the heavy side at the moment, so I’m keeping an eye on that. She’s been the same height for about 4 months, so I suspect she’s going to have a growth spurt soon that will correct matters. Still, I’m interested to hear what her doctor will say at our next visit if that growth spurt doesn’t come.

In the meantime, she’s a pretty active kid. She’s in skating and dance, we go for walks and bike rides and play outside a fair bit. I think we’re all a little less active over the winter, so that could also be a factor in the weight gain.

33 | BeachMama

January 29th, 2010 at 2:04 pm

Ah ha, such a touchy subject in our house. J is 6 and although not obese and not overweight, he is a big, big boy. He is the size of an 8.5 year old in height and weight, no longer needs a booster seat and is wearing a size 10 snowpant. Does he have abs of steel? Not on your life, his six year old muscles will take a bit of time to catch up to his size 8. All that being said he makes healthy choices and gets plenty of excercise and watch out because he will be one mean linebacker.

As for Apple she is tall and petite at the same time. She has 0% body fat for a 2.25 year old but barely fits a size 2 pant due to her abs of steel. She eats more than her 6 year old brother and 39 year old mother yet manages to jump it all off all. day. long.

We have the two extremes here, but that is how the cookie crumbles so to speak.

34 | Mary Lynn

January 29th, 2010 at 2:06 pm

One more thing…even if I do become concerned I will not be saying anything directly to my daughter about her weight. I will try to adjust what she’s fed and I will try to increase her exercise, but we will not mention to her that she needs to watch her weight. I don’t feel it’s appropriate for a 5-year-old to become weight-focused. That has the potential to do more harm than good.

35 | carolb

January 29th, 2010 at 2:13 pm

My daughter is two and a half and weighs 27lb which puts her in the lower percentile on the graphs, but she looks fine to me!

36 | Amy @ Muddy Boots

January 29th, 2010 at 2:22 pm

Liam, 6 1/2, is 48 lbs and TALL for his age. He’s definitely slim. Even the “skinny jeans” I found for him have to be cinched in all the way. He is an amazingly healthy eater, not cavities despite not always brushing (which the dentist attributed to a healthy diet), full of energy, etc.

Simon, 3, is 38 lbs and slightly above average height. His weight is starting to climb (above his curve) since we’ve gotten his food allergies figured out. Before it was average height, way bottom for weight. He’s a bit pickier eater, but has improved SO MUCH since last year.

Andrew, 1 year, is right under 20 lbs (25%ile) and 40%ile for height. He’s tiny and active. I’m sure he’ll follow his brothers in height and weight.

As for your second question, I don’t think most parents will easily admit that their children are overweight. Especially if the parents struggle with weight themselves. It’s easy to explain away. Plus, we LOVE OUR KIDS. They’re perfect in our eyes.

It’s tricky.

37 | Rae

January 29th, 2010 at 2:31 pm

Gryphon at 1 year looks like he’s 2.5, but perfectly proportioned – just large and tall. The running joke is that he’s the brute squad.

Amy at 5.5 is Very tall and .. “ballerina” thin – but much like her dad that way. The wii says she’s “underweight”, and she looks very skinny to my eye, but I suspect she always will.

Lily at 7.5 is is built like myself – tall, but broad, but a very healthy weight/shape. The Wii says she’s “at risk of overweight” but I think she looks OK.

I follow the food guide, and post it on the wall so the girls use it to make their lunches, and we make sure to keep active (out in the yard, skating/dancing/swimming/aikido/rugby) and let them know that it’s all about balance.

38 | Betsy Mae

January 29th, 2010 at 2:49 pm

Daughter 1 is 6 and ‘just right’ – slightly lean. She is tall and quite lean, long legs, and arms.

Daughter 2 is 4 and ‘just right’. She is long through her torso.

Both girls have consistantly been in the 95th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight since they were infants….if that means anything at all!

39 | sherry

January 29th, 2010 at 3:40 pm

My 7 year old looks like she’s on the thinner side but I think it’s probably just because she’s also pretty tall for her age.

My 4 year old is just right.

40 | Krista

January 29th, 2010 at 4:11 pm

I have an almost 7 year old boy; 5.5 year old girl and 3.5 year old boy – they all are just right. We don’t weigh them very often so not sure how much they weigh, but they don’t look either skinny or overweight. They are all good, healthy eaters and also very active.

I think I would realize if they were overweight – just comparing them to their friends (who all seem to be fairly average weight) would tip me off, but like Amy said, we love them and they are perfect in our eyes, so maybe I would be blind to it.

41 | Julie

January 29th, 2010 at 4:37 pm

Interesting subject, and even more interesting for me to read what other people’s children weigh. Reading those comments makes me think my children and just wee. Well, some of them. Emma is almost ten, and is closing in on 55lbs. She’s not so tall, but neither are both her parents. Jacob is 7, and about 42lbs, and Charlie is 5 and also about 42lbs. I often worry that Jacob is “not storing any reserves”, but he eats a well balanced diet and just burns it all off. Emma is vegetarian (a choice she made about 2 years ago), and I watch her diet very carefully to make sure she’s getting all her requirements – she’s thin but consumes very little fat, so I see how she gets it. Charlie is like a puppy, soft and round – but I notice that as he gains height, he’s losing his roundness.

42 | Yoni Freedhoff

January 29th, 2010 at 5:31 pm

Hi Andrea,

Not sure if this came up in the comments (didn’t go through all 41) but study after study demonstrate that parents are almost wholly unable to determine whether or not their children are overweight/obese.

It’s actually one of the challenges we face in that it’s tough to impress upon a parent the need for change if they don’t think there’s a problem.

Yoni

43 | Chantal

January 29th, 2010 at 5:33 pm

My 8 year old is very tall for his age. He is carrying a bit more weight than I (and sadly he) would like. He is aware that he is heavier than his friends and it bothers him. He is a healthy eater, and very physically active so I am not terribly concerned. I was also a bit chunky at that age and grew out of it when I hit 10 years old. We will have to see what happens as he gets older.

44 | Valerie

January 29th, 2010 at 7:00 pm

I’m guessing that most parents would think their kids look fine, even if overweight (or underweight?). Like most others, I think mine look fine. If I go by the growth charts, my almost 8 yr old daughter is about 110% for height and 90% for weight, which seems balanced to me or slightly on the slim side (though I’ve seen much skinnier). My 4 yr old son is 50% for both height and weight. Both have been at these pts on the curve since they were born.

I worry a bit about once they hit puberty. I was slim as a child but gained a lot after puberty and into my 20’s (hubby was and still is very slim). We try to limit TV/computer time, register them in gymnastics or swimming, and bike a lot in summer.

45 | Sean

January 29th, 2010 at 7:35 pm

My son is 4 and weighs 17.5kg

my daughter is 8 and weighs 23kg

both of them seem just right, though my daughter may be a little on the thin side.

46 | Jen

January 29th, 2010 at 10:09 pm

Our son just turned 5, and 58lbs – he’s thin and crazy tall though – everyone thinks he’s in the second grade. I wonder sometimes if he is too skinny – he likes to go shirtless in the house, and sometimes I’m shocked at how prominent his ribs are. Thanks to martial arts, hockey and, well, having the never-ending energy of a 5 year old, he’s got little abs and great muscles in his legs though. He eats like a horse, so I’m not worried about it.

47 | Chantal

January 29th, 2010 at 11:44 pm

For the sake of stats, I have not read the comments, but I can’t wait to read what you’re working on.

All of mine are tall and thin. (You’ve met them!). So thin in fact we’ve been told to “fatten them up”. The doc wanted us to stop with skim milk and move to 2% and get them to eat more cheese and yogurt.

Oldest is 13 years old, 5′ 8.5″ and just over 100lb.

Second is 11.5 years old, 5′ 5″ and about 90lb.

Third is about yay-heigh (oops! I don’t know!) and maybe 55lb. She is by far the most “underweight”, but she’s a ball of muscle.

Fourth is massively tall for his age of 7 and about 65lb.

48 | DaniGirl

January 30th, 2010 at 2:07 pm

Interesting to read all the comments as I was just thinking about this topic this week. I can use a single word to describe all three of my boys: big! It means different things for each of them, though.

While Tristan is tall and thin (2nd tallest in his class this year, but I can see his ribs), Simon is just a little taller than average but more stocky. I don’t think he’s overweight, although I did take a long look at him this week and wonder. I think he’s just a little bit pudgier than Tristan, which makes him look overweight by comparison to his beanpole brother. I’m quite sure he’s healthy, but did make a mental note to keep an eye on him. He’s only six, and I bet a lot of the pudginess is leftover baby fat, although he does tend to be less active.

And Lucas is off the charts for tall at not-quite-two — he’s almost as tall as some of the kids in Simon’s class! — but then he was also the biggest at 10 lbs 1 oz at birth, so I imagine one day he’ll tower over all of us!

49 | Mary @ Holy Mackerel

January 30th, 2010 at 4:11 pm

My daughter is almost 15, and is finally growing out of her pot belly. She’s always been in the 95th and up percentile for both weight and height, but has never been overweight, just a tiny bit chunky. Not anymore! Now, I’d call her about average, although she thinks she’s fat (of course).

Our son, who will be 12 in Feb., doesn’t have an ounce of fat on his bones. If anything, I’d say he’s too thin.

50 | Laura

January 30th, 2010 at 7:26 pm

My 6 yr-old son has always been off the charts with height and weight but I don’t think he is overweight, but definitely solid. He can eat as much as his teenage sister and I am also worried about the teenage years… he’ll eat me out of house and home!

My 14 yr old daughter is slim and is a vegetarian. She seemed to lose her “baby fat” when she stopped eating meat 2 1/2 years ago. She does not seem to have any issues with worrying about her weight which is such a relief as I don’t want her to get caught up in dieting!

51 | Jacquie

January 30th, 2010 at 10:45 pm

My 4 year old daughter is 38lbs. I think she is just right. I always find it frustrating getting clothes for her in the winter because she needs a size 4 for the length of the pants but if they don’t have an adjustable waist then the size 4 falls off her non existent hips.

My 2 1/2 year old daughter is 28lbs. I also think she is just right. I have the same problem for her clothing, if it fits in length then it doesn’t fit in the waist and vice versa.

I do think that I would notice if they were becoming overweight, but we try our hardest to eat healthy and both girls are very active. Both take swimming lessons, gymnastics, and dance. And we are a family that would rather blast the tunes and dance than watch TV.

I spend more time worrying about what they are eating not what they weigh. I spend most meals trying to convince my 4 year old that she needs to eat some protein, she would happily eat fruit only. The rest of the meal is spent trying to convince my 2 1/2 year old that carbs are not the only food group. She gags and often vomits with any fruits and vegetables unless they are pureed.

52 | Darcy

January 31st, 2010 at 9:47 am

Growing up I have many memories of my mother never being happy with her weight. She dieted a lot and gained and lost a number of pounds over the years.

She had no idea how her dissatisfaction with her own body impacted my sister and I. As a mother I decided to try and never express those kinds of feelings to my kids. As a family we try and eat well and excercise and I never say “I feel fat” or “I hate my _____” because they are always listening.

Miss Vicky’s comment really hit home.

I find the question interesting because I think many people can’t decide about their own bodies much less their children’s.

To finally answer the question:
Son – 6 – normal
Daughter – 4 – normal
Daughter – 1 1/2 – normal
Daughter – 1 1/2 – normal

53 | sierra bartlett

January 31st, 2010 at 5:45 pm

hi , i am a 11,almost 12,year old girl.my height is 4 ft 6……and i weigh 83 pounds is that normal or what,please tell me if i need to lose wieght cause i am really wieght consious………plz?

54 | Lynn

February 5th, 2010 at 12:01 pm

Hm, it seems a hundred people have already responded, but I thought I’d weigh in because my kids are very small. The older two are below the 0% mark for weight, and as a result, we have to see our doctor every six months for a weight check. Our doctor is pretty cool and laid back, and she chalks up their lightness to genetics. As long as they continue to gain — slowly — she’s not worried, she’s just keeping an eye on it. So we’re not worried, either.

Our son is 6 3/4 (he’ll be 7 in four weeks), and he weighs just a smidgeon under 40 pounds. Like Amy’s son, he needs to wear the slim pants and have them cinched all the way. He’s also short — the third shortest kid in his class (boys or girls).

Our middle daughter is almost 5 1/2 and weighs 31 pounds. She is extremely tiny and is also at the 0% percentile for height (but shockingly, is not even close to being the shortest or smallest in her kindergarten class — I think there are at least three other girls smaller than her). Still, she’ll probably be in a full car seat until age 8, and a booster for a few years beyond that.

Our youngest is our “beefy” one — at age 2 1/2 she weighs almost 25 pounds. We think she’ll actually catch up to Gal Smiley in the not so distant future.

55 | Know More Do More, the kickoff post >> a peek inside the fishbowl

March 22nd, 2010 at 11:18 am

[…] reality of their children’s weight, physical activity levels, and eating behaviours. (Remember the post in which I asked about your children and their weight? I was already mulling this all […]