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Height-Weight Charts For Children
As a concerned parent, it is comforting to be able to occasionally take a look at what is "normal" or "average" when it comes to child development, even if the experts think that parents are better off not being concerned about what normal is. However, wanting to know what is best for our children is the most important parenting skill there is.
Truthfully, the experts do have a point. Obsessing about what is normal or average or "right" when it comes to baby development or toddler development isn’t always a good thing. Every child is different, and every baby is different in how fast they grow and put on weight, just as every toddler is different when it comes to how fast they walk or run, or even how big they are. However, withholding information from concerned parents is never a good idea. When people lack the information they want, they tend to infer their own data, and when it is worried parents we are talking about, we tend to assume the worst. It certainly wouldn’t send most parents into a frightful state of paranoia if we got a good look at the official height-weight charts for toddlers and the official height and weight charts for babies.
Unfortunately, the Internet doesn’t offer too much help for a curious parent who wonders if their 3-year old is taller than average, shorter than average, or bigger than average overall. Too many search engine results point to preachy articles about obesity in young children and toddlers. Most parents can eyeball their toddler or small child and have a gut feel about whether or not they are starting to get "big boned." But, for parents wondering if little Sally is shorter than other 4-year olds, or if it just so happens that her handful of friend are all just taller than average, such articles are no help.
Trying to limit a search to reputable sources only makes it worse, because these are the doctors, counselors, and other experts who like to hold that information about whether or not a kid is average weight or average height close to their vest. Instead, they hand out patronizing answers like, "perfectly normal" and then tell us "I wouldn’t worry about it." Like that helps.
So, it was with some excitement that I found the official U.S. government height and weight charts. These are the height-weight percentile charts with the graphs of curving lines that show exactly where your child falls with regard to how tall or short they are relative to their peers in the United States. The reason they are so hard to find is that they aren’t called what you think they are. They aren’t listed on a government webpage under height-and-weight charts or height-weight graphs, but are rather listed as Clinical Growth Charts, and they are on the CDC (Center for Disease Control) website of all places.
Is My Baby Tall Short or Average? Is My Toddler Taller or Shorter than Average?
Of course, there is, in fact, no reason to lose even one second of sleep over the fact that a toddler or baby is shorter or taller than average. The growth rates change dramatically, and a kid who is tall today can end up average or short tomorrow. However, more facts and truthful parenting information is always a good thing to have. If nothing else, it can get you to stop worrying, especially if it turns out your little one is just a tiny bit taller or shorter than average.
Ironically, at these younger ages, the percentiles for height and weight exaggerate the actual differences between the size of toddlers. That is because when dealing with a 36" inch tall child, a full 10% difference in height is just three and a half inches. As relative percentiles to their peers, the numbers are even smaller.
For example, in 2-year old boys, the difference between 50th percentile, and 95th percentile is just 2 inches. In other words, the difference between perfectly average and taller than 95% of all little boys who are two, is just a two tiny little inches. That leaves a lot of room in between for everyone who is "a little taller" than average.
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What Being a Dad Is Like
Just a quick micro-update.
Was thinking about ways being a father is different from how things are before you have any kids. I had a pretty good list when I heard an nondescript noise from upstairs, and I realized, that one of the many changes in your life when you become a father is that those little I’m sure it was probably nothing sounds that you used to ignore quickly become, What was that? sounds that you need to check out right aways.
Just a lonely blurb for the afternoon…
Best Things About Being a Dad
Before you have kids, you think you know what some of the best moments of having children are. Ironically, most of the moments that come to mind aren’t necessarily the one that really make being a parent such a wonderful thing.
While things like baby’s first words, baby’s first steps, and all the other baby firsts, are indeed amazing, thrilling moments for any parent, it is the other tiny moments that really are the best things about being a dad. I’m talking about those dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of little things between you and your child that are special not because they are huge milestones, but because they are those wonderful little moments filled with wonder, awe, love, or amazement. These are the moments that make having a great baby journal so important.
Recently, I posted about how cargo shorts (or cargo pants) are essential dad gear because of their ability to carry all manner of "little things" required for those events that might not necessitate a whole diaper bag, but that definitely require certain supplies for maximum success and enjoyment. In the comments Alicia mentioned that another value of cargo shorts was their ability to handle the "rock and stick collection." I burst into a wide grin and nearly laughed out loud. I thought we were the only ones!
A quick check with other parents who are friends of ours confirmed that the walking toddler’s rock and stick collection is actually very common. Those of you who are already dads might be smiling with recognition right now. For those of you whose children are not yet walking (or walking outside, that is) or for those of you dads to be, let me explain.
Once a toddler can walk on their own, they will eventually begin walking outside. This often involves going for walks because they are good walking practice on a different type of surface, great for getting fresh air and sunshine, and because they can help tire out an energy-packed toddler. On these walks, toddlers will be discovering new things that had previously been either unseen, or out of reach as they were carried, or pushed about in a stroller. One of these many fascinating new discoveries will be rocks, and another will be sticks.
After spending plenty of time responding with "no" to the kid’s desire to pick up many other less savory objects, most dads are plenty glad to let Junior pick up a rock or a stick that he finds laying on the ground. After retrieving their prize, the child will want to keep it, and again, seeing no harm, many parents will say, "Sure." Upon arriving at home, the child will want to keep it, and this is where the average Mom and Dad have to draw the line, in order to avoid both spreading dirt around the house and finding a dirty rock at 3:00 AM in the toddler’s sheets which they rolled onto while sleeping and woke up upset.
As a compromise, Dad or Mom will offer to keep the rock or stick in a special place. Though the toddler will likely never come back to that particular rock or stick, they will undoubtedly find others just as meaningful and necessary to both carry and keep as the first one.
Sentimental parents will find a certain number of them endearing and keep them as a memento of their child’s wide-eyed innocence and amazement as they discovered the world on those first walking adventures. Then, the rock-stick collection becomes something even more meaningful that it was originally. Ours is on the mantel in a vase that once held just one or two sticks and a half-dozen rocks. Today, it is a virtual bouquet of sticks and filled half-way up with rocks.
Do you or your child have a rock and stick collection? Where do you keep it?
What little things come to your mind when you think about the greatest moments of being a parent so far?
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Register Kid’s Domain Names
I went out and registered my children’s domain names to reserve their future website address for them, just in case they end up needing it. Each child got firstlast.com although the older one had to get her first name nickname because her full name was already taken.
Registering a child’s domain name probably makes a little bit of sense. It is reasonable to assume that dot com domain names will remain the standard for the foreseeable future. Yes, it is possible that there will be a wholesale change in the way domain names are registered and allocated someday in the future, but it won’t be soon, and it won’t be easy.
Too many people and too many companies have spent too much money building their little web empires under the current system for domain name registration or domain use to be changed swiftly or easily.
The interesting new frontier is in the realm of domain names that include the top level domain, or TLD, as part of the word. Del.icio.us was one of the first major sites to go this route, although they currently own and use delicious.com now, so maybe it wasn’t that big of a hit. Other more minor websites are using this practice however.
The URL shortener service that I use is tr.im which I have known as "tee-are-dot-eye-em" since I started using it, but if you pay enough attention, you’ll notice that if you ignore the period, it spells trim. If enough people and websites catch on, the tactic could grow enough to be used by a full-sized major corporation.
A full list of currently available TLDs can be found here. See if any of those would match up with the ending letters of a name or title that you might want, and then look into how to get such a domain name registered. Since most of those are for other countries, the rules and fees might vary a lot.
Google Not Helpful for Some Dad Information
As a father certain things are more important to me than other people. For example, when is the time of summer when butterflies are most plentiful?
My daughter loves butterflies, but they are pretty hard to come by on demand most of the year. However, the Denver Botanic Gardens attracts them in droves thanks to their array of plants and flowers. But, when there aren’t any butterflies around, it doesn’t matter what kind of plants you have.
A dozen Google searches later and I’m still no closer to finding out when the peak season for butterflies is in Denver. (Just FYI, I do know about the Butterfly Pavilions in Broomfield, CO and yes, she loves it there too, but the Botanic Gardens are closer, bigger, and outside which is what I was shooting for today.)
A .org site search lead me to the North American Butterfly Association which has the domain NABA.org so I’m guessing their pretty legit. Still, no quick answers, but at least I finally have some usable links.
Thanks to commenter Lisa another parenting blog writer who shot me a link to a Denver Post article that says:
The butterfly season in Colorado is generally May to October.
Even better is this more recent article which says:
Summer and early fall are the peak seasons for butterflies.
Well, there you go. Went to the Botanic Gardens too early. No problem, we’re members so we’ll go again later. I just won’t promise butterflies again until August or September.
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