Do you have an unusual child? Everyone’s child is unique and wonderful and beautiful, but it is true that some children stand out more than others. Some stand out in ways that we find positive – they are beautiful or very verbal. Some stand out in ways that people find unusual – they wear superhero costumes everywhere or they are very tall or very petite. Some stand out in ways that people find challenging.
I am the parent of an unusual child. She has white-blonde hair and she is very tall for her age. She’s five and she is the average height of a seven-year-old, easily. She has always been very tall, and people comment on this all of the time.
I am not a particularly stunning-looking person, but I was a very tall blonde child. Everyone used to tell me that I should be a runway model. I was also a total introvert. No way was I going to go up on stage and show off clothes! I considered modeling occasionally, but really, who wants the hassle and the stress of having to be beautiful? As a shy kid, these comments just made me feel awkward about myself because I stood out and I didn’t want to stand out.
As an adult and the parent of a child who stands out, I have realized that there is very little you can do about these comments. If you have an obvious difference, people will comment on it because that’s what people do. It can be irritating, or you can use it as a chance to educate. You can also simply acknowledge it. I think that is what people really want: they want to say, “Wow, your child is tall.” And they want you to reply, “Why yes, she is. I was also tall at that age.”
My goal is to normalize this difference for my child. She will likely always be tall, at least until her early twenties when other people catch up. I am still tall, but not extraordinarily so. By telling people that tall is normal for us, I tell her that this thing that everyone comments on is nothing to be worried, ashamed, or sensitive about. It’s just the way we are, and that’s ok.