Do boys really mature later than girls?

[mommaU4]

My son is 11 and his sister is 9. But she is taller than he is, which needless to say frustrates him to no end.

I have taken him to the doctor to see if this is a problem but they just give the old "boys take longer to develop/mature than girls do" speech. They sort of dismiss it, but I wonder when or if I should be concerned?

I have tried to compare him to other boys in his class height-wise and as far as I can see there are a few who are taller and some who are the same. It's just odd that his sis has grown so much so fast and he hasn't.

I am 5'9" and his dad is 5'10" (I think). I just wonder how tall he'll eventually be and at what point do you start to worry.

 

[Christine]

I wouldn't even worry as long as he is in the proper percentages for his age.

It could be that his sister, for whatever reason, is going to be much taller than him. No accounting for when/where those genes try to express themselves.

How tall is your son. My son is 11 and he is about 5'1"--maybe 5'2" and he is considered on the tall side for his age. My DD, who is 14, is about 5'3". She takes after my DH's side of the family (bunch of shorties) and my son takes after me (we are tall and lanky).

My best friend is 5'7" and her DH is 6'3". Their daughter only made it to 5'5". So who knows?

 

[pearlieq]

Yes, girls mature earlier than boys. Girls hit their main growth spurt from 10-12, where for boys it's usually around 13-15. Both may put on a few extra inches after that, but the biggest gains are usually found around that time.

The difference is that girls get their growth spurt in the beginning of puberty, whereas boys hit theirs toward the end. Girls usually finish growing around 18, whereas boys continue until around 20.

Here's a link that explains a lot of it: http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/growing/childs_growth.html

He's got quite a few more years before his ship comes in, so to speak!

 

[Hannathy]

Yes. Go to a middle school most of the girls are as tall or taller than the boys go back a few years to a high school those boys will have had their growth spurt and be taller than those same girls. Girls grow sooner but not as long boys grow later and keep on growing longer many times through college.

Emotionally it is the same way for most kids.(maturity wise) ie 12 yr old girls like music and clothes 12 yr old boys like star wars and video games.

She just may end up being taller my SIL is taller than 2 of her 3 bros.

 

[Stitchfans]

Yes, I have heard this too. I noticed a big difference with DD11, and the girls compared to the boys in their class. Sometimes I wonder if males ever do catch up to us. When I see how my DH and "grown up" DBs sometimes act.

 

[buddy&wooz]

My 13 year old has been looking up at female classmates since 4th grade- just now in 7th grade the boys are starting to catch up (but most still have a ways to go.) Girls definitely sprout earlier than boys, and they alse stop growing much younger, usually by 14 or so- boys grow well into their late teens usually.

So, don't worry, especially if he's close in height to other boys his age.

 

[missypie]

Lord, yes!!! Go to your local middle school and look around. Many of the 7th and 8th grade girls could pass for 18 or even 21, and the boys all look like little squirrels!

 

[goodeats]

I was the height I am now in 7th grade.

My DH said he still grew even in College!

 

[Sandy V.]

Yes, boys mature BOTH physically and emotionally later than girls. As someone said above, as long as your son is in good proportion on the doctor's height/weight charts and is generally healthy, I wouldn't worry about it.

When boys do grow, they seem to do it at a slower pace and for a longer time than girls do. I got all of my height in 8th grade, when I grew 6 inches in 6 months. Never grew an inch after that. I knew of a lot of guys that were still growing in college and beyond.

 

[Katy Belle]

There is a height predictor on Parent Center that I've used for a couple of years to track my boys. It predicts height up to age 18 and says boys can grow after that! Of course I don't know how accurate it is. Here's the link http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/...ar2=height predictor&s_prop2=height predictor

It may be interesting to plug in the info for both of your kids and just see where it puts them at 18.

My youngest DS isn't far behind his brother in height. I know the time will come when he will pass him up. The height predictor has the younger one to be about 3" taller.

Good luck!
Katy

 

[Tigger&Belle]

As far as emotionally, I'm not sure that boys ever mature!!!! And I have 3 of them, so I know what I speak. My 15yo son still has to be reminded to shower, brush his teeth, not leave his wallet in stores (he did that last weekend), do his homework...and the list goes on. His middle name could have been clueless. He is really a nice, sweet kid, thank goodness.

 

[SC Minnie]

I help with church youth group 5th and 6th graders. Almost all of the girls are taller than the boys. The boys seem to start catching up around 8th or 9th grade.

 

[golfgal]

My kids are just about 3 years apart and they are all the same height, everyone thinks we have triplets. DS13 is the smallest kid in the 8th grade, boy or girl. We did the growth hormone testing on him because he did not grow at all for over 2 years. He hormone levels were normal and he is supposed to be about 6 feet tall when he is done growing. DH was 5'4" when he graduated from high school, he was 6' tall at the end of his freshman year in college, they are both just late bloomers.

Girls also hit a big growth spurt in about 8th grade so the girls in his class are REALLY tall. I expect DD to be the tallest of the 3 kids by this time next year. She and twin brother are about 1/4" taller then DS13 but they haven't figured that out yet.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Don't worry. Girls do hit their adult height at a younger age then boys to. I know a boy who was always "small" and was so at his High School Graduation. By the time he graduated from College he was 6'4".

 

[froglady]

One of my brothers is only 18 months older than I, so for about 3 years I was taller than he, which drove him crazy! When we reached adulthood (I grew 2 inches between 18-21) I stopped at 5'4", and he stopped at 6'.

 

[mommaU4]

Thanks for all the reassurances. I appreciate it. And for the links. I will check those out.

Poor kid. It just kills him that his sister is taller. She's not alot taller but still. For awhile they were the same height, and since I have a younger set of twins, people would ask if the older kids were twins too. Oh, you should have seen his face. He would get so upset by that. And I had to always explain that he was actually 2 years older.

Anyhow, thanks again!

 

[mickeyfan2]

My cousin has three sons that are each 2 years apart in age. The first is small for his age, the second average and the third big for his age. They were always with in 1/2 inch and a few pounds each time they got their check-up. People always asked if they were triples. The oldest hated it and the other two would rib him about it.

 

[TheRatPack]

LOL on the squirrels comment. I agree, most of my sons friends who are girls are way taller than him (they are in the 6th grade). He's young for his class anyway, summer birthday, but he is also tall for his age per the doctor charts so he blends in.

But it's true, they do take longer to develop (mentally and physically) from my experience.

 

[minkydog]

I was the height I am now in 7th grade.

My DH said he still grew even in College!

Same here. I'm 5'3", the same height i was in middle school. DS19 started high school shorter than me He was very embarrassed and a lot of the girls treated him like he was their nerdy little brother. He went a way for 1 year and came back at over 5'9"--he was thrilled. Those same girls tried their best to get his attention but he wasn't interested(in them!) John is now over 6'1" and still growing. He wears a size 12B shoe--try finding that. My dad was over 6'3" and his dad was 6"5"--his dad's shortest brother was 6'6". My son never had a chance to be short, but you couldn't tell him that when he was 15.

DD12 on the other hand, is already taller than me and curvaceous.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have 8yo boy/girl twins and it bugs my son to no end that not only is his sister older than him (by a few minutes), she's taller!!