Yup, people actually ask tall people that question often. That and “did you play basketball?”
The tall people questions are never ending and have a way of making on try to hide their height. For real…my brother in-law who is ONLY 6’3: was determined to stunt his growth because he didn’t want to end up as tall as their dad (who is 6’9”). Tall kids can develop a complex so early. And they face all fo the little man syndrome egos all through life. It was because of this that we knew we wanted to be careful and smart about how we approached our daughters’ height.
When we had our first child and it was clear she was going to take after her dad’s side of the gene pool, we knew it was going to be important to find a place where she could stand tall and be surrounded by others who were all about that tall crowd. Enrolling her in that very first volleyball developmental program was the best thing we could have ever done. She gets to walk into her gym and see other tall females- some older, some younger, some peers. She sees others who are tall like her and PROUD of it. She gets to embrace being tall and while she knows its not her entire identity, she also knows it helps her dominate in her craft.
In the volleyball world, you’ll hear people say “well height isn’t everything” and “you can be short and effective too” and I’m all for that. I hear you, mamas. I agree with both of those sentiments. But remember, these tall chicas don’t get to fit in when they walk in most places. So I’m sorry your not quite so vertically gifted child has to fight harder for her position on the court…but I am not sorry that my daughter has found a place where her height is accepted, applauded and she gets to feel like it helps her fit in. Because most of the time, in most environments, she gets the stares and the whispers. So let her have this one place…just this one place…where she gets to feel right at home.
And mamas of tall girls..next time someone asks them a stupid tall person question because they think they are funny…ask them if they play mini golf, you know because they seem to be so short!