A 6ft 2in man is the only full-height person in his family of "little people" with dwarfism - and said strangers accuse him of lying about his parents.<br /><br />Peet Montzingo, 25, was too big to sit on his mother's lap and hardly noticed the size difference between him and his family until he started school.<br /><br />If he ever invited a friend over to his home he'd have to warn them in advance - and if he forgot, their jaws would "hit the floor".<br /><br />He grew up in an adapted home with low kitchen counters that would give him backache and door frames he would hit his head on repeatedly.<br /><br />His 4ft 0in mum would bring him to the food shop with her so he could reach the items on the top shelves when she couldn't.<br /><br />Sometimes he would experiencing verbal abuse about his family and cruel classmates would use slurs to describe them.<br /><br />He said strangers accuse him of lying about being genetically related to his parents, siblings and all his cousins - who are all "little".<br /><br />The author and musician, from LA, California, uses his unique position and platform to educate people and challenge misconceptions about dwarfism.<br /><br />Peet said: "Growing up, I was so used to people just assuming I'm not a part of my family.<br /><br />"We'd all be out at the store and strangers would strike up a conversation, but never look at me.<br /><br />"If we met them randomly another time, I'd usually have to keep re-introducing myself because they'd never remember me.<br /><br />"I actually find it hilarious now to be convincing people - online especially - that I'm part of my own family!"<br /><br />Peet is the youngest of three siblings - and is the only average height person in his immediate family.<br /><br />He said: "Before I started school I'd never think about the height difference.<br /><br />"It wasn’t until I saw all the kids and their parents that it clicked for me. I realised I was in a strange world.<br /><br />"I would come home and cry to my mum and say 'I wish I was a dwarf too'."<br /><br />He realised that the home he grew up in looked very different from the homes of his average-height peers.<br /><br />Peet said it "took a long time emotionally to figure out my role and feel comfortable and confident in my family."<br /><br />He has come to terms with the difference now - and he and the family are able to make jokes.<br /><br />He said: "My brother is older than me, he always wanted to be the big brother but he was always way shorter than me.<br /><br />"He could never bully me or boss me around!<br /><br />"Growing up, the top shelves were mine because I could reach them.<br /><br />"I'd hide candy up there, it was amazing. At my mums house I still have some of those spots now!"<br /><br />He added that at theme parks, staff could never tell him he was too small to ride without his parent.<br /><br />Peet said: "Once, when I got to the front of the line, the worker told me I was too short, but could get a parent to come with me and then I could ride.<br /><br />"I informed him that my parents were shorter than me, and he laughed at me!<br /><br />"So I went and got my mom and dad and when the worker saw them, his face was pure shock - and we all got to ride anyway!"<br /><br />Because Peet looks so different, he still has a tough time convincing people he's a part of their family.<br /><br />He said whenever people would meet his family they would assume he was an external person, such as a doctor or shop assistant.<br /><br />Peet regularly gets people accuse him of lying when he said he's a part of their family - both in person and online.<br /><br />He said: "Good thing I look so much like my mum, otherwise it would be harder than it already is to tell people I'm related.<br /><br />"So many people are so uneducated about dwarfism and we're always happy to share some insight.<br /><br />"It's just comical how many times educating somebody turns into them trying to disprove it!"<br /><br />Peet added that because he had such a different experience growing up, he's able to understand the reality of dwarfism that most average height people cannot.<br /><br />He said: "Its created some very deep empathy for everyone who looks different.<br /><br />"At school, people would bully me and call my family names but that was the only bullying I got - my brother got physically bullied.<br /><br />"Now, I want to be an advocate for dwarfism and show they are just like everyone else.<br /><br />"I'm always pushing for people to understand that - people say 'oh they're so cute' but they're people, not little toys.<br /><br />"Some people might look at a little person and see them as a stereotype, not a human being.<br /><br />"Because of my family, I can look at them and see them as a human being like everyone else - it doesn’t define them."
