Normally I’d keep my mouth shut when it comes to how people raise their kids. But after seeing images of young children with straightened and color treated hair, I feel compelled to speak up. It makes me wonder if coloring or straightening a baby’s hair sends a bad message?
I happened to be browsing through YouTube and stumbled across a beautiful family – very similar to mine. The couple has two adorable biracial children. The son has brown hair. But, I couldn’t help doing a double take upon seeing their daughter’s two-toned tresses. It’s obviously been colored. She must be no more than a few years old!
While it’s possible for her to naturally have different color curls, I find it hard to believe it in this case. It just seems way too obvious. Come to think of it, some of the ads I see online and in catalogues often feature beautiful biracial kids with what appears to be color treated hair. It begs the question, “Why?” Why are mixed children’s hair being altered? Is it done to make them look more white, and less black? I wish I knew the answers to these questions.
Most recently, I happened to be speaking with a relative who informed me that one of the babies in our family has been undergoing a transformation. At just one-year-old, her mom has been straightening her hair with a hot comb. Seeing the photos makes me want to scream. We’re not close, and I’m not sure if I should reach out to the parents. But, this is just ridiculous. It’s one thing to straighten and color a teens hair, but a baby? I think it sends a bad message.
We should be teaching our kids – especially girls – to love their natural curls. I think coloring and straightening a child’s mane is the same as saying, “Your hair is NOT beautiful in its natural state.” In addition to the potential psychological damage, I think about the physical impacts on the hair like heat damage and breakage.
I’ve been down the relaxer road before, and it’s led to my hair thinning out. I’m three years post relaxer and have no plans of jumping back on the ‘creamy crack’ bandwagon. I’m getting to know my hair in a different way and I love it. My mission is to make sure Princess does the same.
The other day she says to me, “Mommy I love your hair.” She also says, “I love my curls.” Rockin’ her spiral locks with a headband has always been her go to style.
I have no plans on altering her hair in any way. If she decides to do so when she gets older, I’ll leave it up to her to make that decision. I can only continue to have an open dialogue and educate her on how to properly care for her hair.
Despite the growing natural hair community, there are still people who clearly are not ready to embrace their God given curls. To make matters worse, they’re not teaching their kids to accept their curly strands either.
That said, my point isn’t to tell people what to do or bash anyone. I’m just hoping that after reading this maybe they’ll think twice before applying heat or color to their babies hair.
Is coloring or straightening a child’s hair sending a bad message?
I first had my hair relaxed when I was 10. I wanted it done before then but my hairdresser wouldn’t do it. My mum never said I should have it done, it was my decision. She’s white, so she didn’t really know much about relaxing hair. She did the opposite, she wanted curly hair! lol.
I think I must have been in my early 20s before I dyed my hair, lol. I think that people should only have their hair relaxed/coloured if it’s their choice and when they’re old enough to understand. It should be something that they want and not what their parents want. (I have the same opinion about ear piercing, although I think that it’s part of the culture in some countries). I don’t think a one year old needs their hair straightened but I suppose at least it was a hot comb and not relaxer cream! I’ve never used a hot comb but I have used ceramic straighteners (think they’re called flat irons in America).
I believe that people should make their own choices about what they do with their hair and what makes them happy. 🙂 And I think it’s good that you are teaching Princess to love her hair. That way, if she does decides she want to dye or straighten it in the future, it will be because it’s her choice, not because she felt pressured to do it. 🙂