would you let your small child . . . - Page 2

[rose angel]

I think kids are just so beautiful naturally, it would make me sad to alter their appearance at a young age. And I would worry about the chemicals. My mom started highlighting my hair at a young age, and the message I got (she never said it, and I don't think she meant it) was "you aren't pretty enough as you are, you need to alter your natural state to be beautiful"
Just a thought. That said, I wouldn't judge you, and it was wrong of her teacher to do so. It is just an issue with me

[TiredX2]

I guess I'd have no problem w/it if they really understood the idea of a permanent change. I don't think DD would go for it, because she was thinking about getting her hair *really* short and decided against because I told her people might say it was a boys cut/ask if she was a boy. I knew she would be sensitive to that because it pissed her off when people thought DS was a girl (long hair).

That said, DD & DS can do whatever they want with their hair. It's theirs. DS had long beautiful hair until he decided he wanted it cut in the last month. Now it is short, short, short all over except spikey little bangs. He has purple, green, orange and blue-black hair gel to spike it with. We get looks, but so what.

[mayasmama]

Well I have had my hair many many different colours (currently black with a big fire engine red streak at the top.)

Dd is three and if she wanted to have her hair dyed I would have no problem with it. As long as you keep your hair healthy and know what you are doing while dying it should be just fine.

As for using kool aid or other temp dyes, the things to remember is that 1) the stain every freaking theing they touch....pillowcases, sheets, towels, furiture.... and 2) if you child has any hair colour besides blond, it is nto really goin to show up very bright. It will be a dark result if at all.

[Persephone]

If they want to experiment with hair dye, then sure, I'd let them. I wouldn't push them to do it, but if they wanted to, and it was just kool-aid or something, I don't see the harm. If they wanted a tattoo or something, THEN I might take issue, but hair color isn't permanent, and I think kids should be allowed to experiment with things like that. I think it builds individuality and creativity.

[jeca]

No. I would not let my child permenatly die their hair at a young age but I don't have anything agains anyone who does.

[lilyka]

I should point out I would never dye my baby's hair. The girls wanted me to put a streak in hers and that was absolutely out of the question. that is virgin hair, it has never evenbeen cut.

we usually have used the manic panic stuff but it fade to a nice grey in dd hair about a week into it and then just stays grey for the next six months. This is the first time she has been so bright (I will have to post pictures :LOL) . I was shocked to discover the perm dye smelled so bad. I don't know if I would od it again. the last stuff we used smelled like blueberrries. I was expecting that again. And for my youngest, who I am sure didn't understand the permanance of it we just did the bottom three inches which could be cut off (which they need really badly) and she would still have hair below her shoulders. that is how we started with Madeline. She was intrested so early because her babysitter had a different color everytime we saw her and she idolized her. If you knew the baby sitter you would fall in love and want to be like her too (I HATE COLLEGES FOR TAKING THE BEST BABYSITTERS AWAY!!! DANG THEM
)

the weird thing is though is I would never let her dye it a natural color. Dying it blue or fire engine red is like putting on a dress. dying it blond or natural red is like bowing to societies pressure to look a certain way. Does that make sense? I don't know. it is weird thing with me.

I am no too worried about her damaging her hair. she has only done this 3 times in the last 4 years. None the less her first shower after the deed she got an intensive deep conditioning treatmenret. :LOL we have good healthy hair genes though. I can go a year before getting split ends.

[Mommy2Brittani]

I already have. Last time I did mine, it was a dk plum mixed with deep chestnut (I did not expect it to be so burgandy) and dd (2), while I was dying mine, pointed up at my hair, then at her own and said "mama, like me" as if to ask for some in her hair. So we put a purple streak in her hair...It looked good...and everyone complimented us on it.

Dh wasn't so impressed, though.

[eilonwy]

Only if they asked . Then we'd talk about it, and if they still wanted to do it, well, like the others said, it's only hair.

I too have had my hair every color of the rainbow... the first time I dyed my hair I was 17, and I dyed it my natural color (it was September, so I had a lot of really bright sun-streaks and I wanted it to be a bit darker again). It was fun, and I just kept going. My all-time favorite was probably the magenta (I called it 'permanganate' because I was taking a chem class at the time and it looked just the same color as the permanganate solution we were using). In fact, I may do that again after I shave it all off... which is any day now... :LOL

[Piglet68]

Someone mentioned sending the message that they aren't pretty enough as they are. Didn't think of that, but realized that I would not want my kids dying their hair a "normal" colour. It's different if your kids want pink hair or something, it's probably more a fun thing. I don't know if that makes any sense or not.

Also, like lilyka said, those vibrant dyes aren't really permanent. Mine always washed out in about 3 weeks, leaving me with some dull shade of green or grey, lol. So I don't think the chemicals are as strong as those in regular permanent colours. OTOH, to get that vibrancy meant bleaching out our hair with the "super blondissima" stuff, which is definitely full of peroxides, etc, lol.

[Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by Graceoc

Probably not as small kids - but once they were able to do it themselves (say middle school or so?) I would be ok with it. Just knowing my ds (4) he wouldn't really 'get' the permance of it (even though it will eventually go away) and would most likely get upset when it didn't come out when he wanted LOL!

This would be my son, too. He likes to test things out, but likes for things to be able to go back to the way they were. His hair is super blond, so it would dye beautifully, but I think we'll be waiting until he's definitely ready for the outcome.

When he's ready, though, he has free reign over his head. Maybe I can live vicariously, since I can't really have pink hair anymore. :LOL

[queen bee]

Personally, I don't think I would. I guess for me it has something to do with feeling uncomfortable about such a young child being put in a position where they would have more attention directed to their appearance than would otherwise be the case. It just feels developmentally unnatural.

I know that sounds vague. I've never really given it much thought before, so this is really off the top of my head.

[Dar]

Ran has had green, blue, and bright, bright pink hair, and maybe there was one color in between. It was a learning curve - we used manic panic the first time and it was a really wimpy color - but the third time we used the Special Effects bleach kid and Special Effects dye and it was awesome, great bright fuchsia hair. She was 7 or 8 then and a brownie, and ended up getting interviewed on the news with her pink hair and brownie uniform. That was the last time - the first time she was 6 - and once the bleach grew out she stayed with her natural color, which is a dark golden blonde, because she got into theatre and there aren't many roles for pink-haired actresses.

FWIW, without bleach nothing took, the color was just really light, like a wash, and she is blonde. We really needed to get the cuticle roughed up to get a good, bright color.

I didn't see a problem with it, obviously. Attention to appearance-wise, I didn't think it was much different than dressing in her bright tie dye dresses and hats with stripey socks. It wouldn't be a good thing for an introvert, but for a kid who loved being in the limelight it was fine.. she got to meet lots of new people.

Dar

[mayasmama]

Just as a note...I ahve uded Manic Panic (washes out way too quickly), Special Effects (loved it, but fades as well) and now use a company from Europe called Indola. They have regular colours, but also red, blue, purple, green, ect that you can use alone or mix. You have to buy it at a beauty supply store, but it is well worth it and permenant.