Should a 6 1/2 y/o have dreads?

[Silvercrest79]

My 6 1/2 y/o DD hates to brush her hair or have us brush it. Her hair is VERY VERY think and almost straight as a die. In half a day even after brushing she can get a pretty good mat going. I asked her earlier is she wanted to let her hair dread and she said she didn't care.

It just occured to me that she might not be allowed to have dreads at school. Hmm will have to check into that.

Do you think there would be any harm in letting her hair dread at such a young age?

[ananas]

I don't see why it would be a bad thing.

My one concern would be the other kids in school, and what they might say. Other than that, I say go for it.

[KayasMama04]

I personally wouldn't do it...

[mamatoady]

I don't think the school can stop you unless their school code specifically says "no dreads"

Couple things to keep in mind. I don't know if you're White or African-American or whathave you, and with the different hair texture/upkeep maybe it's different, but I know that everyone I know who is white (with ONE exception) ended up shaving their dreads because of lice or other bugs. God forbid your dd get lice and you not know it, but she end up giving it to her friends....well...that would be my concern....also, Some dreads don't really look like dreads for a while, just like really nappy gross looking hair--just unclean....Maybe talk to your dd about how she'd feel if people made fun of her. I think a 15 year old could handle it, a 6 year old might walk away with some emotional scars. Just my thoughts!

ps...I think dreads are really neat, but on older people who understand why they have them!
Sarah

[box_of_rain]

One of my older son's friends has dreadies (8 yrs old). He has ever since we've known him (at 6 yrs old). His mum helps him keep them nice. I must say, he is one of the cutest kids I've ever seen! I wouldn't think the school would have any right to dictate whether she can wear her hair like that (uness maybe it's a private school with strict dess/hair standards).

[Lovenest]

Originally Posted by ananas

I don't see why it would be a bad thing.

My one concern would be the other kids in school, and what they might say. Other than that, I say go for it.

: I would say if the child really wanted to, then do it.. but there could be teasing for it. You know kids. My son has pretty long hair for a boy (its to his shoulders) and everyone always thinks he is a girl, he does not care though.

[TiredX2]

I think Dreads on little kids are ADORABLE. I wish DS would go for them.

That said, I *really* do not like the look of just "dirty" dreads. I like them fairly scuptured and definately CLEAN. Here are some pics of small kids w/ cared for dreads:
http://www.knottyboy.com/newgallery/?folder=1

I'd probably go ahead and actively dread it so it is "nice-looking" and easy to upkeep.

[Lovenest]

Originally Posted by TiredX2

I think Dreads on little kids are ADORABLE. I wish DS would go for them.

That said, I *really* do not like the look of just "dirty" dreads. I like them fairly scuptured and definately CLEAN. Here are some pics of small kids w/ cared for dreads:
http://www.knottyboy.com/newgallery/?folder=1

I'd probably go ahead and actively dread it so it is "nice-looking" and easy to upkeep.

Oh those kids are just beautiful!

[newmommy]

If your DD wants them, then I say go ahead.

I personally do not like the look of them though.

[hottmama]

I would let my kids have dreads if they wanted to, my partner has dreads. If she has straight hair it might be hard to do, though.

[chfriend]

If she wants 'em, I say go for it. If it just hurts to have her hair brushed, my Irish-haired dd with easily matted hair was saved when we started using Pantene 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner and the light spray in conditioner. Also braiding at night helps some.

Don't let anyone give you or dd junk about the matted hair not being clean or brushed. It was in this area that my mommy backbone finally grew. I learned to tell interfering strangers to stop talking to us.

[CarrieMF]

The school here wouldn't care if a kid had them. The kids have all sorts of different hairstyles here.

Is cutting her hair a option?

[KaraBoo]

Why on earth would a school have a say in what her hair looks like?

[kaydee]

Something to bear in mind is that dreads have very particular cultural meaning and significance. For someone to have dreads and not understand that culture or be from a family in that culture can be seen as disrespectful.

You might ask about that in the dready mamas tribe thread.

[Mirzam]

Both of my younger two have naturally curly hair and I have a hard time keeping it knot/dread free. They both had dreads (natural) as toddlers because it was all I could do. I have asked them both if they would like dreads and my nine year old DD doesn't, but my DS (7) isn't sure however his hair is is pretty much a messy head of dreads because it is currently long and a mess because he doesn't want to cut it until school is out for the summer. I know for certain that DS school wouldn't have a problem with dreads, DD is homeschooled.

[Demeter9]

Originally Posted by kaydee

Something to bear in mind is that dreads have very particular cultural meaning and significance. For someone to have dreads and not understand that culture or be from a family in that culture can be seen as disrespectful.

You might ask about that in the dready mamas tribe thread.

I hate this. Everyone is going to have to take off jeans because they aren't jewish or a cowboy, etc. Everyone in the world adopts the "style" of "my culture," but I'm never-god-forbid to wear things from other cultures. Screw it I say. I'm going to find my sari now.

[kaydee]

Originally Posted by Demeter9

I hate this. Everyone is going to have to take off jeans because they aren't jewish or a cowboy, etc. Everyone in the world adopts the "style" of "my culture," but I'm never-god-forbid to wear things from other cultures. Screw it I say. I'm going to find my sari now.

Well, clearly people’s levels of comfort with cultural appropriation differ.

I was just pointing out that this is a potential issue that might arise if a child (or anyone) has dreadlocks. Some people are not aware of their meaning or the significance they might hold to others.

It’s true that some items or apparel that were once very culture-bound have moved into the mainstream as fashion. But that doesn’t negate the fact that they may still have relevance and meaning beyond fashion.

I personally would feel foolish dressing myself or my child in items that had particular cultural or religious significance--whether that be a sari or dreadlocks or a tallit or whatever--if I did not belong to that cultural or religious group. It would not be comfortable for me, but obviously, YMMV.

At the very least, were I to be facing the decision of the OP, I would learn about what dreadlocks mean to Rastafarians, and talk to some mamas who have dreads or whose children have dreads, and make a truly informed decision about this particular act of cultural appropriation.

[bobica]

getting good dreads does take upkeep & committment, right? how would she be with the process? would she consider a short cut instead?

[chfriend]

kaydee, I hear what you are saying, but hair that locs up and is left that way isn't "cultural appropriation." It what happens to some kinds of hair.

It has particular meaning to Rasta folks for them to wear dreads. That doesn't preclude other people from letting their hair do what it does naturally without it having the same meaning. It's also different from trying to get hair to loc that doesn't naturally loc so that you can look like someone whose culture you do not share.

It's different from a tallit or a sari because it's what some folks hair does on it's own.

From the mother of an Irish girl with hair that locs unless I work like crazy, whose sister's hair locs..... Such is the hair of the "wild child."

[Ragana]

I say go for it. I dyed a red stripe in my 5 yr. old's hair (she asked), and it looked great. She got many compliments on it. I just don't stress about hair - if you cut it, it grows back; if you don't like it, you can cut it.