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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To straighten my 2 year olds hair?

132 replies

FannyFifer · 19/10/2012 20:03

My 2 year old dd has really frizzy wispy hair, it's quite long but looks very thin and straggly, like mine.

I was doing my hair a few weeks ago and she was watching so I did her hair with the GHD's as well. Shock

I put the heat spray on first, but is it really bad??

I have to admit it looked so much better, i usually have to put it in a pony tail as she never looks tidy.

I did it again today for the second time, once every few weeks is ok though, isn't it?

Awaits flaming.

OP posts:
MistyB · 19/10/2012 20:40

In the 1970's my parents singed the ends of my sister's hair as it was thin and wispy. They are not sure if it made a difference and it was one of a many things they tried because they had heard it somewhere / read it somewhere but didn't tell anyone they were doing it in case it was a joke or something!

(They also put blankets in the foundations of a house they self built but did it in the dark in case the neighbours saw them and thought they were loons / had fallen for a joke!)

WelshMaenad · 19/10/2012 20:40

For special occasions, I don't see the issue. She's not going to die of it. Dd is 6, I'm going to be triple barrel waving her hair for a wedding next weekend. I've ghd'd it a few times, she has never been burnt.

conorsrockers · 19/10/2012 20:41

Toddlers and Tiaras anyone? (or whatever it's called). I'd be concerned about the messages you are sub consciously giving to a two year old. It's no worse than suggesting a boob job to a 16 year old Sad.

Sirzy · 19/10/2012 20:44

I don't agree with it even for special occasions. Why would you put something so hot so near a little head?

WildWorld2004 · 19/10/2012 20:45

I have used straighteners on my 8 yr olds hair maybe twice. It was to sort her fringe when it was sticking up & water & a comb didnt work. They were turned off & had been left to cool for a good 10 minutes or longer.

I think this is different to completely straighten your 2 yr olds whole head of hair. Seriously why would you do that.

PumpkInDublic · 19/10/2012 20:45

I know it's been said but ffs.

Why do that to a child? There are many methods to manage curly hair, most don't involve putting irons that reach 200oC near a toddler.

She should be taught that your irons are never to be touched by her. They don't cool instantly, what if she grabbed them thinking she'd do her own hair?

Posterofapombear · 19/10/2012 20:45

Ewww Sad

DizzyCow63 · 19/10/2012 20:46

Unfortunately there are people out there who think this is ok, a friend of mine straightens her 18 month olds hair on a regular basis Sad and Angry

LetsKateWin · 19/10/2012 20:47

DD (2.10) has wild curly hair. She's mixed race. I get so annoyed when people suggest things such as straightening it etc. My CM (who was otherwise AMAZING) suggested it before she was even 2! I want her to grow up loving her curls, but when she's old enough, obviously it will be her choice what she does.

Her hair usually looks untidy, but I love it and can't understand why people suggest that I need to groom it beyond recognition. I do use leave-in conditioner, but that's it. I would not straighten her hair at this age.

WelshMaenad · 19/10/2012 20:47

Because they don't work when they're cold?

I do t know that I would have done it at 2, mainly because dd didn't have that much hair then, but there are 378953685 worse things you could do to a child, IMO, bit of froth over nothing.

MrsRhettButler · 19/10/2012 20:47

Dd is 7 and I've done hers twice. I don't think its a big deal if you only do it once every year or so but every few weeks will DEFINITELY ruin her hair.

Also, girly days with your daughter of any age is fine imo, I don't understand the problem tbh Confused

Sirzy · 19/10/2012 20:50

Just because there are worse things doesn't make this right! I don't see how their can be any justification for it whether it is daily or once every blue moon

ecto · 19/10/2012 20:50

Get her hair cut shorter. At this age, the most important thing is for their hair to be practical and not bug them/interfere with what they want to do.

TramadolJacket · 19/10/2012 20:51

I am addicted to my GHDs, but I regularly manage to burn myself with them and have even burnt my face with my hair after it has been heated up whilst straightening so YABVVU to consider using them on fine baby hair.

My DD has naturally frizzy and flyaway hair, she is gorgeous just as she is, I'm sure your DD is too.

VolumeOfACone · 19/10/2012 20:51

As someone else said, you're projecting your worries about your own appearance onto your daughter, and that's not healthy.

You'll give her impression that when you are looking at her you are seeing faults to correct.

That would be terribly sad. :(

PropertyNightmare · 19/10/2012 20:51

As long as you are very careful then Yanbu. Where's the harm? It's not like you are mutilating her permently (as per ear piercing or circumcision of a male baby). Sometimes I see kids with mono-brows and I think if they were mine I would be vair tempted to shave them. It might not be the right thing to do but it would save a lot of bullying later.

DowagersHump · 19/10/2012 20:52

Bleugh @ hairdressers and triple barrelling for little kids.

FFS what is wrong with some of you? If your child's hair is really messy when it's long, cut it shorter.

You are starting that 'I need to look like I'm in a magazine' crap really, really young. Congratulations for fucking up your daughters' self-esteem Angry

MrsRhettButler · 19/10/2012 20:54

I would wax my child if they had a monobrow property.

DowagersHump · 19/10/2012 20:55

Jesus wept.

Can you hear yourselves?

BellaTata · 19/10/2012 20:55

Why are you trying to change your children appearence? There are so many threads on her from women with low self esteem and alot of it will start like this, from their mothers. I know mine did.

StaceymReadyForNumber3 · 19/10/2012 20:56

MrsRhettButler really?! Shock at what age would that be appropriate?!

CouthyMowEatingBraiiiiinz · 19/10/2012 20:57

Seriously? I don't even straighten my sometimes frizzy waistlength hair. EVER.

Yet I can get it totally straight.

  1. Denman Classic hairbrush. Best tip my Granny ever gave me.

  2. NEVER use ANY heated appliance on your hair - This includes hair dryers. Wash hair earlier, in plenty of time to let it dry naturally.

  3. Don't wash hair so often. If you do it every day, you are stripping the oils from your hair, which makes it dryer and frizzier. I do mine about every 3 days now, was every other day when my hair was shorter.

  4. Use twice as much conditioner as you do shampoo, and leave it in for a full 5 minutes before washing it out.

  5. Don't use an ordinary towel to dry the hair with. Use a microfibre turban - you can get children's ones - and never ever run the hair dry.

I haven't had my hair even trimmed for almost two years this time, and I don't have a single split end, and I very rarely have 'frizzy days' any more. Only when I forget to follow my own advice...

It is sooooooooo dangerous using sheared appliance like this on a toddler or young child, it only takes them coughing or sneezing and you have burnt them. Why take that risk.

And why teach them to want to change something about themselves? Why not teach them to embrace themselves for who they are?

PropertyNightmare · 19/10/2012 20:58

MrsRhett, I like the cut of your jib. It might not be a popular admission but at least we are honest. Kid would probably thank you for it later too.

Ephiny · 19/10/2012 20:59

Does a 2 year old need to look groomed and 'tidy'? Confused

MrsRhettButler · 19/10/2012 20:59

I got teased terribly for having dark facial hair as a child, THAT really knocked my self esteem until I was in my late twenties, tbh it still affects me now.

I wish my mum had helped me to do something about it

I do not project any of my feelings onto dd and I think she is very beautiful inside and out. If she ever complains about being teased for dark hair anywhere on her body I will give her options whatever her age. Unfortunately she has inherited my course, dark body hair.

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