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Original poster

To let DD (8) dip dye her hair?

141 replies

cluckyduck · 20/07/2013 15:16

Just that really.

She has asked, several times, to dye the ends of her - verrrry long - hair pink or lilac, on the condition that its chopped off sept 1st for school.

Will be no more than an inch but I feel conflicted. Part of me wants to encourage her to be creative and that there's nothing wrong with having fun with your appearance etc (based on my own issues as a child with DM, but that's another story!) but I am worried that people will judge her, and me!

It's the only thing she wants to do this summer and she wants to "look like a superhero"...

OP posts:
5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:33

Fgs it doesn't mean they are worrying about how they look!

frenchruby I was the same with the hair mascara, plus wrapping it in colored thread and glitter hair spray etc.

I once did ds4's hair in a cheetah pattern to match his face paint, just spray on stuff that washed out at bedtime, he was obsessed with the thunder cats at the time.

I have just shown the hair mascara to ds2 and he thinks its cool, he wants blue.

Its the damage to hair from bleaching it that would be my biggest concern but if its just the ernds that are going to get cut off anyway it doesn't matter so much. The hair mascara is a good compromise tho and you can get loads of col ours, cheap as chips as well :)

5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:35

xihia shall look up those makes and the hair chalk, sounds interesting, I am bored with my own hair at the moment....

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 20/07/2013 19:36

I think there's a difference between dying your hair pink and dying it blond or another normal colour. The latter strikes me as trying to look pretty, or not liking her hair colour, not being comfortable with her looks, or wanting to attract boys - all of which should be avoided at 8! To me dying it an unnatural, bright colour is like playing dress up, or look unnatural (like a super hero, or Tonks, or something daft and juvenile), which is just playing and no less inappropriate than face paint and such.

Basically, I think the motivations are different and that's what matters. Just my opinion though - and this is just a matter of opinion :)

WorraLiberty · 20/07/2013 19:38

Fgs it doesn't mean they are worrying about how they look!

Of course it does Confused

If they weren't conscious of how they look, why would they bother wanting to join in with this latest fashion trend?

At 8yrs old I was far too busy playing with teddy bears and toys, to want to look like a teenager/adult.

It just wouldn't have entered my head to jump on this bandwagon.

5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:43

I played with dolls and stuff at eight as well, I also rollerskated, rode my bike played at the park it wasn't about being grown up or that I was worried about my appearance, it was play like putting on fancy dress or having face paints.

You think its about wanting to grow up/appearance, the child in question says its about playing super hero.

It can just be play we don't have to attribute adult thought processes and motivations to everything children do.

She wants to play super hero, plenty of them have odd coloured hair, she doesn't have to be identical to them it can be just fun.

KoalaFace · 20/07/2013 19:44

5madthings for shame I knew about Songbird too!

What about hair chalk? My friends going to festivals absolutely raved about this stuff www.cultbeauty.co.uk/hair-care/styling-products/anastasia-beverly-hills-hypercolor-hair-powder.html I wouldn't judge you for her having it dued though. It's up to you!

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 20/07/2013 19:46

I was a very booky child, and I can guarentee at that age if there'd been a very cool character (or human-esque species!) in a book I'd read that had blue hair, I can guarentee I'd have been desperate to dye mine too. I've always been the least fashion conscience person I know Blush

I just don't think that fashion is the only reason a child wants to change something about how they look.

WorraLiberty · 20/07/2013 19:48

The OP can't think of a single Superhero with dip dyed hair, so I really doubt that's the reason her DD wants it.

It's probably more to do with the fact she sees it as grown up.

I would imagine more little girls want to dip dye because of the likes of Jessie J, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera et al...than a Superhero.

I think the difference is, in the past most parents would have said no to such a young child.

5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:51

Yep I loved rainbow brite and care bears and ,y strawberry shortcake doll, I remember using a felt tip to give myself freckles like my strawberry shortcake doll had, she was just a rag doll that smelt of strawberries.

Feminine · 20/07/2013 19:51

What super hero has odd coloured hair though?

I'm a little bit of the opinion that Op's daughter told her Mum that, so as to get it!

she sounds smart!

WorraLiberty · 20/07/2013 19:53

A couple were named upthread Feminine but I don't think they're very modern characters.

I'd certainly never heard of them.

Feminine · 20/07/2013 19:53

I do remember doing some D.I.Y beauty jobs.

Links from a chain for earrings....pins in my shoes to make them 'clip-clop'

felt tip pen to do my nails...

I didn't let me mum see however as she would have been cross.

5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:54

Oh god too ,much googling now I may have to buy a vintage strawberry shortcake ragdoll... Too cute!

Bit pissed off they have brought out a sexed up rainbow sprite doll!!

5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:56

words the marvel superhero range is totally 'in' at the moment, its very retro and cool, all the kids are into it, the cartoons are being repeated etc and loads of books and toys out, a child that knows ,marvel will ow of song bird etc, my five year old can name them all, and sadly I know far too many myself.

Original poster
cluckyduck · 20/07/2013 19:57

We do a lot of superhero based play, so as to capture DS's imagination too. This includes making up stories, games and doing drawings, and yes DD does draw her heroes with vivid hair - just because she hasn't copied a Marvel comic doesn't mean she doesn't identify that hair with a superhero!

OP posts:
5madthings · 20/07/2013 19:57

Lego has brought out a range of marvel super hero Lego, seriously the toys are in most toy stores.

5madthings · 20/07/2013 20:00

And yes Clucky she doesn't have to want to emulate a specific super hero, its just the whole theme/fun aspect of it dress up, cool hair etc. Dyed hair is very super hero, of you Google super hero hair you get lots of links to dip dyed hair, stripes, streaks etc.

Did you see the hair mascara you can get clucku may be a good compromise and then she can change col ours etc or the hair chalks also look good :)

Original poster
cluckyduck · 20/07/2013 20:01

Just looking at hair mascara now - thanks 5madthings - might buy one for myself as well....

OP posts:
5madthings · 20/07/2013 20:03

Me too Grin

BreadNameBread · 20/07/2013 20:04

My girls were never interested in how they looked or in trying to look like pop stars but they loved their dip dyed hair. It's fun, nothing more.

My DDs are older teens and still don't wear make up etc (apart from a bit of lippy to prom Smile ). Having your hair dip dyed doesn't mean your DD is trying to emulate anybody, it just means they like having pretty coloured hair.

WorraLiberty · 20/07/2013 20:04

Well I've learnt a lot from this thread

I have genuinely not seen a dip dyed child under the age of about 14 or 15.

But as I said, the schools haven't broken up yet...and if this is set to be this Summer's fashion, I'll probably see lots of little dip dyed children soon.

I'm still not sure I agree with it, whether they're emulating a Super Hero or Britney Spears but that's my problem I suppose.

I can guarantee that by August there'll be at least a couple of MN threads berating these children as Chavs...but there are snobs everywhere sadly.

5madthings · 20/07/2013 20:06

Loads of kids here sprayed their hair ir bits of it red for red nose day and have glitter spray or coloured clip ins for parties etc or dress up. Boys as well as girls. I did it myself as a child.

manicinsomniac · 20/07/2013 20:11

I think you are probably NBU, it is only in fun.

I don't think I'd let my daughters do it but now I really want to dip dye my hair! Now is that unreasonable? !

scrumpkin · 20/07/2013 20:14

I dip dye my 7 year olds hair pink every summer, then cut it off for school.

She loves it Smile

Thymeout · 20/07/2013 20:20

When I was a child - a loooong time ago - some preteens had perms. Or their mothers wrapped their hair in rags at night to make ringlets. It was regarded as 'common' - presumably the same as 'chav' today. Especially by aspirant working class families trying to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. I don't think I'd call them snobbish. I wasn't allowed. Had my hair in plaits till secondary school.

I think being too preoccupied with your appearance was regarded as something to be discouraged.

Hair colour for halloween or dressing up, fine, for a day. But something that's going to last 6 weeks at 8? No - too young.

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