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Original poster

Straightening Child's Hair

157 replies

Stardust1901 · 09/03/2017 12:27

What are your view on straightening a child's hair?
I've just seen on my FB someone I know, whose straightened her 3 year old's hair for play school.

It would never occur to me to straighten a child's hair! What do you think?

OP posts:
Ohyesiam · 09/03/2017 13:00

My mum really focused on the way I looked, and it was not a neutral thing. Made me very self conscious, and I felt the way I was naturally was not good enough.
But as with most things, it's probably the way it's done, and a different approach could make it a really different experience.

DearMrDilkington · 09/03/2017 13:01

I blow dry my 4.5year old dds hair, it's only twice a week with protection spray on though. Her hair is very thick so it'd still be damp the next morning if I didn't!

I don't think she'd allow straighteners near her head though!

OffRoader · 09/03/2017 13:02

My 4yo is desperate for straight hair.

I find it sad and have always tried to encourage her to love her curls, including by not straightening my own since she's been old enough to care.

I think that straightening her hair would send the wrong message, I want her to be happy with who she is. Her hair is beautiful!

ChrisYoungFuckingRocks · 09/03/2017 13:02

DTD1(8) has honey blonde corkscrew curls, and she is very proud of her hair. I see so many adults with naturally curly hair straighten their hair, and then people with straight hair perm theirs lol. I would absolutely hate my DDs to straighten their gorgeous curls, so I won't do it. I don't want to 'give them a taste' for straight hair, and I want them to grow up proud of their lovely curls.

ClaryIsTheBest · 09/03/2017 13:05

That seems weird to me.

But I have some family members (the Italian part) that do curl or straighten their daughter's hair for some occasions... So, I wouldn't do it. Especially not if the child had curls etc. I think that sends the wrong message to a child.

littlepeas · 09/03/2017 13:06

My dd (7) has wavy hair and would love straight hair. She always has it blow dried straight when she has it cut, but no straighteners yet - it seems too grown up to me. Not sure I would waste any energy judging anyone that did straighten their dd's hair though.

mainlywingingit · 09/03/2017 13:08

Nope. I think it sends the message to your child that they are not good enough in their natural state and that you as their mother is having to do thinks to make them look 'better'. Very sad and a bad message to send....

brasty · 09/03/2017 13:09

Girls this age, and it is girls everyone is posting about, are far too young to learn that the world only cares about how they look

kali110 · 09/03/2017 13:11

At 3 i probably wouldn't but i can't get worked up about it.
If you use a hair dryer on your kids hair it damages it, so i can't get worked up about straighteners.
I'd only worry anout a child that age moving and getting burnt.

Morphene · 09/03/2017 13:11

Weird how everyone assumes the child in the OP is female, and how every comment from people saying they do this refers to a female child. Where are all the people straightening their DS's hair for parties or school?

I suppose IWD was yesterday so its back to good old sexist as usual business today.

verytiredmummy1 · 09/03/2017 13:11

It will damage their hair so no! My 2yo constantly ask me to do hers as she sees me do mine. I say no not until you are as old as mummy! Ha ha

Patriciathestripper1 · 09/03/2017 13:11

I've only just started curling or crimping. My 10 yr old Dd hair for parties.
3 is way too young and will damage and split the hair. Heat takes away the moisture and protection.

ClaryIsTheBest · 09/03/2017 13:13

Idk.

Some, not all (!!), mothers just seem to... "dress up" their daughters. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy your child pretty clothes.But when your daugher wears strappy shoes, lipgloss and isn't allowed to mess up her hair? urgh.

Weirdly enough something I have seen on very very few occasions in the UK (maybe it's just not a thing here)?

annie55 · 09/03/2017 13:14

If it's just for a party it's fine. Also, I do it sometimes because heat destroys nits' eggs - I always check with a comb but straightener kills eggs if there are any or just in case there might be some.

maddiemookins16mum · 09/03/2017 13:14

I used to put curling rags in DD's hair if we were doing something special (and she was under 5). My mum did the same for me (in the 60/70's), I loved it.
Straightening the hair surely takes minutes and if no harm is done then why not (I wouldn't have had time before nursery though!).

diddl · 09/03/2017 13:15

If it involved heat or chemicals then no.

amusedbush · 09/03/2017 13:15

I'm sure I read somewhere (after Katie Price straightened her daughter's hair a few years ago) that hair on a child that young is more delicate than adult hair and more susceptible to damage but that might be a lot of shite.

Astoria7974 · 09/03/2017 13:17

I get a professional blowdry for my dsd weekly - the beautician does it for free because I'm a hairy cow who had to get waxed daily it seems lol. The beautician blow dries using cold air, no product, and it leaves her hair so shiny.

SparklyUnicornPoo · 09/03/2017 13:19

I'm quite impressed anyone can get their 3 year old to sit still to have their hair straightened and get to play school on time, that's way more organised than i am capable of!

I personally wouldn't have done it to DD's hair because she has beautiful ringlets and i love them, also because she couldn't care less how her hair looks, so id be doing it for me but I can't see anything wrong with someone doing it as long as the child's happy.

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 09/03/2017 13:19

No way on God's green earth would anyone be coming near my toddler's face with hot ceramic plates.

All she has to do is get distracted by Slinky Malinki or Peppa, turn suddenly, and that's it - burnt on her face, maybe scarred for life.

This is no way comparable to plaiting your child's hair ffs. Madness.

nokidshere · 09/03/2017 13:19

I have curly hair and have hated it ever since I can remember. My sisters all have straight shiny hair and, as a child, I wanted theirs too!

I was in heaven when hair straighteners came out Smile Over the years my sisters have all had theirs permed.

It's hair, it gets cut and it grows again. My boys have done so many things to their hair since they were about 3 - they have had it long, short, curly, straight and as teens they spend hours doing it - not because they think their natural hair isn't good enough for everyday but because it's something that they can experiment with and change on a whim.

Yabu

ClaryIsTheBest · 09/03/2017 13:20

One of my cousins is an Irish dancer...

She used to wear wigs when she does her thing (I don't know anything about Irish dancing) but sometimes during group dances they had just curled ends instead of the wigs.

Idk. I wouldn't straighten DD's hair. Especially not if it isn't a special occasion. But even then. I wouldn't want my daughter to feel like I'm telling her that her hair isn't good enough.

Trb17 · 09/03/2017 13:21

AlphaBites ... at my daughter's dance school 3yo would never be asked to wear any makeup in shows. They only ask once they get a bit older and then it only gets rather dramatic stagey makeup for the over 9's which by then they love it.

jay55 · 09/03/2017 13:24

I've burnt my own ear using straightness. Wouldn't trust myself on anyone else's hair, I'm too crack handed.

SparklyUnicornPoo · 09/03/2017 13:26

In the interests of equality, as it is bugging Morphene, I will add that DS has been straightening his own hair since he was 10 but I wouldn't have straightened his at 3 because brushing it used to involve catching him and holding him still with one arm, he would definitely have ended up burning himself on straighteners.

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