Straightening Child's Hair

[Stardust1901]

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?

It's just another thing for people to get their knickers in a twist about when it really isn't a big deal.

I wouldn't do it unless it was a special occasion because there is no point, kids get messy and won't keep hair neat, so no point properly styling it.

Couldn't get worked up about it though.

""I'm convinced that the objectification of women and girls is getting worse and much much younger.""

I grew up in Liverpool, I'm 47. Most of my peer group had their hair put in 'rags'. Often in curlers and then crimping came into fashion. Then there was braiding, plaiting etc.

Anyone with an older Sister who was into styling, was practiced on, even the boys.

We used to dress up in our Mums swimsuits, because they have big padded pointy 'breasts'.

This isn't anything new. It's only sexualised if you think that straight hair on anyone, is sexual.

I'd do it id DD asked, but I'd rather not because of her gorgeous curls. At 2 her hair is right past her shoulders.
I doubt she'll be asking for a while, she screams blue murder when I try to wash or even brush it.
For now I'm happy to brush it into a top knot off her face every morning and leave it all day. My DM isn't and keeps trying to fiddle with it.

One off, I wouldn't bat an eye lid. Regularly, I would think it was a bit strange, plus straighteners are bloody hot and can burn and damage the hair. Maybe it was blow dried after a wash?

No I wouldn't do it and would be disapproving of anyone who did as straightening is nothing like rag curling or even curling tongs. Straightening is way way worse for your hair and as a child your hair isn't anywhere near as strong as an adults so will absolutely fry with the heat! Not to mention it sends a clear message to the little girl that her hair in it's natural state isn't nice enough!

Maybe the little girl enjoys it. Not in a "don't I look pretty now way" but in the same way as someone would enjoy a massage or a cuddle.

I loved it when my mum brushed or braided my hair when I was little. Such an affectionate thing to do and it gave me spine tingles.

Still love having my hair brushed/blow dryer/straightened/curled. Feels fab!

My 4yo is desperate for straight hair

But why though? What makes her desperate for straight hair aged 4?
Why would they even think about how their hair looks. Age 4?

Kettles and baths don't reach 230 degrees. Straighteners seem quite a non essential item for the degree of risk, to me, but then I do accept that this is a particular risk that strikes my imagination as a particularly nasty accident just waiting to happen.

See also this.

But I wouldn't judge someone else straightening their child's hair.

Come to think of it, I would have sat still for hours Ina blissful trance even at 3 if someone did my hair!

The difference between rags and straightening is that rags made ringlets, a style only cute on children, whereas straightening is about creating an adult look on a child.

It's the difference between a smocked frock and say, a tight mini dress.

Oh ffs

Dd2 has dead straight hair. She looks like a child.

As do all children whether they have curls or straight hair.

My 8 year old has very thick but slippy hair that gets tuggy and knotted easily. It gets washed once a week. If I straighten it after washing and drying it is tug free all week. So to save tears every school morning we straighten it on a Sunday night.

Shoot me.

StarCrossdSkys I have read some cack on MN but I do believe you have surpassed the very high bar set over the years.

My kids have very straight hair (two long, one short), they are usually desperate for the opposite of what they have - so in their case they would like to see what their hair would be like curly, if they had curly hair they would probably want to have a go at seeing what it would look like straightened.

I think it's ok as one off but 3 is too young to be straightening hair. My daughter is 12 and has only started straightening her hair occasionally.

But why though? What makes her desperate for straight hair aged 4?

DD isn't white, so her hair is very different in the way it looks to most people she sees. She is a very clever little girl and aware of this and the differences between her and other people.

I think Disney has a lot to do with it, lots of long, flowing 'beautiful' hair.

I know people (cousins) that curl their children's hair. Often the ends of a ponytail/an updo or just the whole head etc for formal occasions.

I'm a bit "meh" about that. But I don't think that's any different than straightening a child's hair, is it?

Straightening with ghd's? Too damaging. But fine if you mean neatly blow drying.

Crimping girls' hair in the 80's. Now that was a travesty.

It's a no from me, but then my three year old is the feral type. I have absolutely no inclination whatsoever to put burning metal in between hers and my face for something so unimportant. She headbutts me if she even sees a hairbrush.

I fully accept that other people's toddlers are more civilised than mine, but it still seems like a stupid amount of risk if I'm honest.

My older girls will have curlers in for parties, and that's fine by me tho. I don't have a moral objection to hairdos.

YY to controlling nits.

i did eldest dd's hair a few times when her nit infestation was so bad i needed help to frazzle the eggs so they dropped out because some selfish shits don't de-nit their fecking kids

she was about 10 at the time though?

I think it's none of your business. This ranks nowhere on a list of things to be concerned about!

It's weird. Scorching a 3 year old's hair is a world away from plaits or a ponytail. Imagine teaching a 3 year old that her appearance is important. FFS.

I genuinely wouldn't care

Unessesary - let kids be kids, ponytails etc, go in for practical reasons to stop tangling, stop it getting covered in paint etc, straightening - purely for appearance which should not be put into the head of a three year old. A three year olds hair is so fine it will be utterly ruined!