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Children with red/ginger/whatever hair

21 replies

MrsArchieTheInventor · 26/11/2007 18:50

DS has bright ginger hair (he insists on it being called ginger, not red) and I'm fed up of complete strangers commenting on it. The first time it happened he was 2 years old and we were in Edinburgh and a woman came up to him in his pushchair and started to kiss him and saying what sounded like a prayer in arabic. Someone else commented on his hair in the same trip (we were only there for a day!) but I bit my tongue and walked away bemused as to why having red hair was such an oddity. Two weeks ago ds and me were walking down the street when this bloke, who seemed very drunk even though it was midday, stopped him and said "ay up redhead". DS just stood there bemused and I felt like saying "ay up pisshead", but I didn't, and again we walked away. Yesterday a complete stranger in a farmshop commented on his hair and I'm just fed up with complete strangers commenting on something that, to me, seems completely normal, like having a nose. What is the problem with red/ginger/auburn/strawberry hair??

p.s. When people see ds, dp and me together and ask where he got his red hair from (I'm blonde and dp is brunette) I reply dp's redhead brother. People never know what to say to that.

OP posts:
CranberryMartini · 26/11/2007 18:54

As a fellow redhead, I know they are all jealous! I was slightly disappointed that ds was born with boring mousey brown hair.

Twiglett · 26/11/2007 18:54

There is no problem

But red hair is a recessive gene and is an uncommon colour hence people comment

people comment on lots of things about children.. take it graciously as it seems to be meant pleasantly in the examples you have given ..

DirtyGertiefromnumber30 · 26/11/2007 18:58

I LOVE people commenting on my ds' red hair!

I always feel really proud that he has such a distinguishing feature that people notice

MrsArchieTheInventor · 26/11/2007 19:00

There are at least half a dozen children with red hair in ds's nursery class, as well as two of the carers in there. I know I should take it graciously (with the exception of the drunk man, who was actually rather agressive and scary), it's more I don't want ds to think that he's got something wrong with him because people keep pointing out his hair.

OP posts:
SeaShells · 26/11/2007 19:02

I get this too, dd1 is the only one out of my 3 dcs to have ginger hair, complete strangers comment, even after 4yrs close friends and family still comment, mostly 'where did she get that red hair from' (I have no idea!). It doesn't bother me, people are commenting because it's something different and special about her.

Twiglett · 26/11/2007 19:03

so tell him he's got something amazing about him that is why people love talking to him about it and saying hello

Walnutshell · 26/11/2007 19:04

Being very closely related to a redhead I would have to say that the comments generally made are not complimentary - particarly during schooldays - so unfortunately your ds is unlikely to get to adulthood without having this pointed out frequently... It is SO tedious.

Walnutshell · 26/11/2007 19:05

Twig - yes, nice comments aren't a problem.

sb6699 · 27/11/2007 00:02

My DD1 (3)has long curly red hair and people are always stopping her in the street to tell her how beautiful it is.

dd666 · 27/11/2007 00:06

when ppl comment on my red hair i tell them actually its ginger!
my mil has her hair dyed often and last cpl of times its been very similar colur to mine
i used to get all the taunts a a child they will soon find someone/something else to comment on!

fortyplus · 27/11/2007 00:13

People comment on anything that makes an individual stand out from the crowd. Red/blonde hair, glasses, tall, short, fat, skinny... No point getting hung up on it - it won't go away.

BibiThree · 27/11/2007 00:21

DD always gets comments about her unusual eyes - brown in the middle with a blue ring around it - I think it's lovely. I am also a ginger hair lover and visibly beam whenever I see a red head of hair - love, love, love it. Think it is beautiful.

They don't mean any harm (mostly). Smile and say thank you.

I get stopped by every old lady on the street now to ask if my two identical babies are twins... THAT gets on my nerves because they obviously are and if they weren't, how could I explain having two same age, same sex, identical looking babies in a double pram?

Maybe I need to take my own advice and smile too

Katiekin · 27/11/2007 00:51

As a redhead, your ds better get used to it. I had loads of old ladies cooing over me 'Hasn't she got lovely hair' which my brothers used to mimic endlessly,
Then it was duracell (copper coloured top) which became everready for some unknown reason , ginger, ginge minge (lets hope he doesn't get that one )etc etc.

I have had more nice comments than not and no shortage of boyfriends who loved it. My redhaired nephew is a babe magnet as the girls love his hair, but people will comment. (They also comment on unusual height, glasses, accents etc I think it is something to say apart from the weather)I would just smile and say thank you and then forget it. Your son will get used to it and if you take him to Italy or Africa he will be stared at the whole time.

santassackertysack · 27/11/2007 09:12

Can sympathise as my son has very white blonde hair and the amount of total starngers who take it upon themselves to stroke/kiss his hair amazes me!!

goingfor3christmaspuddings · 27/11/2007 09:18

People will always find something to comment on about a child. With DD2 people comment on her blonde hair and with DD1 people comment on her eyes and her beauty.

chopchopbusybusy · 27/11/2007 09:24

Accept it as a compliment and encourage your son to do the same. I think most people who comment on children mean well. I do it when I'm waiting in a queue for example. It's just something to say. I had no idea until I started Mumsnetting that people would take such offence to innocent and well meaning comments. I am now considering never speaking to strangers again, which I think is quite sad.

coppertop · 27/11/2007 09:26

My two always get comments about their hair but so far they've always been nice comments. Ds2 always gets people trying to touch his hair though "to see if it's real".

tiredemma · 27/11/2007 09:28

Ds2 also only gets nice compliments about his hair ( which is a reddish/blond)- it was described by a little boy in his class as "blond at the back and orange juice at the front"!

SantasUnderGodzillasBumcheek · 06/12/2007 22:54

Try having ginger (they won't have 'red') haired twins

They definately get more nice comments than nasty, but OMG sometimes you just want to tell people to fark off and leave them alone.

Imagine (from the age of one to the age of six, in particular) never leaving you rhouse without some annoying old beggar coming up, blocking your way, to screech "oooooooooh, haven't they got looooooveeeerrrrlyyyy haaaair!"

cadeLaideInAManger · 06/12/2007 22:57

You say to you it seems normal, but it doesn't sound like they're saying it's abnormal. They all read like cheerful, complimentary comments to me. And it seems like your ds copes well with it.

Milliways · 06/12/2007 22:59

DS would love £1 for everytime someone at school calls him "Ging-er"

It never stops, but they are easier to spot in a crowd / school play/ etc

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