Hair Coloring

[christianmomof3]

I know someone who used to dye her daughter's hair blond and perm it curly when her daughter was younger. Then around age 12, the girl "rebelled" and let her hair go to it's natural brown wavyness. It is pretty just the way it is.
My daughter is 15. I let her get red highlights last year - they faded rather quickly for the expense - .
I use the level 2 haircolor that washes out gradually to cover my grey and I let my daughter use that same type to dye her brunette hair black a couple of months ago. It is starting to fade and she wants to redo it, but a lady I know who is a haircutter said that black dye is the worst to use even the wash out kind so I am not sure if I will let her do it again.

I think 10 is too young for dying hair personally.
However by 13 or 14 I think it can be ok.
I would rather have my daughter dye her hair now with the kind of dye that will wash out gradually and think that she is getting away with something daring and cool than to deny everything to her. I can deal with hair color better than with revealing clothing.

She also has had her ears pierced when she was around 11 - I can't remember the exact age - and wants to get a second piercing but honestly she did not clean her ears well and they got infected and it was icky for a while and even though she is older now I do not think she would do much better so I have refused that. I have pierced ears and developed allergies and can't wear earrings at all any more and so I worry about that happening to her.

I think that we have to set limits somewhere.

Hair dye is not really healthy for growing children (or any of us probably). Perhaps you can get the fun colors that they spray on stripes of color and let her play with that at home. I did let my daughter do that when she was younger and she had fun with it. It just shampoos off.

You also should check the school dress codes.
I don't think they allow children to dye their hair "unnatural" colors in elementary school and not even middle school so my daughter was concerned last year that they would get upset about the red highlights but red is a natural hair color and they did not give her any trouble about it.

 

[felinity]

I don't see any particular problem with letting kids color their hair. I think I'd prefer it not be "distracting" color, whatever that means. No blue or green.

I know an adorable seven-year-old who gets her hair colored a deep auburn. It suits her!

 

[tiredwalker]

I don't dye my hair because I personally feel that my hair matches the rest of my coloring. I dyed it a few times in college, and it always looked funky with my skin. I don't want to waste money trying to perfect it.

As far as my kids, for a special treat it's fine. It can be a reward for something. My mom was really against me dying my hair, and it just made me want to do it more. Soooo, if he/she makes it to a big goal, finishes a big project, or just needs a little positive reinforcement, I'll let him/her dye her hair pink or blue or purple or a normal shade I guess (the bright colors always attracted me the most, but I'm getting old, so it's probably not cool anymore).

 

[TexasSky]

I would be more worried about the affects of the chemicals on her, and the cost than anything else.

I mean, this is kind of a hard question to answer. Most tweens would only be doing it for the wrong sort of reasons, to grow up too fast, to attract male attention, to try to buy into popular circles. I'd say no if it was that "I'm a wanna be Joan Bennett Ramsy," thing.

However, some kids just like to express themselves, or they have always, always, always hated their hair. I'd say yes for them.

Once I was positive those heavy chemicals were safe for them.

Plus for me, there are other issues involved in some of this kind of thing.
First, there is a certain beauty and wonder and joy in being a childlike child that I don't want to deny children.
I have very fond memories of my age of total innocence, and just recently my daughter was sharing some stories of the pretend games she and her cousin used to play. We both agreed there is a special magic in that time when you don't think about "appearance" and "fashion" and how others view you.

And then there is the fact that every child hits an awkward looks stage, and if you've put too much time, effort, money and attention into beauty early on, that awkward age can totally destroy an ego.

Belly button rings are a very different thing, and I would say no to them until 16 because of all the possible health risks.

And then there is, "What do you have to look forward to."
I really hate "Junior Proms" because they make the "Senior Prom" less magical than it was for generations of students.
I hate that 12 year olds are renting limo's to go to concerts, because it steals the magic away from the older young people.
What do you have to look forward to at 16 or 17 or 18 if you have been highlighting and getting facials, and wearing victoria's secret, and riding in limo's, and going to formal's, and had everything pierced since you were 12?


To me it would be like some girl having 15 "wedding ceremonies" before she had the "real" one.
By the time the "real one" came around, who cares?

 

[Laurie919]

I would be more worried about the affects of the chemicals on her, and the cost than anything else.

I mean, this is kind of a hard question to answer. Most tweens would only be doing it for the wrong sort of reasons, to grow up too fast, to attract male attention, to try to buy into popular circles. I'd say no if it was that "I'm a wanna be Joan Bennett Ramsy," thing.

However, some kids just like to express themselves, or they have always, always, always hated their hair. I'd say yes for them.

Once I was positive those heavy chemicals were safe for them.

Plus for me, there are other issues involved in some of this kind of thing.
First, there is a certain beauty and wonder and joy in being a childlike child that I don't want to deny children.
I have very fond memories of my age of total innocence, and just recently my daughter was sharing some stories of the pretend games she and her cousin used to play. We both agreed there is a special magic in that time when you don't think about "appearance" and "fashion" and how others view you.

And then there is the fact that every child hits an awkward looks stage, and if you've put too much time, effort, money and attention into beauty early on, that awkward age can totally destroy an ego.

Belly button rings are a very different thing, and I would say no to them until 16 because of all the possible health risks.

And then there is, "What do you have to look forward to."
I really hate "Junior Proms" because they make the "Senior Prom" less magical than it was for generations of students.
I hate that 12 year olds are renting limo's to go to concerts, because it steals the magic away from the older young people.
What do you have to look forward to at 16 or 17 or 18 if you have been highlighting and getting facials, and wearing victoria's secret, and riding in limo's, and going to formal's, and had everything pierced since you were 12?


To me it would be like some girl having 15 "wedding ceremonies" before she had the "real" one.
By the time the "real one" came around, who cares?

Your totally correct they are growing up to fast.

 

[jgonz]

No, not a tween.

However, once they (girls Or boys) get to be 14 or 15 I've let them experiment a little with their hair. I still get the last say (what color/highlights are ok, style, etc.) but DH and I are pretty lenient. It's just hair, and it'll grow out/fade. Now that the teens are older (23, 18.5, and 16.5) they've pretty much quit dying their hair (which only happened occasionally anyway) and prefer their natural color again.

 

[RedTulipMom]

It would really depend on her reason for wanting to dye her hair. When i was 13 and going through puberty my hair got super super oily and turned from a pretty blonde to a very dishwater oily blonde and it looked horrible. My mom let me put lightener in my hair because she knew it would make my hair less oily plus be a prettier color. I have dyed my hair ever since. A few times i decided i would try growing my "natural" color out and when my "roots" got about 4 inches long it looked oily and icky and i said FORGET IT!

 

[BarbBlessed]

Probably not.
But I don't think there's anything terribly wrong with it - I just prefer to keep kids "kids" as long as possible.

 

[MyaShane]

Oh I wouldn't care--and I don't even think it's vanity neccesarily...

I change my hair cut and color all the time--and it's just because it's fun and I like changing it. I am not dissatisfied with the hair God gave me, I just think it's fun to do new stuff to my hair--I don't feel like I am improving upon it--just playing with it.

I actually have very little attatchment to my hair--if it is long or all cut off, brown or purple- it actually makes no difference to me- it's just hair. So in many ways my attitude about my ever changing hair--is far less vain thatn someone who takes pride in their long natural locks.

Ditto for me, too!

My oldest is only 6, so I wouldn't want to do an all over job, but highlights would be ok with me.

 

[seamonster]

I would if it was something like Manic Panic that washes out.

 

[beccasmommy]

I am not really sure, I did mine when I was 13 and from there on I dyed it occasionally
but now I kinda regret it.

 

[Neenie1]

I don't know. It's not something I have to think about yet.

My dd is only 2.

I don't think I'd let her do it as young as ten. She looks like she is going to have dark hair like mine anyway., it's already a medium brown, much darker than ds hair. (which is lucky because ds has hair that started of blonde, and now looks like a "mousy" colour which seems to get darker every year, it's just taking it's time)

When the time comes that I will let her colour her hair I will only let her choose things like the rinses that you put in and only last a few weeks and then wash out.