Highlighting my 5yr old daughter's hair?

Question

Hi,
My daughter's (almost) four, and she has beautiful hair! My husband and i love it, and we refuse to cut it! It's naturally straight, and we take good care of it...she brushes it 2x a day, washes it somewhere around 1-3 times every 1-2 weeks, and she always wears it down. It looks strangely cut,though....it looks like she has cut-bangs! But we never cut her hair--it just grows like that (oddly enough). Anyway, my husband wants to highlight her hair! I'm like "WHAT??" .... I almost fainted. He thinks she would look cute(r) with light, light, LIGHT blond highlights. Her hair is brown, and has somewhat blond highlights now, from the sun and whatnot. I absolutely refused! He also wants to give her a "bowlcut trim"!! I told him he "already gave our two year old son one, our daughter is NOT getting one!!" .... Wouldn't you agree with me, not to let him touch her hair? Or should I let him (not the cut, just the highlights of course)? Here's a pic of what her hair looks like now;
http://www.hairfinder.com/articles2005/kid_hairstyle.htm

...wouldn't I be a total idiot to let him dye her hair?

Oh, by the way, the only reason i woud 1/2 way consider this, is b/c daddy is a prof. hair stylist..but I think he's lost his noodles this time!!!

Answer 1

Well I am a pro too and I have a 5 year old and 9 year old and neither of my daughters have ever had any type of chemical put on their hair. Some people might view it as more of a personal preferrence, but I disagree. I love making money just as much as the next person, but anytime a parent comes in to get any type of chemical done for their child that is under 10.....I try to talk them out of it.
My shop policy is this.....I HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE.....not to be sound mean, but I do not put any type of chemical on a child under the age of 7.

I hope this helps!!!

Answer 2

OK, I'll bite. I would NOT recommend highlights for a child so young. ESPECIALLY right before starting school! I think a young child has true beauty without makeup, haircolor, etc. Yes, dress her nicely, make sure she's clean, give her options for her hairstyle, but let them be age appropriate and HER idea. Besides, many children have natural highlights especially if they spend a lot of time outdoors, at the pool, and in the sun in the summer. Natural is always better at such a young age. I say this as a teacher and I can tell you I've heard other parents, students and sadly other teachers talk about young children (students) who come to school looking "overdone." Doesn't matter if it's hair, make-up, or clothes. Better to be a bit conservative (she can still look "cool" and be in style) than to get a "reputation" at such a young age. I'm talking about a reputation of being spoiled with an over-the-top parent. Let her make her own way with your support, but don't try to make up for what YOU didn't have. Good luck!! Since you added to your question, I'm adding to my answer! First, it sounds like you've already made up your mind. So why ask here? I think it's because you KNOW it's a bad idea and you're looking for justification. Second, giving your daughter all the things YOU didn't have as a child is practically the definition of spoiling her. But of course, she's smart, beautiful, kind and not spoiled. Huh. Third, are you now saying she is BEGGING for highlights? If so, all the more reason to be a parent and say NO. She is simply too young and that's all you need to say. You could give her a target age, like "maybe you can get highlights when you're in middle school" or "maybe when you're 13." UGH, for some reason I'm picturing your little girl with a lip ring and pierced nose by the time she's 10.

Answer 3

It's not a good idea. First of all, your daughter is five years old. Is she going to be able to sit still for that long?
Secondly, putting a five year old in close contact with dangerous chemicals is a recipe for disaster. What if she touches her hair and then touches her mouth?
Thirdly - have you asked your daughter how she feels about this? It is her hair after all.
Finally, the blood-brain barrier (a membrane which stops chemicals passing between the blood and brain) is not fully formed until the mid-teens. If the chemicals were to somehow enter her bloodstream, there would be nothing to stop them from going to her brain.
Please don't let this maniac anywhere near your daughters hair. She has lovely hair already. Besides, having a healthy daughter is much more important than having a child with a cute haircut.

Answer 4

Hold your ground on this one. Two things one never does to a 5 y/o female. (1) You never perm their hair (2) You never color their hair. (She'll look cuter with her hair highlighted? What? Isn't she cute the way she is in daddy's eyes) Your husband of all people should know that chemicals in the hair are NOT for little ones. A bowl cut for your son is okay if he likes it, but NOT on your daughter. Her hair needs to be trimmed up a bit from time to time, to maintain it's shape, which keeps the style looking good. She'd look cute in a "Bob." It's so easy to take care of.

Answer 5

I don't think it is right to chemically alter a child's hair.

Hair dyes were specifically designed and made for adults. I dont think enough testing has been done on adults for long term effects, much less how it will affect a child's growth and development.

I don't understand why you would want to change your daughter's beautiful hair. And where will you stop? Will you take her tanning next? How about botox injections?

I think around 12-13 is the youngest I would allow my child to get highlights. At that age they are capable of making the decision themself whether they want to alter their appearance.

I urge you not to do it

Answer 6

Her hair is beautiful! Don't let him highlight her hair that is just ridiculous! She is only four it could do total damange! Leave her hair the way it is, which means NO BOWLCUT trim. Those are for boys, she's cute the way she is.
Your husband doesn't know what he's talking about at all..
The only thing wrong you are doing with her hair is you should start washing it daily.

Answer 7

If she has natural highlights, she shouldn't need anymore. Especially since she's so young. Even though your husband knows what he's doing, because he's a profesional, he should know that she's too young for that & its not needed at a young age and she has natural highlights.

Also, I don't think the haircut sounds too good either. I've never been too fond of that cut (on most people anyway) and I don't think it'd look very good on a young girl.

But its whatever you decide!

Answer 8

Whether daddy is a professional hairstylist or not, coloring a child's hair at this age is ridiculous. Let the child be a child while she can, she's not in a beauty pageant! However, a trim now & then will help keep her hair manageable, healthy & will promote growing.

Answer 9

This is really one of the most pathetic questions I've seen out here.
LET HER BE A CHILD,for God's sake!!

Children are so naturally beautiful outside and--more importantly--inside! Dyeing her hair gives her the message that you wish to change something about her that is not 'good enough'.

*sigh*


p.s.--My mom had an expression she'd tell us as children--to convey how much she adored us.
She'd say --'I wouldn't want to change even a single hair on your head.'

Please think about what I've said...


*edit*--Hmmm--after re-reading this question,I think it is a fraud.Is she ALMOST FOUR ...or FIVE years old ??!!! I think you're a game-playing teenager with no kids at all.In fact,I HOPE that is the case!!

Answer 10

No, no, no! She has all of her ADULT life to do things like that. Right now her hair is literally 4-5 years old. It's nice because it's new. Most of us mess up our hair the older we get because of all the things we do to it--gel we put in, straightening, curling, dyeing.

Leave it alone! Unfortunately, in today's world there's no room left for natural beauty. It's change this, fix that.
And a BOWLCUT on a girl? Tell your husband that that look on girls went out with Mary Lou Retton in the late 70's-early 80's.