After reading a recent post about a mother who received backlash from concerned parents and citizens on social media for installing faux locs on her daughter’s hair, I couldn’t help but wonder when a simple hairstyle which is loved by many suddenly became abusive.
I mean, is it child abuse because faux locs is a style that’s commonly worn by adults? Or is it child abuse because the child is wearing extensions? Perhaps it’s the tightness of the hairstyle that makes it to be very abusive on the child.
I for one have never considered hair extensions*, relaxers, or hair dyes to be appropriate on kids; call me old school, but that’s just my opinion. I know some of you are probably thinking, “Caucasians wear extensions too, so what’s the big deal?”
While you may be right, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with adults wearing any hairstyle that pleases them, but when it comes to children, caution must be taken on how they are presented to the public.
In fact, prior to my discovery of the natural hair community, I never thought much about extensions* on kids because it was so prevalent that it became normal to me. However, I did frown upon relaxers and weaves on children because I know how damaging those hairstyles can be on an adult, let alone on young children.
So, how do children end up wearing extensions and unacceptable (or in some people’s words “abusive”) hairstyles?
Since our children are a representation of us, they will likely dress in a way that’s similar to the way the parents dress.
This means that moms who grew up in a weave culture won’t see the big deal in fixing a quick weave on their child. And if she grew up believing that a hairstyle has to be tiny and tight, then the child will have no choice but to bear the pain of a new hairstyle.
It’s even worse if the mother has a receding hairline and balded patches as a result of aggressive hairstyles because it can mean bad news for the child’s edges. Also, a mother who got her first relaxer at a young age won’t see anything wrong with relaxing her two years old’s hair. After all, it’s just hair, it will grow back.
Since you can only teach what you know, a mother with inadequate knowledge of healthy hair care won’t have much to teach the child.
As a result, she will likely style the child’s hair in a hairstyle that’s easier and more economical. An example of an economical hairstyle could be braided extensions* that will last weeks, though it may be too heavy for the child to carry or a relaxer which can burn the child’s scalp and disturb the child’s natural hair growth cycle.
Suga An Wata says
I don’t think kids should wear fake hair braids or not, its just wrong I don’t care how short there hair is, u can still find style to comb it.
Burris-Ross Kat says
There is other reason to braid a child hair than for length …my granddaughter has a nice head of hair but her scalp is extremely tender and she cry when her hair is being done so her mom put extension to avoid doing her hair daily and settle for bi monthly
Suga An Wata says
Yeah true, but for me kids should be kids an not wear extentions
Christy Love says
Lol!!!!!!
Naima Watson says
Child abuse? Really? That is reaching. If that is child abuse then my mother should have been charged with attempted murder every time she came close to my head with a hot comb
Peggy Edmonson says
Right
They would’ve charged my mom with 3rd degree burns
She got close to the nape of our head
Jackie Williams says
Now.
Alisha Gail Fantroy says
OMG LMBO! For real 🙂
Pamela Smith says
Your mother too? I remember sitting between her knees on the floor, wishing I could drop out of sight before that snap, crackle, pop sound of my hair, Sulfur 8 and my sweat mixed together. The good old days??? Huh….no!!
Jasmine Smith says
If you would have seen the little girls hair due you would have agreed it was child abuse. Poor baby looked like she couldnt even blink. That how tight it was.
Senora Brown says
oooh guuurlll TELL IT NOW! ATTEMPTED MURDER…
Naima Watson says
I saw the little girl’s hair and it was not child abuse, people doing too much
Laverne Wallace says
DAMN yall taking in back. But what about pressing the hair with Dax or Dixie Peach. Your hair was shining. Lol. Those were the days
Shaura Phillip says
This is so stupid its not even funny! Really?!? As long as they are kept child appropriate and not causing damage to her hair and scalp then it’s fine!
Phoenix McGee says
Are people seriously entertaining that silly ass question? People forget that children are individuals who have their own minds. Do I think kids should be wearing em? No. Not my decision till I have kids though. I can disagree with it all day long but it ain’t my right to walk up to someone and start berating them because I don’t like it.
Ambikka Williams says
Ok as a child I had long thin hair and mom always used hair extensions to braid my hair. Child abuse is being burnt with the straighten comb on Sunday mornings. Now that’s abuse. Every mother should have the right to do whatever she wants with her child’s head until that child is able to do it herself!
Janie Dee says
Agree
Alisha Gail Fantroy says
Agree!
Aracelis Hernandez says
Well said
Dollie Page says
Lol people are trippin
Hattie Berger says
Get a life!!
Felicia Michelle says
Not keeping your childs hair combed should be considered a form of child abuse,seeing is how some women stay dolled up and the child/kids don’t!!
Strong Harris says
Amen,and braids got the hair,and saves on time for school etc
Felicia Michelle says
Yes I agree they save lots of time and if done right and depending on the child’s hair and tolerance they may help the hair grow too!!
Jennifer Adams says
Wow this is just going too far. I understand that everyone has their own opinion, but claiming child abuse for braids come on now. We as adults put braids in as a protective style right but to do a protective style on a child is wrong. If I’m gonna protect my hair to keep it healthy I’m gonna do the same for my girls. This is just ridiculous.
Darnella Cherry says
No it’s not child abuse. If you have a daughter with hard to manage hair it’s better than them crying every day as you pull and tug on their hair and scalp.
Anna Ogonji Smith says
Nope! Beauty pageants would be shut down if this was so. If it’s not hurting the child it’s not abuse!
Kathy Thurman says
REALLY!
Karen Morris says
Are you serious? ? Really? ?? This is stupid!!!
Rutendo D. Magwenzi says
lol I loved my braids as a toddler I didn’t look abused in any of my baby pics
Roslyn Jackson says
This is sick. When you work with children and your eyes are open to what abuse really look like – then people would stop asking that dumb question
Sheryl Creary says
No its not.. ppl really
Ann Ranee says
I don’t think it is abuse but parents should consider that it can be painful and if it isn’t done properly or taken care of it can cause permanent damage to the hair.
TaWanda Jones says
Lmao omg I’m unliking this page asap,
Bless Mcintyre says
No
Tiela Lewis says
I wouldn’t call it abuse but definitely NOT necessary. Little girls need to know that they are beautiful as they are. Long ‘Hair’ does not make one beautiful; It’s confidence! Keep hair clean, moisterized, neat. ♥
Shanae Quinones says
It’s no different than braiding regular hair
Akia Heismystrength Bethea says
No. Ridiculous to imply that it is.
Judith Perry says
How is keeping your childs hair neatly braided with or without extensions a for of child abuse. If no one combed thier childs hair and they were unkept is that child abuse? Who is coming up with these theories, someone with no children?
Tee Cee Kaay says
Someone with no black/brown children.
Maybell Lena Killion says
I think it’s someone that has had their scalp beat up as a child with such styles. Not all parents are heavy handed but some are and it does hurt like hell. I speak from experience as an adult not as a child. As a child my hair was always taken care of and no one hurt our heads with braids, other styling.
Alisha Gail Fantroy says
That’s what I keep saying lol
Renai MezzesmeToo Newson says
Smh this is very crazy. THen we need to shut down beauty pageants because making a 10 year look like a prostitute and she has breast is a form of abuse. This is non sense. Everyone should know at whatever age you are dont mess with a womens hair period, its too personal. I understand if the hairdo isnt age appropriaTE FOR THAT child but leave it alone. How about focusing on why these children cant eat a balanced meal at school first. UGH
Takisha Willis says
Yass and all that damn make up!!
Tracy Cato says
If its tight, causing your child pain as it does most ppl wjo have it – then yes its abuse – the abuse ia not about the extensions but rather the way its put in
Latoya Colbert says
Like everything. It must be done tasteful and catered to the age. People are never happy. If the child’s hair wasn’t done and looked like blue Ivy’s used to or worse. Would that be a form of child abuse or judgment from others as well. Unfortunately, we have been forced to feel the need to fit in and look manageable.n
Chanette Staton says
Abuse…that is a very strong word to use!!
Dee Dee Martin says
Wow really this is child abuse. I thought child abuse was beating your kids, starving them, neglecting them.
Brenda Wi says
Causing a child pain, also with tight and heavy hairstyles is a form of child abuse. That’s the point here
Sydney Shea Jacobs says
It’s a dumb point
Dee Dee Martin says
Yes dumb point.
Sharon Dantzler says
Child abuse NO ridiculous, in some cases YES, I’ve seen a toddler with Too MUCH added hair, weighing her down,make it look believable if you must do it at all.
Vanice Mattews says
really …
Fatima Ross says
Not abuse but the ones that be so tight pulling all the poor kid hair out… its like why do that? Head all bumpy and sore
Enez Laurendine says
Ugh these articles! Child abuse really!!! Just stop!!! More like poor choices! Some people are just ridiculous with it! But weave is not child abuse! Now if your using the kid as a live maniquin then that’s a topic to discuss
Jasmine Smith says
Excuse my French but don’t put fake shit in a child’s head it’s sad how i see some girls at my brother elementary school with micros and hair extensions
Sharon Watson says
Silly
Tracey Robinson says
No. Some little ladies want the extension. Are the mother is just trying to beautifie her hair in more manageable way.
Ufuoma Aweto Seriu-Aigbokhan says
I normally ignore posts, such as this, but this is STUPID!!!
Nikki Robbi says
Anytime anyone did ANYTHING to my hair it hurt lol can’t lock everyone up for trying to help me be presentable
Lashonda Taylor says
Oh Boy!!!!
Jamie Elaine Reed-Anderson says
No, of course not, but teach them to embrace their beauty without false additions, they have plenty of time to do that when they grow up…..let your child be a child…….
Summer Glo Brown says
Who wrote this stupid article….really abuse. if that’s the case my mother should have need locked up years ago!
Cha LaBranche says
Really child abuse who comes w crap like this
Jackie Williams says
What pea brain said this is child abuse like really this child hair is pretty.
Kimberly Williams says
What the hell is wrong with people now a days people need to know the different types of abuse and braiding a childs hair is not
Ashley Elaine Plummer says
Abuse isnt always physical yall damn
Nessie Belle says
My mother first relaxed my hair when I was 7 years old. For the next Seventeen years after I’ve experienced burns on my scaple, my bangs and edges have fallen out five times, many Dominican hair salon truma stories, getting made fun by school kids because the relaxer was eating up my hair. The toture of having the spending all my money on full head weaves. I’ve sat my mother down and told her she ruined my life with that bullshit. It took me 17 years to finally return back to natural. I love my mother but I would consider what she did to me as child abuse and I would love to see an age limit put on relaxers because little black girls should have to through this.
Tianedra Bea Little says
I notice a lot of people are concerned with length some kids hair grows more slowly or has more shrinkage they add extensions. I wouldn’t do if I had kids. I’ll personally style their hair til they’re 18 then they can choose whether to weave it up or perm it out. But kids should stay kids and leave alone the extensions and weaves and perms and such
MiMi Ranaye says
White ppl plz stop wit yall nonsense….
Keisha Greene says
You know there are people out there killing there children and thats a real issue, but someone out these make there children look pretty isn’t a big issue, not combing there hair at all is a issue.
Kataxinha Tavares says
Why is everything that parents do is child abuse now??? extensions, earings… if care is child abuse if we dont care is neglect let so many opinions about everybody’s life is actually frustrating to raise a child in a world like this
Yolanda Hill says
Here we go! Now abuse is keeping the Black American child hair kept up is abuse. Please stop the f**kery. ..
Bessed HighlyFavored says
Omg! REALLY!?
Tia Jenée says
Um, no :/ Silliest ish I’ve read yet.
Maybell Lena Killion says
Not child abuse but should be brought to the attention of the parents that these styles can hurt the child’s head and worse than that, it could cause permanent damage.
Elevia Monroe says
I agree. There’s a reason that children scream and cry when they do their hair. Stick to very simple styles and don’t use a comb often (which is mainly the culprit+ tight styles) work mostly with your fingers. Many don’t understand that though and would do tight styles to make their child look “pretty”.
Rose Atkinson says
Omg …
Letiesha Edwards says
No, I don’t think it is a form of child abuse…
Alia Moore says
I had box braids when I was a child. Abuse? Ok. Y’all got it.
I was more scarred by the white children and their verbal abuse re: my hair than anything my mother ever did to it.
Denise Ishida says
No. Don’t even try to go there, you are Heathen for allowing that question.
Mahogany Tolbert says
Weave yes. Box Braids no. I would wait until they are around 1 to pierce their ears. It think some people think pierce ears are “abuse” because they are looking at it as abuse because you are deciding at a young age to have body modication done on them for your own vanity without giving them a choice of do they want a needle through their ears for beauty purposes .
Shonda Sams says
No they not
Denise Mills says
NO, IT CAN REALLY GROW THEIR HAIR,,,
Miller Dana says
No damn way!!! Who would think that.
Artra Veal says
NO! Her hair is fine and gorgeous!!!! Why is this even a topic of discussion? Seriously? I agree with Felicia, not combing your child’s hair is child abuse.
Lashon Graham says
You guys no where this came from I just no didn’t nobody black better not I said it
La'Toya Singletary says
Wow . no they are not.
Alisha Gail Fantroy says
Good God that is just crazy smh
Andrea Dixon says
I, personally, would never put any type of extensions in my daughters hair (she’s 3 1/2) but to each his own. As long as you understand the damage it is doing.
Sundra Beard says
let’s also look at this holistically. there’s a picture of a little black girl but not only do African Americans put extensions in their child’s hair and I get being excessive with straight extra long hair that’s a bit much but what about the pageant and the extra hair that’s putting these Caucasian girls hair as well and white women wear weave as well so it just seems like this article is a little slanted with the negative light on the African Americans. absolutely not child abuse
Anissa McCall says
Ummm NO! gtfoh!
Avon Inheels says
Why is it abuse on one of our daughters, but when someone does it to impersonate a n AA woman its ground breaking and acceptable ?!?!
Addie Holman-Holmes says
No…but an uncombed head is,….It’s called child neglect.
Pricedhigh Michcole says
No, but not so tight people. Who says?
Rose Francis says
Wow
Val Fowler says
No!!! I’d rather children get extensions rather than plastic surgery!
Pamela Smith says
I think letting my child go to school with her head looking ratchet and kids picking on her because of it is child abuse. If her hair isn’t growing right, falling out, is damaged for any reason, what is wrong with extensions? You also have to remember, it’s HER SELF ESTEEM that we have to protect as well. And if anyone thinks it’s child abuse to put extensions in her hair, I personally think they have way too much time on their hands and either need to get a hobby or a life…..or both!!
Elisa Evra says
Foolish question
Takisha Willis says
Smh..the foolery is real!!!!
Dayna Johnson says
I think it looks cute on her and it looks age appropriate
Susan Cartwright says
No style
Olivia Williams says
WTF!!! That’s just crazy. How is it child abuse??!!
Pam Hubbard says
I want to get this done for my eight year old
NeNe Johnson says
If they were I would have been in jail years ago. Lol
Rasheema Marie Rhyne says
I dont think so but I dont believe that a child younger than 4 should have hair extensions.
Tiffany Farmer says
IT IS NOT CHILD ABUSE…somebody need a dictionary to look up abuse…now I am not a fan of extensions for children, but that’s just my opinion but I wish they would stop labeling these ladies as abusers…that is a very harsh word/statement!!!!
Ash Ta Ji says
Lol y’all are crazy not that I DISRESPECT what my ancestors do but seriously in certain parts of the world some kids have to get pierced with sticks and cut with knives and forced to married grown men as low as 8 years old NOW THAT ABUSE TO THE FULLEST
Trina Truewell says
It’s gotta be somebody white asking this damn question….smh…..Nawh bye boo
Gail W Jobe-Garry says
It’s child abuse if u not keeping their hair well groom,
Deborah Smith says
Yes
Cheri Parker Clark says
Child abuse?????
Cheryl Downing says
Not child abuse. But a child hair isn’t as strong as an adult so if any thing they are damaging the hair but not abuse
Mi'Chal Williams says
Anything to take black culture away from them…this is crazy…I have never heard of this. Over so many years of black kids getting their hair done I’m just over people…then when their hair is not done ppl have something to say…#OVERIT
Georgina Marcy says
Depends on how tight it is… ; )
Wen Dee Bambino says
Nothing wrong with it but extensive braiding will damage a child’s real hair
Sheron Haynes says
This is not abuse
Candy Phillips says
Its abuse for me but if i choose to do it so be it but for children who have no choice it takes to long it hurts and the tension on the hair and scalp is horrendous
Acenia Jeff says
No, its not!! In fact, not doing your daughters hair is a form of child abuse and negligence.
Darline P Watkins says
Putting hair extensions in your child’s hair is not abuse. I maybe reaching, however this topic leans towards racial profiling. Trying to say braids with extensions are abuse. Seriously!
Rosa Alvarez says
Child abuse? No. My daughter is mixed and I have considered getting some light extensions in her hair. Only because her hair will not hold any twists or braids for more than a day. And I cannot leave her hair loose as it becomes tangled and a big mess. Not to mention the breakage that occurs. So I either have to brush her hair up to twice a day when loose, or restyle her hair every other day at the most. I would love to use some extension to put her hair up into a protective style that will stay for a longer time and help protect it as it continues to grow. Still haven’t done it because I wouldn’t want it to hurt her. But if I found someone who could without hurting her, damaging her hair or scalp and keep it as simple as possible just to achieve the goal of protecting her hair, then perhaps I would go ahead and do it.
Brenda Wi says
I agree with you 100%. I got my hair braided tightly, when I was a kid and it was horrible. Tight and heavy hairstyles have no place on a child’s head! People are just trying to find something to nag about and missing your point totally. IF YOU ARE CAUSING YOUR CHILD PAIN WITH THOSE HAIRSTYLES, IT IS CHILD ABUSE!
Sydney Shea Jacobs says
Tf? No! People really need to stfu. Everything is child abuse, now
Veronica Solomon Thomas says
No, I personally, don’t think it’s abuse. I did not grow up with extentions or early relaxers, but feel some age appropriate extentions are ok and ask that the braids are not too tight.
Dani Simone Craig says
This article is beyond dumb, a Mom who has weaves will do the same to her child’s hair…really! My Mom had weaves and I didn’t get a relaxer until I was 12 and was never interested in weaves.
Tashone Black says
I thought that was real locs!?!?!!
Senora Brown says
By looking at this lil ladys picture we cant really judge , I think its a very age appropriate style.. but certainly NOT abusive. Its sure better than burning her hair out in heat damages. The Mom can still wash, condition, and treat her scalp, with this style.
Bridget Ford says
Shut up.Stick a hair bundle in your mouth
Renee Brammah says
Seriously, stop it! This little girl looks very pretty as she is , good job mom.
Kim Carr-Washington says
Seriously,nothing else to.write about so attack the culture?
Darline P Watkins says
If the hair is being braided too tightly, as a parent you chose the wrong braider. You as a mother or guardian should watch your child while their hair is being done and tell them not to braid so tight. It’s just simply parenting skills.
Ricardo Norville says
There is something deeper and where this is going ………….who gets extensions and which race does this 99% of the time …………..if you cant figure out where this is going i feel sorry for you……..people wake up!
Debbie Hodge says
Seriously? ???? Are u out of topics to talk about? Like for real for real?!!
Wanda Chamberlin says
I feel like as a black mother I’m damned regardless of what I choose. We have to start fighting back against this bull or before you know it we won’t be able to make any decesions on or children. Braids are fine so long as they are not placed on the hair too tightly we need to educate these people…smh.
Aliyah Morrison says
Well I can’t say anything about anyoneelse’s kids .If I have a child , my child will wear their natural hair and I will teach my child to love their natural hair . When my child becomes an adult , he or she can do whatever they want to their hair . Case closed .