Would you put Dreads on your Child?

I can understand this! My 7 yo has the same hair. If left unbraided, by the end of the day her hair has sectioned itself out. (beautifully, I think!)She wants it to be "free, like a horse's mane". so, we continue to brush! Island Mamma said:

My daughter has dreads.

She is three.

I didn't put them there, they put themselves there.

I was constantly conditioning and pulling her dreads out for about two years and I finally had the realization that I was forcing her to be someone/thing she is not. It wasn't a matter of picking a hair style for my kid, it picked her, she's a natural born dread.
I decided to dread along with her not her along with me, if that makes sense.

I let her hair be and it is SO BEAUTIFUL and she adores it, and so does everyone else.

The maintenance we have is minimal. She is natural.

I pick out lint (she wont wear a tam or wrap) separate and applying shea butter about once a week. Her hair gets washed whenever needed.

As far as peoples ignorance well we'll deal with it if and when it comes.

updated by @kookla: 07/23/15 04:12:05PM

Well I do not have children but in my opinion if you stop maitinence on their hair its not forcing anything on them especially if continuing to brush and keep un knotted is causing them pain. If you tell them they can't have dreads when they want them it's forcing your ideals or "normal" society liked hair. I would probably be considered lazy when it comes to hair maintinence so dreads are perfect and I can only hope my kids are cool with them or dad is brushing their hair or they will have dreads

@ Island mamma & NaturalWomyn Thank you for the comment ;DAlso Island mamma That's really quite a little girl ^_^ I hope my child comes out free spirted it like that, its oh so refreshing... especially in today's society Island Mamma said:

Great pics!

I would let my sons hair dread, (age 3) I know he want to have dreads but his hair doesnt lock fast....i mean didn't bruched his hair for a year now but no dreads, and i don't want him to sit for ours to have some forced high maintance dreads. so for now i just let his hair grow and see what happens, if he go to primaryschool and his hair is a big mess and won't accepted or anything i can always dread his hair the fast way or cut it. But i would love it if he would have dreads and people would accept him for being true him

My kids already get constant funny looks and comments because they have long hair and they're boys. I tell them all the time how to respond and why some people don't understand and why it's beautiful to be yourself and be different. The majority of our friends have either long hair or dreads but they don't live in out town.

If my 6 year old seemed really certain that he wanted to dread his hair then I would allow it but he waffles back and forth too much and that's fine because I'm really not sure that in our conservative town he's ready to be a spectacle at school and have to deal with the constant comments and questions that would surely come from teachers and students alike even more so than it does when me or my hubby are there. If he were certain about it I would help him work through it he's no stranger to being singled out for being different and having "weird" parents! lol! I Just don't think you can say every kid is the same and it will be fine for all of them. It doesn't work that way. Each parent needs to decide with their child what's best for him or her. Nobody else can.

When I have kids and if they want dreads I would tottaly let them! it's not a style, it's a way of life...

This got me thinking about a horrible incident that happened here in Ontario, Canada over a year ago. There was a teachers aid who was always on this boys case about his long hair, she sent a note home about it and everything. The parents are native and don't force cuts on their children and let the school know that. The friggin TA went and forcibly cut the boys hair!!!! WTF could you imagine??/ I don't know what I would do if that was my child. Why do people give a flying fuck about other peoples hair anyway?

I have three boys and encourage self expression. They choose their hair and clothes (to a certain extent) I do require under wear to stay under! lol! 14 and 10 year olds have the Justin beiber hair cuts and the baby 4yo chose the blue mohawk. I couldn't be more proud!!! As for bullies or neg comments I get mostly odd looks from people. Me with my crazy hair and bells on and a baby with a blue spikey mohawk, we are a vision!!!! It would be awesome if someone got something peirced!!!!

I've heard of a similar horror story, where a little girl wouldn't stop playing with one of her braids, so the teacher cut it right off.Unbelievable, I tell you... Island Mamma said:

This got me thinking about a horrible incident that happened here in Ontario, Canada over a year ago. There was a teachers aid who was always on this boys case about his long hair, she sent a note home about it and everything. The parents are native and don't force cuts on their children and let the school know that. The friggin TA went and forcibly cut the boys hair!!!! WTF could you imagine??/ I don't know what I would do if that was my child. Why do people give a flying fuck about other peoples hair anyway?

I'm really not into using the legal system to solve my problems but in this case I would have sued the PANTS off that school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!