How to Convince Parents to allow Dreads? Any Ideas?

I would just do it!! Who cares what they say?! My parents have always hated my tattoos, piercings, style, dreads, etc. Doesn't mean they love me less.

Now I am saying this speaking as a daughter, not a mother! haha

Good luck!!

updated by @electric-mama: 07/23/15 06:32:17PM

just do it anyway! it's your head of hair. you should be able to do what you want with them. what are they going to do? cut all your hair off while you're sleeping?

OR

show them all the comments on here and how supportive people are. or, just show them the entire website in general

Just a side note, I know you have already developed a plan, but it seems to really help parental figures when they realize that even famous people are doing it. After all, Hollywood stars aren't dirty (at least they aren't supposed to be, lol.) Angelina Jolie had wanna be locs in the movie with Nicholas Cage...can't remember the name. Korn has dreads, Whoopie Goldberg has dreads, one of the girls in Bring it On had dreads. Lenny Kravitz, Shakira, Christina Auguilera had a few dreads in as well. There is even a NY casting call for models with dreads out right now. Dreads are slowly starting to become more socially acceptable and the more we speak out about the truth behind having dreads, the more people will understand what they are really all about and that they are NOT dirty. Good luck, and hope you can at least come up with a compromise. You've got some really good tips and a pretty good plan.

brilliant ideas guys! I willstart growing mydreads for sure by the end of the week! HAHAHA. althoguh im thinking of just doing them now, im going away for 12 days with a bunch of friends, so i can just let them grow muahaha.
Thanks for all your support, you guys rock! :D

It might also not be a bad idea to gather a few pictures of peoples' dreads earlier on and then when they've matured, that way your parents might see that it is a process and they will look amazing in the end and that your not "doing it wrong" . I had to do this with my parents.

Yeah! thanks, thats a really good idea! Shall do that

Julian said:

It might also not be a bad idea to gather a few pictures of peoples' dreads earlier on and then when they've matured, that way your parents might see that it is a process and they will look amazing in the end and that your not "doing it wrong" . I had to do this with my parents.

I'm wondering if there is any time in the past where your mom didn't like something you did but you managed to work with it and eventually prove your case? Personal example: when I was 16 I wanted to get my eyebrow pierced but needed parental consent. My mom actually said yes because she honestly didn't think I had the balls to go through with it. She was wrong. As shocked as she was I was able to show her that it didn't change who I was or who she knew me to be. By the time I decided to grow dreads (after many more piercings and a tattoo she forbid me to have) we had established a sort of trust; that no matter what I did to my body I would own it and make her love it too. Maybe your mom needs a little reassurance that her baby girl isn't drifting too far away? Naturally your family dynamics are different than mine, and I don't know what my mom would have said if I'd tried to dread my hair in high school, but usually mothers are mothers are mothers. I think you need to pinpoint exactly what her issue with dreads is. In my experience some people aren't even sure themselves why they don't like something. Is it all the myths? Is it how she was raised? Did she know someone with dreads who was a horrible person? (as silly as that sounds it's hard to shake first impressions) Is she afraid you'll change in a negative way? What does a negative change mean to her? No matter what the issue is I think it's important for your mom to remember that it's just hair (definitely not implying that it doesn't mean more than that to you) Hair grows back. Worst case scenario: you brush them out and/or cut your hair. Most mothers have this amazing ability to love their children no matter what. I say you cash in some of those unconditional love chips

JUST realized that the last post was June 2011, hahahahaha! Hopefully all went well

Linds said:

I'm wondering if there is any time in the past where your mom didn't like something you did but you managed to work with it and eventually prove your case? Personal example: when I was 16 I wanted to get my eyebrow pierced but needed parental consent. My mom actually said yes because she honestly didn't think I had the balls to go through with it. She was wrong. As shocked as she was I was able to show her that it didn't change who I was or who she knew me to be. By the time I decided to grow dreads (after many more piercings and a tattoo she forbid me to have) we had established a sort of trust; that no matter what I did to my body I would own it and make her love it too. Maybe your mom needs a little reassurance that her baby girl isn't drifting too far away? Naturally your family dynamics are different than mine, and I don't know what my mom would have said if I'd tried to dread my hair in high school, but usually mothers are mothers are mothers. I think you need to pinpoint exactly what her issue with dreads is. In my experience some people aren't even sure themselves why they don't like something. Is it all the myths? Is it how she was raised? Did she know someone with dreads who was a horrible person? (as silly as that sounds it's hard to shake first impressions) Is she afraid you'll change in a negative way? What does a negative change mean to her? No matter what the issue is I think it's important for your mom to remember that it's just hair (definitely not implying that it doesn't mean more than that to you) Hair grows back. Worst case scenario: you brush them out and/or cut your hair. Most mothers have this amazing ability to love their children no matter what. I say you cash in some of those unconditional love chips

oh it's been so long! Thankyou though! and in the end, she just didnt think it was healthy or a good 'image' (it really did just go against how she was brought up) but i think ive changed her mind about it, and whenever anyone says anything she just backs me up and says "Yes, she does have them, but she looks rather unique don't you think/" or something equally as nice. haha! Family members were the worst. And family friends- dont even get me STARTED. hahah. well after about 6 months of further pestering i started my dreads on feb 13 this year.. so i think they are roughly about a month old now? They are looking wonderfully messy! They'll look proper eventually, but right now i like them! hah x =D

Linds said:

JUST realized that the last post was June 2011, hahahahaha! Hopefully all went well

Linds said:

I'm wondering if there is any time in the past where your mom didn't like something you did but you managed to work with it and eventually prove your case? Personal example: when I was 16 I wanted to get my eyebrow pierced but needed parental consent. My mom actually said yes because she honestly didn't think I had the balls to go through with it. She was wrong. As shocked as she was I was able to show her that it didn't change who I was or who she knew me to be. By the time I decided to grow dreads (after many more piercings and a tattoo she forbid me to have) we had established a sort of trust; that no matter what I did to my body I would own it and make her love it too. Maybe your mom needs a little reassurance that her baby girl isn't drifting too far away? Naturally your family dynamics are different than mine, and I don't know what my mom would have said if I'd tried to dread my hair in high school, but usually mothers are mothers are mothers. I think you need to pinpoint exactly what her issue with dreads is. In my experience some people aren't even sure themselves why they don't like something. Is it all the myths? Is it how she was raised? Did she know someone with dreads who was a horrible person? (as silly as that sounds it's hard to shake first impressions) Is she afraid you'll change in a negative way? What does a negative change mean to her? No matter what the issue is I think it's important for your mom to remember that it's just hair (definitely not implying that it doesn't mean more than that to you) Hair grows back. Worst case scenario: you brush them out and/or cut your hair. Most mothers have this amazing ability to love their children no matter what. I say you cash in some of those unconditional love chips