As an adult, you're within your rights to get just about any kind of hairstyle you want. Braid it up, loc it up, relax it, get a weave. Whatever makes you happy, go for it. But what about when you're a kid?
I've asked the question before, and I must ask it again: How young is too young for a certain kind of hairstyle? I ask, because this clip from popular TLC reality show 'Toddlers and Tiaras' -- via Clutch Magazine -- left me feeling all kinds of disturbed.
For any of you who don't have video, 3-year-old Kayleigh gets a sew-in weave from her grandmother Joyce.
"This is the first time we've done this, we normally do hair pieces," she explains as the little girl squirms and says "that hurts."
"Kayleigh, she doesn't realize it, but she's a diva in training, and she's very vain," her grandmother says, and Kayleigh rebutts, "I'm not a diva, I'm Kayleigh."
At the end of the clip Kayleigh says "My hair is longer. I look pretty."
I can't help but wish that she felt that way before she was wearing makeup and a weave. At three years old. And I can't help but lament the things we're teaching our children to believe at such an early age. But that's just me.
What are your thoughts?
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
Wigs: The 1960s
The Supremes must have had a ball dressing in the latest fashions AND hottest hairstyles every time they stepped outside the door. They all wore top-of-the-line wigs, which gave them a different look every night.
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
The Afro: The 1970s
Angela Davis was the poster child for the Afro during the late '60s and '70s with a this perfectly coiffed orb o' hair. Davis said she had to put Tide detergent in hers to make it stand up just so. Afro pick!
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
The Flip: The 1970s
Natalie Cole is the perfect representation of the '70s here with the flip -- hair curled upward in layers made most popular by actress Farrah Fawcett. Her gold hoops and wide collar cement the look.
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
The Jheri Curl: The 1980s
Who could even think about the '80s without thoughts -- or shudders -- of the ubiquitous jheri curl? Everybody had a curl back then and the jokes about activator on pillowcases lasted much longer than the hairstyle ever did. Soooooooul Glow!
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
The Shag: The 1980s
We all sang the line "in my younger days I used to sport a shaaaaag?" The Pharcyde remembers and so do we! The uber-retro Kanye West even brought back the "black man's mullet" this year. Oh yes.
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
The High Top Fade or Box: The 1980s
With the rise of hip-hop in the mid-to-late '80s, a hairstyle rose right along with it -- the high top fade. Hair is shaped into a box shape (of varying heights) and the sides are gradually "faded" down. Will Smith was a man of the day.
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
Razor Cuts: The 1980s
Later in the '80s, the high top fade morphed into the skyscraper with accents cut in with a razor. By the end of this fad, people had faces, names and designs in their hair and eyebrows. Rapper Big Daddy Kane keeps his crispy fresh with a barber on staff.
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
Waves: The 1980s
Waves, such as the ones Tracy Morgan sports here, reached their peak in the '80s. The effect is gotten from grease, water, a brush and a doo-rag or scarf to lay the hair down in a pattern. If your hair was not naturally curly, Nu Nile or S-Curl was the way to go.
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
Fingerwaves: The 1980s
Fingerwaves, worn here by Keyshia Cole, were actually a reprise of yet another era -- the 1920s. This flat, to-your-head style, tended to be hard to the touch. Helmet city!
Black Hairstyles Through the Years
The Asymmetric: The 1980s
This hairstyle ruled the late '80s. Salt 'n' Pepa bust out with it in the 'Push It' video, and they pushed it to us in different colors even. Best. Hairstyle. Ever. Oooh baby baby!
Comments: (46)
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By: TraceyJoy on 7/23/2010 2:13PM
that is the saddest thing I've ever seen. YIKES!!!! Wow, did you hear that baby say I'm not a diva, I'm Kayleigh. Poor pumpkin. Outrageous
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By: Tafari on 7/23/2010 2:32PM
No thoughts on this. Just a headache that Ill let speak for me. Wow!
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By: Angela on 7/23/2010 2:51PM
I am so glad that you commented on this show. I never watch this show, but I just so happened to catch the show on this night. I was also disturbed when I saw this episode. I could not believe that they were sewing hair into this baby's head. The comments that were made to justify doing this were even worse. There was also another little girl that was about 9 or 10 that was getting her eyebrows waxed. She was so afraid and uncomfortable during this process and if I remember correctly her mom held her down. Adults have to take responsibility and draw the line somewhere. Have some common sense, but I think that a lot of us are lacking that now.
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By: Andrea LaTouche on 7/26/2010 8:13AM
It seems that its all innocent but the Grandmother is saying what Kayleigh likes. Kayleigh has no idea that her innocense is being taken. Allowing a toddler to grow up believing that she needs to alter herself to be beautiful is psychologically harmful to her. She is a Beautiful little girl now and does not need any enhancements. Teach her that she is Golden now as she is and when she grows she will know this and decide for herself what she wants. Right now she can only mimic what is in front of her she has not years or experiences to draw from except what she sees.
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By: ms apples on 7/26/2010 8:14AM
now they wonder why kids grow up so fast tio be grown and have kids. she a lil girl she cute the way she is dont need no weave i have a 5 yrs old i dont dress no more thena 5yo she dont need no make up or hair weave . People need stop growing these kids to fast let them kids acause next thing you know they 13 with babies and theuy u want be all mad but u growing them up sooo fast
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By: exit105nj on 7/26/2010 8:51AM
My eight year old daughter and I have watched this show on TLC several times and it is terrible how they are teaching these young girls that FAKE is beautiful. They have to wear fake hair, fake teeth, fake nails, and the little white girls even have to get tanning spray. Im not even gonna go into the outfits, make up and eyebrow waxing. This is wrong, what's right about little girls looking like grown women. I purposely watch this with my daughter just to see what her thoughts and reactions will be, she likes the idea of the pagent but she doesn't understand why they have to make themselves up, she says that's cheating, they dont really look like that so how is that fair, im so glad she can see through that garbage and isn't attracted to the idea of it all. I tell my little girl while watching that is not what makes you beautiful. I wish they had a pagent with rules that you could only be natural, nothing can be fake or you will be disqualified.
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By: joii2003 on 7/26/2010 7:11PM
I wish there were pageants like that as well. I in fact went on-line to see if there were "natural" beaty pageants for kids in my area. The only one I could find was the StarBurst pageant usually held in Atlanta, Tennessee, and Kentucky. I wish more "PARENTS" would oppose those FAKE pageants and allow true beauty to be exposed. They really don't know what's in store for these kids when they get older.
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By: sayyida Amin on 7/26/2010 9:48AM
There is nothing more tragic than watching people systematically conditioning a Beautiful Baby to feel as though GOD did not make her suffient as she is Naturally. How ignorant.
It really makes me sad to watch droves of Sistas run in and out of a Korean store to purchase someone else's idea of a standard of beauty.
Most of them would be shock to learn that our Natural features were the original standard of beauty, refinement, and civilization.
This is Child Abuse @ its most ugly stage.
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By: Me too on 7/29/2010 9:31AM
I wholeheartedly agree. That is a very ugly form of child abuse.
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By: Sallie HayesWilliams on 7/26/2010 11:12AM
Well it seems some in our society are succumbing to the idea that long straight hair is the only option for beauty. A child of 3 or 4 years old can develope long hair with proper nutrition and scalp maintenance; a hair weave is ridiculous! Give the child a chance for her hair to grow and develope naturally. Take care of her mind and self image internally before you try to alter her outward appearance. Perhaps she will grow to appreciate the beauty of her natural hair and not desire a weave.
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