Why would you want to put the poor thing throug that? Unless that is what he wants. I think the best thing about being a boy is that you don't have to fuss with your hair like us girls. Oh how I wish all I needed to do was to go to a barber shop every 3 weeks and buzz my worries away. Even if it is scissor cut, it is still alot less time, and alot less worring about hair.
I'm personally old fashion. Boys are boys. I have three nephews ages 3-9. Thank God they have no problem with keeping their hair short. Have never expressed any desired to wear their hair in any other way than the short buzz cut they always get. And that is good for them, because if they wanted braids, curls or something like that, they wouldn't be getting them LOL.
TMortis
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How I wish my mom had been so open. when she would perm my sister's and grandmothers hair, i would ALWAYS be in the same room pretending to play cars or cards or something. I loved the aroma and the curls. oh the curls!!! I rememeber one night on the back porch I played a game with my cousin and we had a hair game that we would guess if it was a girls' hairdo or boys. We would close our eyes and the other one would 'do' the other. i waited as long as i could before i would guess. I always wanted a feminine style.
Tommi
Traci_cheer07
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My daughter directed me to this thread and I thought my experience might be relevant. I've been curling my son's hair, and styling it in feminine ways, for almost 3 years now. Here's how it started:
I have two teenaged daughters, and Blair, my son, is now 11. My daughters and I are all "hair crazy" -- we love having long hair and use lots of styling products, hot rollers, curling irons, etc. Hardly a day goes by when at least one of us is not in curlers. I've always liked long hair on boys and pretty much let Blair grow his hair from when he was a toddler. His hair is brownish-blonde, shoulder-length (and gorgeous). He has never asked to have short hair.
When he was 9 Blair piped up one day and said "How come I can't curl my hair like the girls?" I was taken aback but after a moment said, "Well, you can honey." I explained to him what was involved in curling your hair -- heated rollers, wearing rollers while your hair dries, sitting under the dryer, and so on -- and he said, basically, when can I start?
I set his hair on hot rollers for the first time that weekend, and everybody, including Blair, loved the result. Even my husband admitted that the soft waves were "nice." Blair then asked to wear curls all the time.
I tried to explain to him that it was fine to wear his hair however he wants, and to use rollers and other hair accessories, but that some people might think it was funny or girlish. "I don't care," he said, and I have to say he has never shown much concern about what other people think. Since then I've been setting his hair a few times a week. He wears it in a high ponytail when it's not curled. Gradually he started asking for other styles, and I've gotten him some barrettes and some headbands. After I roll it he often wears his hair pulled back in barrettes or a girl's headband. I set his hair before school, or put it up in a ponytail, or in 2 braids. I'm pretty careful about not having him be seen by his friends in rollers (although a few times he's been out in public in them), but most of the family, including his cousins, have seem him in them.
I've asked the teachers if he gets a lot of teasing at school and they've said that, in general, the other kids have gotten used to it and just accept him. I have not noticed this "warping" Blair or turning him into a crossdresser (although recently, when his sister made the cheerleading squad, he began expressing interest in joining the Pep Squad, which is coed, when he gets to middle school). I have to admit I love it that he takes care of his appearance, and I very much enjoy doing his hair. He gets compliments, usually from women my age, often on his hair. He also gets mistaken for a girl sometimes, which he seems to kind of enjoy. I suspect that he'll turn out to be a crossdresser to some extent and I've talked to a couple of therapists & friends about his hairstyling adventures and, to one degree or another, they all say "Let him be himself."
I think as long as you're careful about separating your motives (enjoying feminine things with your son) from his, you'll be all right. Don't let the way other people think, including your mother, determine your son's personal-appearance choices.
Good luck and please let us know what you decide,
Traci
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i think hes to young, to cause damage to his hair with HEAT! But if your using soft curlers i dont see the problem if he likes it, but then again i think your teaching him that beauty matters a little to much, just let him be aboy and so what if his hair is flat!
Edited by babycheeks24 - September 18 2006 at 6:18pm
As a man who's enjoyed having my hair set (and wearing the resulting styles) for years, I'd like to add my viewpoint: No. 1, obviously you should check in with your son first, and No. 2, if he's up for experimenting with his hairstyle, go for it. It's no more 'wrong' to curl your son's hair than it is to let him grow it out, or to use a blow dryer. They're just styling choices, and having him make moral judgments -- "guys who curl their hair are sissies" -- is far more destructive than letting him make his own choices about his personal appearance. Helping him see that however he chooses to do his hair is fine would be a wonderful thing -- and I can guarantee that you'll enjoy the time spent setting his hair, while he's in rollers, and styling it.
My suggestion: on an upcoming evening tell him you'd like to have some fun and experiment with his hair, and ask him if he'd like to see how it looks with some body and curl. If he likes his stylist, let him know that she suggested it. Then make it a fun evening, maybe watch a movie together while he's in rollers (even better, roll your own hair too). See what his response is and act accordingly. Have fun!
Laney M.
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you can't force a child to keep a certain hairstlye. My daughter Miri told me how this one boy got laughed at all day just for wearing a pink shirt. If HE wants his hair curled then go for it but explain to him its okay if he doesn't want his hair curled. Just try to not put pressure on him k.
Anniex123
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Well, you're undoubtedly right. My husband is a macho kind of guy and anything like that with his son would undoubtedly have thrown him into a fit. I guess I knew down deep that I was doing some really feminine things with my son and I shouldn't have been doing it.
My point was that he seemed to be enjoying it, and maybe he was. But I should never have kept it up after school started again. Kids are tough on kids that look, act or seem different. I knew that and shouldn't have ever sent him to school looking the least bit girlie.
I admit it was my thing, not his. And that was my point to the original poster. Make sure HE wants to have his hair curled, not that SHE wants it.
One thing lead to another and about every day that summer his dad wasn't home I had my son's curlers, perm rods, curling irons, crimpers, hot rollers, you name it.
If you felt that what you were doing to your son was perfectly healthy and normal, then why did you try and hide it from your husband?
I will be honest, I didnt read all of that however I think if he wants his hair curled why not? If the stylist has recommended it then she must feel it will look good. So yeah, if he wants it, go for it!
Anniex123
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First, let me say that if your son would like to have his hair curled or in curls, I think that's fine. But the big question is if he want it.
Here's my experience. when my son (now 22) was 11 he had really long hair. He wanted it that way and we let him. During the summer that year, I talked him into letting me set his hair. The result was gorgeous. I loved it and I thought he did too. One thing lead to another and about every day that summer his dad wasn't home I had my son's curlers, perm rods, curling irons, crimpers, hot rollers, you name it.
You have to understand I loved doing hair when I was growing up with my sisters. Any girlfriend came to me and I was the local hair stylist for my friends. I missed that and when my son gave me a chance I jumped at it. When my husband was gone over night, my son and I had our hair in rollers over night.
Come time to go back to school, his hair was even longer and by now I was enthralled with doing it. He never said a word that indicated to me he didn't enjoy it as much as I did. THen he went back to school and about a week later a friend of mine who is a teacher called me up to say my son was getting teased about his curls at school.
I asked him about it and he said he was. I asked him if he wanted to get it cut and he started crying. I asked why and he said because he didn't think I'd let him. He finally told me he thought I wanted him to be a girl and he was just trying to please me.
I can't tell you how bad I felt. I mean, in the Worst Mothers Hall of Fame, I knew there was a place for me. We got it cut that day. And I never even mentioned it to anyone again. I was so ashamed of myself for being so thoughtless.
So, again I say, if he wants it, fine. But how are you going to know for sure when my son would have let me make a girl out of him just because he thought it would make me happy.
I think better to let boys be boys. It's hard enough for them.
Ann
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Is it wrong to curl your son's hair? No. Will it give him some kind of gender identity crisis? Maybe, maybe not. Will kids at school poke fun at him if he curls his hair? Likely. But more than those questions, what you should be doing is asking your son what he wants to do with his hair. He's at the age where he can start deciding these things for himself.
More awesome than a manatee!
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I agree with anne. First, my own inroduction to curlers was at 13, and my own choice. I WANTED curls and waves. You must talk to him about the options of keeping his hair neat. Pulled back in a pony tail, clipped, waved, or return to the more traditional cuts. Just below the ears lobes, or a modified shag might be nice for him and easy to care for. Please keep us informed of HIS decisions.
I hope your post is a joke. If not, there's one important question you've forgotten to ask, how does your son feel about this? You've given your thoughts and opinions, but it's his hair, and he's an adolescent and should be making these decisions himself. Unless he's really into styling his hair like a girl, I'd say you are doing damage by pushing him, not only pushing him in general, but pushing him in a direction far away from most 12 yo boys. If this isn't a joke, you might want to pose your question to a child therapist and you might learn how to allow your son to be himself, rather than what you think he should be.
I wasn't sure which sub forum to post this, but since it is more about whether or not I should do it, as opposed to questions about actually doing it, I thought I'd ask here!
What I am really seeking is some advice.
My 12 year old son has near shoulder length hair. The last couple of times he has had his hair trimmed, I've taken him to my stylist rather than the ol' barbershop that his Dad used to take him to before he started to grow it.
My stylist thinks longer hair really suits him (she loves long hair on guys anyway) but likes styled hair, not unkempt hair. She told me that she'd really like to see him grow it to mid-back length and then have a spiral perm when he starts college; she thinks that would be totally awesome and that the girls would love it. Anyway, my question....
His hair lacks body etc. My stylist is adjusting the cut and getting a feel fro his hair each time she trims it, but she thinks it could do with some help to look it's best and she's suggested a body perm, but maybe not just yet. She suggested I play around a little bit at home with his hair, using a curling iron, or some heated rollers, or even regular rollers after washing his hair sometime. She said she could do it in the salon, but that it may be better to try things at home first. My skills aren't that great, but I am willing to give it a try.
So.... I am shopping with my mom on Tuesday and since she has more experience than me with rollers, I ask her which ones she thinks would be best as we pass the hair care section. She asked me what I wanted to do with my hair and said she could do it for me, and then I explained it was for my son. She then starts telling me how I can't go and curl his hair, how he is a boy etc, how I am a bad mom for being so stupid and so on and so on.
I didn't buy the rollers with her, but today, I thought to myself how stupid this was and I got myself all fired up went out and got both some velcro rollers and also some hot rollers (I have a curling iron already for my own hair). They are sitting in my closet in a plastic bag right now, unopened and I am doubting myself again.
Am I being silly? Am I really going to "corrupt" my son by curling his hair, putting a few waves/some extra body into it? If so, I guess I had better stop before I start, but I can't hardly believe it. Finally, if I am being silly and should just go ahead, any suggestions for introducing my son to something unusual, and I guess something he might consider more feminine related to his hair? I'd like him to enjoy this experience too and reassure him about this. I'd really like him to understand that rollers, perms etc, are just tools that can make hair look better, but I am not sure what other people think (except my mom of course!!!).
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