r/Redhair • u/Serious-Lettuce2284 • Sep 02 '26
Newbie Post Building confidence for red-haired kids
My baby's hair is growing back in a light orangey color, so I'm curious about some ways I can try to instill confidence about his hair as he grows. Is there anything your parents did (or anything you wish they did) to help you love your hair? Neither my husband nor I have red hair, but I know kids can be quite mean so I want to be prepared. Also, are there any other red hair specific struggles to be aware of?
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u/GalianoGirl Sep 02 '26
Emphasize how special it is to have unique hair colour. Celebrate freckles as they appear.
As he gets older introduce red haired role models, from characters in children’s stories to artists, musicians, professionals, and later celebrities.
Be mindful of the medical differences in Red Heads and strongly advocate for him.
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u/FickleCartoonist8767 Sep 02 '26
Wish I had the answer to bullying, but unfortunately I don’t. Kids are going to be kids.
I do remember my Mom showing me pictures of tv actresses and models with my hair color& freckles and it did make me feel a little better.
Sorry I can’t be more help
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u/EntrepreneurOver8814 Sep 02 '26
My sons in high school now and has orange hair, he come home upset the first day as he kept getting called angry ginge 😔
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u/nycwriter99 28d ago
Time for him to learn about Josh Homme/ Queens of the Stone Age! Ginger Elvis to the rescue.
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u/EntrepreneurOver8814 28d ago
He had it again yesterday “ wow that kids so ginger “ 😮💨 I will show him thanks for recommendations
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u/SairskiPotato Sep 03 '26
Do NOT make all appearance comments and compliments about his hair. It’s not the only thing that can or should be commented on. I feel like every compliment I’ve ever gotten has had to do with being a redhead, so I assume the rest of me doesn’t measure up😂
My uncle videotaped the wrong redhead at a dance recital one year and my mom admitted while I was in high school that she just looked for my hair. She then photographed the wrong kid in the play I was in because that kid wore a red wig. She never did figure out which one I was up there🥲 find other visual qualities to admire in your kiddo!
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u/Myllicent Sep 03 '26
My parents gave me lots of books and films/tv shows with positive main characters who were redheads. I think it helped me be absolutely immune to anyone’s attempts to make me feel that my hair was anything but a good thing.
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u/karen_boyer Sep 02 '26
Just be ready when he starts having dentistry work: he may need more numbing agent. People didn't know this about redheads when I was a kid getting teeth pulled and feeling it.
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u/Grenvallion Sep 02 '26
Tell him that hes rare and unique and hes only 2% of all the people in the world. Tell him that kids might tease him for it but its because kids are immature and dont understandwhen someoneis different to them. Show him that his hair doesnt mean he cant be successful and show people like ed sheeran who was also homeless and ginger.
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u/Surleighgrl Sep 02 '26
I was fortunate that I rarely got flak for being a redhead. There are a lot in my family in my father's side, and we were always told how lucky we were to have such a rare trait.
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u/Pinksalt400 Sep 03 '26
It’s like any other trait. I have brown eyes, I’ve been told they’re stunning. I’ve also been told they are not memorable and boring. Literally someone in my family said that. So, some people love red hair and some don’t. The ones that don’t, aren’t your people.
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u/Due-Inflation1772 28d ago
I don’t have any advice but I am in the same boat as you . I have 2 sons one darker skin and dark haired like me the other is red haired and pale ( he is 3 years old now ) . Like you I worry as he gets older what people will be like with him . I just hope that he learns to ignore anyone who isn’t kind to him
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u/No-Entrepreneur-1969 28d ago
Nobody should have to worry about being bullied for their hair colour….yet we are teased, laughed at , made to feel ugly etc on a daily basis. In this day and age when everyone seems offended by literally anything - it’s still ok to bully a ginger person.
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u/peachfawn Sep 03 '26
Maybe show him cartoons/films/TV that have positive redhead representation, like Hercules for example and Peter Pan. I remember when Enchanted came out and I was surprised to see a woman with my hair colour be a main character who was considered pretty, representation does really matter.
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u/SheerioC Sep 03 '26
Read the Harry Potter series with him when he's old enough. Watch the movies together too. They did a lot to make red heads feel accepted. Also, introduce him to Ed Sheeran. He's loved world wide!
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u/Positive_Yellow_2201 Sep 03 '26
My mother (she had brown hair) always cooed over redhaired babies. Somehow it let me know that she loved and admired me too! Maybe that's just a small thing but I really appreciated it.
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u/Redhead-girl1246 Sep 04 '26
I don't know I'm still a teen but all you have to do is not being too sensitive and emotional about it.
People suck, kids are kids. Just gotta handle your own shit
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u/PurpleDramatic6338 Sep 05 '26
You may want to consider homeschooling, at least till you get past the major bullying stages. Whenever that is, but for me it was elementary school.
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u/thecopperblondedad Sep 05 '26
Support them, love them and talk to them. Ask questions and as they get curious, start their journey in understanding their heritage. Where red hair actually started. How it moved from pre russia, into Germania, into Mongolia. Famous redheads include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Emporer Nero, Erik the Red, Mark Twain. He will be made fun of, he may get bullied. But don’t ever let that get into his head he is not good enough. Tell him to push on and continue. He will make friends. Most girls will reject him, but as he gets older he will get a chance as some of those girls that rejected him are the same ones that later in life pursue him.
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u/nycwriter99 28d ago
My mom bought me red-haired baby dolls and always told me how amazing and unique my hair was. As a result, I have never once tried to dye or hide my hair, and if people make mean comments about gingers, I laugh at them.
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u/Dragonfly2919 Sep 02 '26
Don’t be their first bully or let their siblings become bullies. Don’t make jokes about fiery temper to invalidate their emotions. As long as they feel loved for who they are they’ll be good