“Mama, can I have green hair for picture day?” my 4-year-old chimes, her voice playful and full of curiosity. Typically, such a request might come from a tween or even a teenager, but here we are.
“Maybe we can try a braid or something?” I suggest, hoping to redirect her excitement.
“Okay, Mama. But I really want to look pretty like you.”
Cue my heart melting into a puddle. Three reasons why:
- She wants to emulate me. (Yes, I currently sport green hair.)
- She sees me as beautiful.
- She thinks my green hair is beautiful too.
It’s that time of year again—picture day at preschool is fast approaching. The teachers have been buzzing about it, sending emails, and even sticking bright stickers on our kids’ clothes that boldly proclaim: PICTURE DAY IS TOMORROW. WEAR BRIGHT COLORS. DON’T FORGET YOUR SMILE.
Got it. Picture day in all its glory.
Before my daughter’s green hair request, I had no intentions of making her look anything out of the ordinary. No fancy dress, no special hairdo. Who has time for that? I certainly didn’t plan to wake up early to fuss over anything other than my own morning routine—where a swipe of deodorant is the height of my primping. It’s a miracle we even make it out the door on time most days. Picture day was set to be just like any other: comfy Gap play clothes, a messy ponytail, and well-worn sneakers.
But then, her request for vibrant green locks got me thinking. “Wear bright colors,” the sticker said. Why not give her the green light? We happen to have that Halloween hair spray-paint from last year lurking in the closet. It would definitely work, but it stains everything!
Then there’s option two. A plethora of Manic Panic hair dye jars sit in my bathroom, just waiting to be used. I could easily dip the ends of her hair.
Did I mention my daughter is only 4? Yes, I recognize it’s a bit wild to even consider dyeing my young daughter’s hair in vivid colors.
But when your little one expresses a desire to mirror you—especially in a bold way—it’s hard not to swoon. It’s one thing for her to admire my eyes or my rings, but when she says, “Mama, I wike your wips!” while admiring my bright red lips, it’s a different level of sweet. Or when she exclaims, “Mama, I wike your nails!” while pointing to my blue claws.
In our suburban town, unconventional styles are rare; it’s more of a capris and flip-flops, vanilla-everything kind of place. The only other “different” person she’s seen recently is me—and that other mom with purple hair at library story time last week.
So does her affection for my red lipstick, black nails, and tattoos mean I’ll consider her requests? Absolutely! Okay, maybe I’ll save the lipstick for weekends, but I’d love to paint her nails a fun color. And, of course, we can totally do fake tattoos.
My mom was always creatively accepting. She let me go to school with multicolored pipe cleaners in my hair, a jewel on my forehead (thanks, Gwen Stefani), and even a spiky dog collar around my neck. It was my way of expressing myself.
If it weren’t for some of the strict policies in my daughter’s school handbook, I’d have no qualms about dyeing her hair. But I’ve decided to choose my battles with the school system. I find most of their rules limiting to kids’ creativity. Let’s face it, many public schools in the U.S. do a great job of educating creativity out of children.
It’s important to me to reward my daughter for thinking about beauty in unconventional ways. Green hair could be just the start of her journey towards appreciating diverse beauty standards—different body types, skin colors, and hair textures. So after picture day, we’ll unleash the green hair chalk and take some fun selfies, all in the name of redefining beauty.
If you’re interested in navigating similar parenting challenges, check out this insightful resource on family building options at Resolve. And if you’re considering starting your own family journey, you might find helpful tips in our post about home insemination kits.
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Summary: When a young girl dreams of having green hair for picture day, it captures the heart of her mother, who reflects on the importance of individuality and creativity. Despite the school’s limitations on expression, the mother vows to honor her daughter’s wishes post-picture day, embracing colorful self-expression as a pathway to understanding beauty in various forms.
Keyphrase: green hair for picture day
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