Why doesn't anyone ever say anything about celebrities dyeing their kids' hair? Isn't it a bit odd for small children, such as Gwen Stefani's son, to have dyed locks?
—Shellytron, via the inbox
You speak of Kingston Rossdale's blue mohawk—not even a fauxhawk, mind you, but a real mashup of buzz razor, blue dye and a mysterious Dippity Doo-like substance—which, sure, is quite unusual for a 5-year-old.
But is there really any harm in it?
"It is odd," psychologist Dr. Jenn Berman, author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids, says of the celebrity kiddie dye trend. "But most celebrities have very creative minds, and come from a business where the boundaries are very different. A celebrity is more likely to let children experiment with their looks."
For the most part, the practice is harmless, she says.
"If you're a celebrity, you come from a culture that reinvents itself aesthetically all the time," Berman notes. "I don't think there is a harm in letting your child dye their hair. The only way it would be harmful is if it's a symptom of a lack of boundaries."
Like what, you may ask?
"Say, if the child doesn't have a regular bedtime, if he or she can get away with treating people poorly—the hair dying can be a sign of a parent that never says no. But if it's just a sign of creative parents, it's more of a positive thing."
Bring on the Manic Panic!