Is it really a big deal to raising a redhead? Apparently there is a whole website dedicated to the proper steps that a parent needs to take in order to bring up a red head without with them turning into some sort of… i don’t know, ginger vampire? Raising Redheads is a parenting magazine that:
Raising-Redheads.com is a parenting magazine dedicated to redheads and their families.
Ill give it a nod for being a very informative website about redheads (although not as informative as us of course) such as tour genetics and how prevalent we are in the world. But what really grinds my gears is just that it seems to try and set us apart from everyone else. Its like saying you there are special steps that you need to take in raising an asian or black child. A little red hair doesnt require a different battle plan with a child. Maybe they will get teased when they are growing up, but thats not something that any other child has to deal with when growing up.
Not that i dont doubt the authors sincerity about loving redheads (she is one herself), all i am saying is that it is this type of website that just continues to perpetuate the belief that gingers not the same as everyone else. When will the world see that gingers deserve to be treated just like everyone else!
2 Responses
Deb says...
Hi.
I’m the ‘author’ of the website ‘Raising-Redheads.com’ that you’ve written about here. I’m actually happy that you found my site and do welcome your comments. BUT I’d like to clarify a few things:
1) I’m not a redhead myself, but a mom of 2 redhead daughters.
2) The purpose of my website is to celebrate redheads and share common experiences of families with redheads! — not as you said: “to perpetuate the belief that gingers are not the same as everyone else” (at least in a negative way) — hmmm, well I guess I happen to believe gingers are different but in a wonderful way — that redheads ARE beautiful, talented, special, unique individuals created by God….and YES absolutely do deserve to be treated like everyone else.
—- BUT the fact is they DO stand out, ARE noticed more! And yes, sometimes as a parent it does require a “different plan” raising redhead kids because they ’stand out’ from the crowd. As parents, we noticed the attention started the very DAY our own ginger daughters were born and continued growing up — boy people DO notice and comment about ‘the hair’ and the ‘freckles’ …! (see my ‘About Me’ page). The fact is the attention was there whether we asked for it or not and we had to deal with it.
There are other ‘redhead websites’ and I wanted a different slant from a parent’s point of view. Parents raising gingers DO feel special, love seeing other families with redhead kids, and feel a common bond plus are aware of a few different issues because of that red hair/fair skin and we feel very protective. (See my ‘Interview’ with author Nicole Giladi who talked to parents/families of redhead kids across the US…)
Anyway, I’m sorry if it offended you in any way, as that was not my intention but to support other families and individuals with similar experiences… and yes share my love of redheads too because they’re gorgeous! If you are a ginger, I think you are doubly blessed, set apart by God to display His glorious creation, and I don’t apologize for that.
Anyway, thanks for listening,
Deb
John K. Morris says...
Hi Deb, looks like I’m becoming a regular. Nashville
songwriting great Don Schlitz, THE GAMBLER plus many
other great songs, is a red head. John Morris