British mother, Charlie Hayes, 22, took self-expression to the next level on TikTok by dying her five-year-old son Jasper’s hair in rainbow colors.
The Folkestone, Kent native has a long history of clashing with the other mothers at Jasper’s school for her clothing choices and now, her son’s hairstyle.
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A Learning Curve
Hayes admitted that the hairstyle could cause regret later, but she didn’t want to hinder her son’s self-expression. Jasper asked for rainbow-colored hair for his birthday because it was his best hue, and his mother obliged.
Protecting Her Son From Trolls
She sectioned his long, blonde hair into seven parts at the back and colored each part in the unique rainbow colors . Then, she wrapped his hair in a bun. Hayes has since deleted the video to protect her son from online trolls as he suffers enough abuse in real life.
Celebrating Pride
The 22-year-old mother admitted that her eccentric fashion choices influenced Jasper’s favorite color as she’s taken him to several Pride parades.
Although the bold fashion choices could become embarrassing stories for Jasper, Hayes believes it’s part of his self-discovery.
Inspiration Comes From Art
Personally, Hayes considers fashion as self-expression and she draws inspiration from art in her surroundings including cartoons, movies, and books.
An Unconventional Mother
The 22-year-old is tattooed and loves campy outfits, including mini skirts, colored-tights, and bright makeup. Unfortunately, these fashion choices made Hayes a target at Jasper’s school, as other conventional mothers considered her offensive for being different.
There’s No Standard Way To Be A Parent
In one of her TikTok posts, the 22-year-old said she enjoys challenging norms especially people who didn’t think someone like her could love being a mother.
Don’t Lose Yourself
For Hayes, being a mother doesn’t mean losing herself; hence, she stays true to her eclectic fashion in the face of criticism.
Different Personality With Jasper
Per Kent Online , Jasper still has a personality different from Hayes as he hates Pink despite it being the dominant color in her wardrobe.
The Folkestone Residents Were Receptive
Hayes told the publication she moved to Folkestone from Canterbury, and the school-run parents there are more amicable. They encourage her daily, unlike the online trolls who always have something negative to say.
Following School Policy
The 22-year-old said she’s a good parent and her son’s school policy allows self-expression such that the rainbow-colored tresses won’t get him in trouble.
Inspiring Another Mother
To which Hayes obliged, one of the other mothers at Jasper’s school requested the same rainbow hair treatment for her child. The real-life experience differing from the online reactions doesn’t surprise the 22-year-old, but it amuses her.
She Has Some Supporters
She told Kent Online that it was baffling for strangers to feel that strongly about her child, although Hayes got a few supportive comments, like one which said colors aren’t gender specific.
The Staff Is Always Nice
Hayes also praised the staff at Jasper’s school saying they’re always nice to her and exhibit no prejudice to her youth or outfit choices.
Women Trolls Hurt Her The Most
Despite learning not to internalize the hate from the comments, Hayes told Kent Online that it’s upsetting to read harsh words from other women. She doesn’t understand why they nit-pick at her alternative lifestyle.
Wearing Whatever She Likes
Many commenters accuse her of abusing Jasper despite not knowing anything about Hayes. A video of the content creator wearing a graphic top that read “Make Peace Not War” caused an uproar as mothers accused her of promoting gun violence.
Staying True To Herself
Despite those scathing misconceptions and comments, Hayes has no intentions of changing herself to fit societal standards of motherhood.
Haters Need Therapy
The 22-year-old fired back at her critics saying they needed therapy to address the parts of themselves which felt okay with trolling strangers.
She’s Not Trying To Condition Him
Hayes cleared all misconception about her parenting saying,
Happily Ever After
The 22-year-old made a case for self-expression and breaking biases. She lives happily with her son, and haters won’t take that from them.
Last Updated on March 3, 2023 by Chisom Ndianefo
