With more white parents adopting black children, hair care for them is a needed lesson

Chicago Tribune ^ | April 10, 2011 | Bonnie Miller Rubin

[ConservativeStatement]

In the African-American community, the significance of hair cannot be underestimated, a source of either self-esteem or self-doubt. So for white parents of black children, making sure their youngsters are well-coiffed is as much a priority as good nutrition and potty training.

This reality came into focus recently at a sold-out workshop, "Caring for Afro-textured Hair and Skin," at the Cradle, an Evanston-based adoption agency.

"People are judged by the way they look," said Julien Drouet, a white father of Lily, 3, and 10-month-old Victor, whom he adopted with his partner, Brandon Walt. "I don't agree, but if we want to help our kids, we need to know how to do this."

[MrB]

Did you see the Ramirez cartoon the other day?

It showed 0bama with a HUGE afro with the label “deficit” on it, and he asks the barber to take just a little off the top.

[faucetman]

This is a spoof right? This isn’t a serious story is it?

[yldstrk]

When I needed to assist my mixed race niece with her hair when she was about 6, I just asked the first black lady I saw at the drugstore in the hair care section. “Pink Lotion” was big back then.

[clbiel]

“People are judged by the way they look”-

That should say “ I judge people people by the way they look” , Mr. Julien. Fair enough?

[momtothree]

We know one married couple (a man and woman) who adopted two black children. They simply wanted to be parents and we live in a state where that is acceptable. That being said, they did their homework. For example, black babies/children need more moisture in their skin so they used baby oil a great deal. They also found a beauty and barber shop visited by blacks mostly and talked to the owner. They were welcomed and they never had a problem with hair breakage etc... They are wonderful parents and the kids are now healthy, smart teens. Their son is a fantastic hockey player (yes, I said HOCKEY) and colleges are already snooping around for possible future scholarships. Just a thought.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

" They argue that parents not of the same race are unable to provide adequate cultural understanding and experience to prepare a child of a different race to navigate society."

Considering what passes for "culture" in the black hoods of this country, I'd say that it is a good thing. As far as navigating society, if you are raised not having the "whitey holdin' us down" mentality drilled into your head, you have a much better chance in life.

[faucetman]

Take a pair of scissors, with the thumb in one hole and the index finger in the other hole. Move the scissors close to the subjects head. Engage the hair you want to cut in between the two blades of the scissors. Close the scissors by moving your thumb (still inserted in one of the holes), to meet the index finger (still inserted in one of the holes), thus cutting the hair engaged between the two blades of the scissors. Repeat this procedure until the amount of unwanted hair is removed.

[rolling_stone]

How about they do an article about birth control and self control and maybe there would be less adoptions and more responsibility? While they are at it looking at the one couple, they may want to throw in some nutrition advice.

After looking at Bozo and how he turned out, I wonder how the kids Julien and Brandon have adopted will turn out, Lord help us. It’s stuff like this that makes some think about pro-choice as maybe the lesser of two evils.

Sorry but I dont see gay adoption as a family value. There is a reason two gays don’t reproduce.

I cant wait to see the liberal “studies” showing the kids grow up “normally” from this environment./s are we at end times?

[Kenny Bunk]

Now there is a kid who never took Shop. I would pay good money to see his first lesson on the lathe.

[Kenny Bunk]

Mr. B., America has had a collective Bad Hair Day ever since 53% of us decided to vote for a Collectivist.

"Take a little from the top?" OK. Mind if I start at the necktie?

[Jaidyn]

This is from someone named Mariska Hargitay: “We were considering both international and domestic adoption and we’re thrilled that this is the way our prayers were answered,” she told People. “We talked a lot about mixed-race adoptions, and we are very excited that we are now a multi-racial family.”

Mariska is the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, who was beheaded in a car accident.

[Jeff Chandler]

This reminds me of the time 30 years ago when I was dealing with a shipment of nasal spray. I saw the label “Afrin” and thought it was an ethnic hair care product.

[Red Badger]

He’s a great player, though I hate the Steelers.............

[Red Badger]

Know a guy who had long hair back in the 70’s and 80’s that was a machinist. Got his hair caught in the spindle once..............

[Hacklehead]

“People are judged by the way they look,” said Julien Drouet, a white father of Lily, 3, and 10-month-old Victor, whom he adopted with his partner, Brandon Walt. “I don’t agree, but if we want to help our kids, we need to know how to do this.”

I’m pretty sure gay people are allowed to use Google.

[Nonstatist]

In the African-American community, the significance of hair cannot be underestimated

It doesent get more pathetic than that.

[B4Ranch]

Did he get it shutdown before his face became wall ceiling floor art?

[antiRepublicrat]

I’ve seen this many times around the military with a black soldier, a white wife, and a little girl with extremely screwed-up hair because the wife was clueless on how to maintain it properly.

[Twotone]

“This goddamstoopid article has been running at least once a year in some goofy form or other in the MSM since the late 1960’s.”

Actually, it seems very timely to me. We just discovered the Oregon Legislature is contemplating a new bill...

HB 3584 FIRST PUBLIC HEARING: Directs Department of Human Services, in consultation with Oregon Health Authority, to provide training to foster parents regarding appropriate ethnic aesthetic care for children of African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian-American or multiracial descent.

[USMCPOP]

Style is important.