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The bottom line is: strangers love to question where your child got his/her red hair from. For some families where both parents are redheads, it’s a no-brainer. But, you may know the red hair gene is recessive and can be passed down from generation to generation without manifesting a redhead for centuries. You might be or know a rare natural redhead who can honestly say you they have no idea where their hair came from, but for most families, they can pinpoint a grandparent, aunt or, uncle who was a redhead. For families with adopted children, the answer isn’t always as easy. This post is for anyone who has adopted or is adopting a natural redhead and you need guidance on how to answer questions.
1. Just say they’re adopted
Of course, if your family is open, you can say the child is adopted and it must be somewhere in their birth family’s genes.
2. “It runs in the family”
Sometimes a quick excuse can be a lifesaver. Take for example, a family who adopted a red hair boy and is concealing the adoption wrote into Miss Manners, the online advice column by the Washington Post. They state they are adopting their 2 year-old nephew who has red hair, but since the child is so young, the nature of his adoption has not been explained to him. The writer has been getting questions about where the hair color comes from. Since the child is a relative of the adoptive parents, you can easily say, “It runs in the family” with no more questions asked.
3. Act bewildered and shocked: “We don’t know”
For families who don’t have this easy explanation, it can be hard to navigate. A great thing to say is,“We’re shocked too! Red hair is a recessive gene, so who knows.”
4. You don’t owe anyone an explanation of where your child’s hair color comes from
This is the truth. Red hair is a unique feature and your child is sure to get questions for the rest of their life, so take some time to think about how you want to explain it to them. It can be confusing for children with red hair who are from a family of non-redheads, but science is an easy way to explain that red hair can pop up at any time.
Here are a few more ways you can respond:
1. “I got it from the gene pool!”
2. “My hair decided to be its own unique color.”
3. “It’s a special edition feature from my DNA.”
4. “I like to think I borrowed it from a fiery dragon.”
5. “Genetics played a colorful hand in my hair palette.”
6. “I blame it on my rogue ginger ancestors.”
7. “My hair decided to stand out in the family portrait.”
8. “I guess I won the genetic lottery in the hair department.”
9. “I like to think I stole it from a sunset.”
10. “My hair’s just as independent as I am.”
11. “It’s my secret superpower – fiery locks included.”
12. “I traded my natural hair color for something more adventurous.”
13. “I guess I got the ‘spicy’ edition of hair genes.”
14. “I’m the rebel of the family, even my hair decided to be different.”
15. “It’s the result of a cosmic collaboration between genes.”
16. “My hair’s a storyteller; red seemed like a vibrant chapter.”
Rock it like a Redhead!
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READ: Ginger Babies Were Not Desired, Now They’re Preferred: What Changed?
