Woman Helps Detangle Daughter’s Friend’s Hair, Her Dad’s Fiancée Blows Up And Threatens To Sue

Parents will do absolutely anything to help their children. And sometimes, that means extending a hand to their kids’ friends as well. But apparently, they have to be careful not to step on anyone else’s toes while doing so. 

One mom reached out to Reddit seeking advice after she found herself in hot water for simply trying to help her young daughter’s friend. Below, you’ll find the full story, as well as some of the replies readers have shared.

This mom didn’t hesitate after her daughter’s friend reached out asking for help with her hair

Two teenage girls smiling and talking, one wearing a heart print shirt, illustrating woman helps detangle daughter's friend’s hair.

Image credits: Karolina Grabowska / Pexels (not the actual photo)

But not everyone was thrilled with the girl’s newly detangled hair

Text excerpt about a woman helping detangle her daughter’s friend’s hair and the resulting conflict with the father’s fiancée.

Woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s severely matted hair causing conflict with her dad’s fiancée threatening legal action.

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair causing conflict with her dad’s fiancée threatening legal action.

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair, dad’s fiancée reacts angrily and threatens legal action.

Woman helping detangle daughter's friend's blonde hair with a black brush against a gray curtain background.

Image credits: KoolShooters / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair while the situation escalates with her dad’s fiancée threatening legal action.

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair, causing conflict with her dad’s fiancée who threatens legal action.

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair, causing conflict with her dad’s fiancée and legal threats.

Woman in blue sweater gesturing angrily indoors, reflecting tension related to detangling daughter's friend's hair conflict.

Image credits: Liza Summer / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text excerpt discussing a woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s hair and a fiancée threatening to sue over cancellation.

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s long hair, sparking conflict with her dad’s fiancée threatening legal action.

Teen girl in denim outfit sitting distressed on doorstep illustrating woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair conflict.

Image credits: Pixabay / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Later, the mom provided an update with more details on the situation

Text update explaining hair detangling issue linked to depressive episode and embarrassment over matted hair condition.

Text excerpt discussing a woman helping detangle hair and a dad’s fiancée reacting negatively and threatening legal action.

Woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s hair while her dad’s fiancée reacts angrily and threatens legal action.

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair while her dad’s fiancée reacts with anger and threats to sue

Text excerpt describing a woman helping detangle daughter's friend's hair and ensuing conflict with her dad's fiancée.

Woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s hair causes dad’s fiancée to threaten legal action in family dispute.

Text about a dad stepping up for his daughter after a woman helps detangle her friend’s hair causing conflict.

Man in black hoodie sitting with head in hand looking stressed or upset indoors on wooden floor background

Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair while her dad’s fiancée angrily threatens legal action.

Text of a woman describing blocking and screenshotting messages involving her dad’s fiancée in a family conflict.

Text message about daughter’s friend staying over and concerns about her relationship and belongings being collected.

Image credits: NiorNightingale

Young woman looks upset and reflective indoors, illustrating a tense family conflict involving hair and relationships.

Image credits: meijii / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Mental health issues can often take a toll on an individual’s personal hygiene

In a perfect world, we would all have soft, clean and healthy hair. But in reality, it’s not always possible to look like the models in a shampoo commercial. And among the many factors that can impact personal hygiene and the health of a person’s hair is the state of their mental health. The mom who shared this story noted that A’s matted hair was the result of a depressive episode, which is perfectly understandable.

According to Healthline, is it common for mental health issues to manifest in an individual neglecting their personal hygiene. Depression often causes immense fatigue and a lack of motivation. Getting out of bed and into the shower to wash your hair can feel impossible when you barely even have the strength to stay awake. 

Brushing hair can also be a challenge for a depressed individual; it might even be physically painful. As time goes on, these tasks can seem even more daunting, as brushing or shampooing your hair will likely become more difficult after days or weeks of not doing it.   

Woman gently detangling daughter’s friend’s long red hair with a wooden comb in a close-up view

Image credits: Beyzanur K. / Pexels (not the actual photo)

With patience, matted hair can typically be detangled

When it comes to matted hair, although it’s not ideal, Healthline notes that it’s not always necessary to treat the problem with a drastic cut. It may be possible to detangle the hair through saturating it with a detangling or moisturizing conditioner, loosening it gently by hand then with a comb, rinsing it with cool water, and then combing through the hair again. 

Once hair has been detangled, future matting can be prevented by regularly brushing and washing the hair, using moisturizing shampoos and conditioners, sleeping with hair in a silk scarf or bonnet, trimming the ends of the hair regularly and using protein treatments on the hair from time to time.  

While A’s hair in this particular story was impacted by her health issues, she’s only a 13-year-old girl, so she should not be held fully responsible for her own hygiene. And according to the Child Protection Company, seeing a kid with poor personal hygiene, such as unwashed or matted hair, might be a red flag that they’re experiencing neglect.

Woman gently helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair in a calm home setting, focusing on care and patience.

Image credits: Artem Podrez / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Parents are responsible for their children’s hygiene, and ignoring it can be considered neglect

BetterHelp explains that child neglect is “when a parent fails to provide sufficient emotional, physical, or financial support for their child,” and it can have long-term psychological impacts on an individual. Parents are responsible for providing for and protecting their kids. So if they’re not ensuring that their little ones are healthy, housed and fed and clean, they are increasing their risk of developing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression or PTSD.

When it comes to how kids and their parents can support friends who appear to be neglected by their own parents, Kids Help Phone recommends being there to listen to them, showing them support, reaching out to see how you can help, believing what the friend tells you and checking in with them frequently. And as a parent, if you feel it’s necessary to involve authorities or a third party, don’t hesitate to reach out to a hotline such as the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline.

Feel free to share your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing a parent helping out their child’s friend, look no further than right here. 

Readers assured the mother that she did nothing wrong by trying to help her daughter’s friend

Commenter explains legal threat after woman helps detangle daughter’s friend’s hair, sparking fiancée’s anger.

Comment discussing a woman helping detangle a girl's hair and concerns from the dad’s fiancée.

Comment discussing a woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s hair and the dad’s fiancée’s extreme reaction.

Woman helps detangle daughter's friend's hair while dad’s fiancée reacts angrily and threatens legal action.

Woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s hair while dad’s fiancée reacts angrily and threatens to sue.

Comment discussing woman helping detangle daughter’s friend’s hair and resulting family conflict and threats to sue.

Comment expressing surprise that the daughter’s friend’s hair wasn’t combed out before causing conflict with dad’s fiancée.

Screenshot of a supportive comment about a woman helping detangle her daughter’s friend’s hair amid threats from dad’s fiancée.

Comment discussing a woman helping detangle hair and a dad’s fiancée reacting angrily, threatening legal action.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!