To dye, or not to dye....

[betsy]

....my hair.

I took after my mom. My hair is mostly white now. My current and previous employers know that I'm a very energetic person, I worry though about the interviews with prospective clients. They don't know me. That first impression worries me.

Do you find that a white or gray head matters a lot to parents?

[Momof4]

My hair is kind of silvery in places but the hair that still has colour holds onto a blonder or redder shade that I like better than my natural colour, then the silver frosting shows through after about a week. I don't know if it's my imagination but I feel like I have better luck signing on clients after I have coloured my hair.

As you said, my former clients know that I never take sick days and have good health and energy levels (most days) but the new ones are thinking, hmmmmm how old is this lady and is she going to be active for the next 3 years for my child. I see their point of view so put my best foot forward during interviews in every way possible.

But I have more white hairs than my Mom for pete sake, I take after my Dad. Were you thinking of a colour?

[apples and bananas]

If I were a client interviewing I probably wouldn't care about the colour. I might see it as having more experience.

[playfelt]

My hair is getting the streaks in it too - 55 here and I don't think it is so much about the hair telling our age as how we dress, how we carry ourselves, our setup, etc. Parents care more how competent we are so if you are slow to get up and hobble across the room they are less likely to go with you no matter what colour your hair. Your vibrancy should come out in what you tell the parents, what you show them about the kinds of things you do with the kids, your enthusiasm for doing daycare. How many years you have done it is like a built in reference and I think one of the reasons many who come with me don't bother contacting my references and rely on the fact parents for 28 years have been for the most part happy with my services that is good enough for them.

I have no plans to dye my hair as it goes grey but I do plan to keep it washed, permed, cut, etc. so that no matter what colour it is it looks like I care. I think that is more important to parents.