Head lice are extremely common. Between 6 and 12 million people, mostly children, get them every year. But this doesn’t stop the misinformation from spreading. Even with the internet, many people still believe these pests only happen to ‘dirty’ people. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Unfortunately, the misinformation that surrounds head lice deters people from being honest. However, the more people lie about their experiences with lice, the more lice will spread. This is why honesty is the best policy.
If you recently learned that your child has lice, it’s important to let the school nurse or daycare provider know. You should also have a conversation with friends, family or neighbors you’ve been in contact with recently. This way, they can check for lice immediately.
Here are some tips for telling your friends that your child has head lice.
Imagine the Roles are Reversed
Think about how you would want your friends to handle this situation if the roles were reversed. Would you want them to lie and not tell you? Or would you appreciate a head’s up so that you could check your child for lice? We thought so.
Your willingness to tell your friends shows that you care about them and their family. This conversation may not be easy, but your pals will appreciate your openness. And once it’s out in the open, you don’t have to be embarrassed of what your child might say!
Share Facts, Not Fears
A bit of education goes a long way in keeping people calm. Unfortunately, there is a very real stigma regarding head lice and it’s not necessary. We’re not saying that people should enjoy having lice but rather that lice are not dangerous to your health and they don’t carry disease. They are simply a nuisance.
Be prepared to educate your friends on this. Be empathetic (no one wants lice after all), but share real facts with your friends. Specifically:
- Lice can happen to anyone. They have nothing to do with being clean or dirty.
- Lice are 100% treatable. There are plenty of safe, effective products that will get rid of lice in 1-2 treatments.
- Kids don’t have to miss school. When a child has a confirmed case of lice, they can return to school as soon as they receive one lice shampoo treatment.
Tell Your Friends What Treatment You Used
Let your friends know which head lice salon you took your child to, or which treatment products you used. But be sure that you do your research first so that you can recommend the best lice treatments for kids!
Sadly, most store-bought products contain harsh ingredients like insecticides or pesticides. You don’t want to recommend these to your friends! Point them in the direction of My Hair Helpers. Our products are made from all-natural, non-toxic ingredients and include shampoos, conditioners, lice repellent sprays, nit combs, lice removal oil/mousse and more.
Having this conversation may not be easy, but your friends will appreciate your honesty. You’ll feel better, too, knowing that your friends can get ahead of the lice before they spread to other families in the community.
