# Do children fear facial hair? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2002, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-children-fear-facial-hair/121777 "2002-07-31T23:56:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-children-fear-facial-hair/121777/21 "2002-08-02T14:38:06Z")
My 2 year old daughter is scared of thick beards. My mom’s boyfriend has this HUGE black beard that looks like a cat is perched on his face and the kid won’t go anywhere near him. When he shaves it off, though, she will. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-children-fear-facial-hair/121777/22 "2002-08-02T19:51:47Z")
Don’t know about beards but I do know what will scare a little kid. I have long hair and wear glasses, sometimes I will flip my hair over my face and then wear my glasses to look like Cousin It. Well when I do it around little kids they usually get scared. I have stopped doing it around little kids. ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2002, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-children-fear-facial-hair/121777/23 "2002-08-04T10:28:52Z")
Echo the “it’s what they are used to” comments. I’ve noticed kids are fascinated by hubby’s goatee (and accompanying side stubble if he doesn’t trim). They just look at at him quizically. My nephew wasn’t bothered by it at all and his dad’s (biological and stepdad) are sans facial hair. Grandpa has always had some kind of facial hair though. I remember as a wee kidling - probably aged 5 or so - when my dad had a full beard and moustache. He said he was going in for a shave. Being fascinated I went to watch. When I realised the hair was coming off I left the room in tears. He came out a few minutes later. He showed me that all the hair was still there… on **ONE** side only!! :eek: He had shaved one side and left one side. I was so freaked out I wouldn’t go near him for a couple days (he was clean shaven but I was still freaked to no end). Hubby’s goatee is normally quite thick and bushy. He lets it grow for some time, then will have a trim and thinning session. The first time he did it I burst into tears. He looked **SO** different… It takes me ages to get used to the new him after each trim. Must still be traumatised… ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2002, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-children-fear-facial-hair/121777/24 "2002-08-04T10:47:30Z")
I’ve got two nieces (3 & 2) whom I only see occasionally since they live on another island. And they are fascinated by my beard. “Beard” was one of the older ones earliest words although she said it Beawd and always with a scritching motion under the chin. They love it. When they’re older you can have the joy of given them “Whisker rubs.” Be sure to shave a day or two before. Boy my dad used to give us those a lot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-children-fear-facial-hair/121777.md?page=1)