Head lice is a common problem that can affect people of all ages, and it is essential to treat it promptly to prevent it from spreading. However, some people find killing head lice a problem. One Aussie mom is adamant that she does not want to kill the lice in her daughter’s hair as she is vegan.
A Different Stance
Most parents desperately try to kill every last lice and egg found on their child’s hair, but vegan parents may think differently. Some vegans believe that it is necessary to kill head lice to prevent them from spreading and causing harm, while others believe that it is wrong to kill any living creature, even one that is causing harm.
The Mom Left People Scratching Their Heads
As the mom’s story unfolded, people were left scratching their heads at the thought of a mom deliberately avoiding killing the lice in her child’s head. The story hit the headlines when the mom’s concerned neighbor wrote to an advice column to see if there was any way she could encourage her to change her mind.
The Mom and Neighbor’s Daughters Are Friends
The neighbor explained to readers: “My seven-year-old daughter is best friends with the girl next door, whose family are vegan. That’s fine; we respect their choice… my problem is that recently this otherwise delightful child was at our house and scratching furiously, and I discovered she was crawling with head lice.”
The Neighbor Tried to Talk to the Mom
The neighbor did the right thing in talking to the mom of the child with lice, but things did not go to plan. The neighbor said that after talking about the nits to the girls’ mom, the mom said she was aware of them but didn’t want to harm them as “vegans don’t kill living things.”
The Mom’s Solution Didn’t Sit Well with Her Neighbor
Instead, the mom said that she was trying to comb the lice out in the garden in the hope that they would all come out of her daughter’s hair. The neighbor, however, said “ “I don’t want to separate the kids, but there’s no way ‘“combing them into the garden” is going to work, and I don’t want my daughter covered in vermin.”
Treating Head Lice
There are several different ways to treat head lice, including using over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and home remedies. However, some people, such as vegans, may choose to avoid using specific treatments because they contain animal products or because they have been tested on animals.
The Agony Aunt Responded in a Surprising Way
In a surprising response, the Agony Aunt the neighbor wrote to deemed the mom a “sanctimonious twit.” The Agony Aunt also said that the woman was a “monster” for allowing the nits to experience a long and painful death as they would not be able to survive in the garden.
Playful Advice Was Offered
To end her response to the neighbor’s letter, the Agony Aunt suggested the woman take matters into her own hands when she said she should encourage the two children to “play hairdressers and remove the lice herself.” Joking aside, the Agony Aunt told the woman that she would need to be sensitive in her actions so she did not upset the mom or her daughter.
The Advice Was Floored
One online reader commented that the advice was not very well thought through when they said, “Even if you take the advice and “play hairdressers” to remove the lice, the poor girl is still going to go back to the same house that is likely infested with the lice. The vegan mom is also likely to already be carrying the lice and would just give them back to the girl.”
Readers Offered Their Advice
The story gained a lot of interest online, with one person offering more formal advice. They wrote, “Tell the school (who will keep the kid out of school until the lice are gone) & they’ll have to send a note to all the other parents.” While this advice would be helpful for other parents in the girl’s class, it would still not resolve the issue of the initial source of lice unless the school did not allow the girl into class.
There Are Concerns over the Child’s Health
People were astounded by the mom’s actions and could not believe that she would be so thoughtless. One person said, “This is SO STUPID!!! Allowing unfettered access to your child’s blood can, over time, result in death due to lack of red blood cells.” Many others thought that the actions of the mom amounted to abuse and hoped that somebody would step in to help her.
There Are No Clear Laws
There are no laws in Australia that specifically require parents to remove nits from their children’s hair. However, some laws require parents to provide their children with adequate care and attention, and this may include taking steps to remove nits. As one piece of advice said, the most likely scenario is that if a child has nits, the school may contact the parents and advise them to take steps to remove the nits. The school may also send the child home from school until the nits are removed.
My Kid Is a Furry and I Feel Out of My Depth
Husband Leaves His Wife at Starbucks While He Boards The Plane Sparking a Huge Debate
Mom-To-Be Praised for Standing up to Her Stepmom Who Is DEMANDING to Be Her Birth Partner
Man Begs His Girlfriend to Uphold a Sexist Tradition So She Makes a Good First Impression
Future In-Law Risks Ruining the Bride’s Day as She Refuses to Abide by the No Children Rule at Her Wedding
