Mom Feels Self-Conscious About Hair—Then Sees Portrait Her Daughter Drew
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
You can always count on kids to unintentionally point out your insecurities. Take Rachel, 43, for example. She was already feeling self-conscious about her thinning hair when her 7-year-old daughter Lily handed her a portrait.
The drawing featured a bald-headed stick woman with squiggly lines coming from the ears—meant to represent curls. It didn't take long for the clip to go viral on TikTok, amassing 1.7 million views on Rachel's account (@nhmama781).
"When I saw the drawing, I thought it was funny," Rachel, from New Hampshire, told Newsweek. "I know she didn't draw it with the intention of hurting my feelings. Kids are brutally honest, and I feel like I'm pretty self-aware, so it made me laugh."
Two screenshots showing Rachel drinking through a straw and the drawing.
Two screenshots showing Rachel drinking through a straw and the drawing.
TikTok/@nhmama781
Rachel explained that her hair started thinning after becoming a mother. According to the American Pregnancy Association, 90 percent of your hair is actively growing at any given time, while the remaining 10 percent enters a resting phase. Pregnancy and postpartum changes can disrupt this cycle, causing noticeable hair loss.
In Rachel's case, the issue was worsened by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition where cysts develop on the ovaries, often leading to fertility problems. One of its symptoms is hair thinning.
"I used to have thick curly hair, and it has thinned considerably over the past decade—since having kids and from PCOS," she explained.
While Lily may not fully understand why her mom's hair has changed, she certainly brought some humor to the situation.
TikTok Reacts: 'A VIOLATION!'
As of now, the May 24 clip has racked up 193,000 likes and over 900 comments.
"I laughed before you even showed it—I knew what was coming. A VIOLATION," one user wrote.
Another added: "Kids are so innocently SAVAGE."
Many viewers chimed in with their own experiences. One person said: "Mine love to draw me fat. All the rest of them get these stick figures on the page and I'm a whole oval with arms and legs."
"They draw the most brutally honest portraits. My kid always includes the capillaries in my eyes, and any acne," shared another.
What Children's Drawings Say About Their Minds
According to a 2011 study analysis, children's drawings can reflect their inner world—emotions, personality, and even challenges they may be facing. Here's what certain features often indicate:
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