Because Leila Danai is one of only a few Black children in her preschool, her mother has talked with her about what to say if someone comments on her hair.
Leila was paying attention.
In a now-viral TikTok video, Leila, 4, shares with mom Mildred Munjanganja how she responded to a classmate who remarked that he didn’t like her hairstyle.
When a classmate said he didn't like her hair, Leila says in the clip, "I said, 'I like it!'"
She continues, “He said, ‘I don’t like that hair — it’s crazy. And I said, ‘My mommy made it. And if you don’t like it, I’ll keep it for myself.”
Leila then flashes her mom a megawatt smile.
“Oh, baby! I’m so proud of you,” Munjanganja exclaims. “You stood up for yourself. That’s what matters. What matters is that you like it — it’s your hair.”
“Mmmhmmm,” a beaming Leila replies, as she nods her head in agreement.
Munjanganja tells TODAY.com that self-confidence begins at home. For example, she’ll ask Leila for her opinion on an outfit.
“Sometimes she’ll say that she doesn’t like the color, and then I’ll back with, ‘Well, I love it, and I think it looks great on me,'" explains Munjanganja, who lives with her family in Florida. “I’m trying to reach her that you don’t have to internalize the opinions of others. And I’m ecstatic that our conversations are really sinking in.”
In the comments on the video, many people praised Munjanganja's parenting.
“She’s always been very emotionally mature and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I don’t modify my language for Leila. I talk to her as if I would an adult — we just talk about age appropriate things," Munjanganja says. “My goal is to prepare her to navigate the world around her because I can't always be there to protect her."