I got my first one after school on the last day of 3rd grade. I was so happy because earlier that day in class, I commented to another black girl that we had the same hairstyle (ponytails all over twisted with barrettes on the ends) and she rolled her eyes and said her hair looks nothing like my nappy head. I thought having straight hair would make me more popular. Didn't work out that way :| Kids are cruel, plain and simple.
My sister also got her first perm that day. She was only 5. That was a terrible decision that caused her years of bad hair. She decided to go natural at 13 and her hair has never been healthier. In my case, I never had any issues with relaxers, so I continued to use them for the next 17/18 years. I finally decided to go back to natural earlier this year. Seeing all the possibilities that natural hair has, I wish I had never had a relaxer and that my mom knew some of the things I now know about managing my hair.