This is more of a cry for help than a best practice post. Sure, we’ve found a few things to help with my daughter’s unruly hair, but every day is still a battle with no end in sight.
You see, my 3-year-old daughter has been blessed with long beautiful hair, that doubles as my worst nightmare. Getting her to look presentable is my full-time job. She, like most toddlers, hates getting her hair brushed. It causes major tension in our household twice a day….when getting ready for school and when getting ready for bed. I’ve tried bribes, fun hair accessories, pink brushes, anything to get her engaged and cooperating.
In addition to my daughter’s strong-willed aversion to a hair brush, I’m battling her baby hairs. You know them… the wispy baby bangs that never seem to go away! Her texture is very soft, so her hair slips right out of an elastic. To see her face, I must apply more clips and tools than imaginable! The supplies on my kitchen counter each morning look as though I’m running a salon! I’ve purchased every type of hair elastic, barrette and hairbrush on the market in an attempt to appease my testy toddler.
If she does let me brush and style her hair for the day, I’m moving faster than the Indy 500. It’s only a matter of time before the clock runs out and she bolts! I see her classmates with beautiful French braids and elaborate hairdos and am green with envy! I feel like I need to take a hair braiding 101 class to keep up with the other moms, not to mention that my daughter would never sit still that long!
I’ve found a few tips and products that do help a bit and thought I’d share. Hopefully these tips can help another struggling mom because man, it’s hard!
Get a Wet Brush – I don’t know how this sorcery works, but if you use it on sopping wet hair it goes through fairly easily.
Condition Twice – We use one conditioner in the bath and then spray in another one while brushing teeth.
Use a Spray Bottle to Wet Hair – A hairdresser friend recommended I use a spray bottle filled with a water/conditioner mixture to wet down my daughter’s hair prior to styling. I am going to try this out!
Little Clips, SO MANY Little Clips – I stash these smaller clips all over the house, in the diaper bag, etc. My daughter always seems to have hair in her face. I particularly love the ease of these clips by Ryan & Wren.
Cut out Hair Elastics – It took me a long time to realize that I’d be saving many tears by clipping out her elastics with a small pair of scissors or a seam ripper!
Ditch the Winter Hat – Okay, I’m mostly joking with this one. Just another reason to hate winter!
[easy-image-collage id=41476]
So, if you see my daughter in the school newsletter with hair covering her eyes know that I am cringing at the same sight! Whenever I see a picture of her from school, looking sloppy, I feel like a failure! Why do we place these unrealistic expectations on ourselves as moms? I’m not sure, but know that I would never judge your child’s appearance! I may be envious, though of her gorgeous French braid!
