3 Ways To Help Our Little Princesses Love Their Hair

3 Ways To Help OurLittle Princesses Love Their Hair

By Terez Howard

I ask my daughter, “How do you want me to fix your hair?”

“I want my puffs. Ilike them big, real BIG, because I like to squeeze them.”

After I fix her puffs as big as I can get them, she standsabout 2 inches from the full-length mirror in our hallway and gives them a goodsqueeze. She’s obviously very pleasedwith the results.

“My hair is like yours,” she says excitedly.

My 4-year-old loves her curly hair. After a no-poo wash, I swear that she’s goingto get whiplash from whipping her hair. Although she believes her hair is just like mine, it isn’t. She is half white. And I have micro locs.

Happy with my hair

Before Micah was born, I learned to love my naturalhair. I have been determined to ensuremy daughter loves what she’s been given - her skin, her nose, her toes and yes,her hair. Children learn byexample. I love my hair. The Girl wants to be like Mama, so she lovesher hair.

That means that I don’t complain about my hair texture. I do not talk about limitations associatedwith my hair. And, I certainly do notlong for “good hair.” She will neverhear me talk smack on my own hair.

I take pride in my hair. I show off that pride by trying out a variety of hair styles. I show off her hair with a plethora of hairstyles, as well. This way, she can seethat her hair doesn’t need to be fried or altered chemically to look cute. That is exactly what our little princessesshould know.

Hair talk

Like I said before, my daughter is 4. But I don’t underestimate her capacity tolearn. She knows that Mama’s locs willnot come out, that I have to retighten my roots, why I needed to braid and bandduring shampooings, why I braid her hair at night, why we use a Denmanimitation, why she gets regular trims, and I could go on and on. Now, I certainly don’t sit her down and puther through Naturalicious Hair 101. Yet,as we go about our day, we talk about everything we do. That includes what we do with our hair.

Take time to explain what and why you do what you do to yourhair and your daughter’s. For a4-year-old, just a couple sentences suffice.

Micah likes to share what she knows about hair. Just recently, she very matter-of-factly toldher 3-year-old friend, “My Mama has Sisterlocks.” Like the old adage, knowledge is power. That power gives her confidence.

Show natural love

My daughter loves Nonna’s waist-length, straight, blackhair. She loves Mama’s micro locs,too. She and I compliment hair stylesfrom women of all hair textures. Together, we show our appreciation for the hair on various ladies’heads.

Spending time to speak well of various textures shows thatwe don’t favor anyone. It’s not allabout straight hair or just curly hair or only locked hair. We don’t avoid giving praise where praise isdue. We take time to appreciateeveryone.

Our little princesses deserve to feel beautiful with whatGod gave them. We can engender thispride by what we say, what we do and how we feel.

Terez Howard
Freelance Writer, Editor and Naturalista

Writing/Editing: www.thewritebloggers.com

Natural Hair: www.naturalicioushair.com

E-mail: terezhoward@yahoo.com