A Guide to Parting Natural Hair

Did you all have a fun holiday weekend? Here in the land of perpetual November, we huddled together for warmth and made hopeful plans for a summer that may or may not come. We did some hair too. I'm going to do things a little differently today. I'm going to show you the cornrows I did for Little B, but I'm not going to talk about the style. I want to show you the process I used to get clean parts for each row.

Little B's hair had spent the week in two puffs, so all but the very ends were stretched. Her hair was rinsed in the puff style the day before we braided and coconut oil was added that night before bed. The next morning, I took the puffs out to begin the styling session. I had dry, stretched hair with an old zig zag part line to work with. Her hair was still pretty detangled from the last style; I didn't do any additional detangling before I began parting. We went from this:

to this:

This is how I parted this as I went.

The first step was determining where my first row would go. The fist row was the only one were I had to part both sides. I like to make things difficult for myself so decided I needed that first row just to the right of her old part. I took a rat tail comb and gently eased it parallel to her scalp where I wanted the part. I lifted the comb slightly until I felt a bit of resistance.

I used my fingers to tease the hair apart along the part-line-to-be. If I encountered any bad tangles that I couldn't work free with my fingers alone, I added a little leave-in for some slip, which helped the individual hairs glide past each other with the aid of my fingers.

With the hair divided in rough part, I held my rat tail at about a 45° angle to the part, moving it down the entire length of the line. I used the point to even out the part by lifting and separating any hair that was in the wrong spot.

When I thought the part looked pretty good, I took my pin tail comb, that's the scary-looking one with the metal end, and lightly dragged the point down the part line. This comb allows the stylist to move individually hairs easily. Early on in a styling session, I'm that fussy, later, not so much. 

Next, I added a styling pomade with hold along each side of the part. This is to help define the part, moisturize the hair and help hold the fuzzies in a little longer than without pomade at the base. I happen to like pomade or styling cream, but other butter and gels are great too. 

I used my fingers to work it in to the and then spread any leftover through the entire section of hair I parted off.

That's may seem like a whole lot of steps for a part, but once I got into a rhythm, it went pretty fast. I worked clockwise around her head and each subsequent part only required one line. I took the time to make these parts better than my normal parting because I find styles look better longer if the parts are clean and crisp.

Fortunately, Little B's hair is easy to part. Her scalp is densely packed with follicles and the hair stays were I put it - for the most part. She does have a few patches that present a challenge. It seems logical that the fewer follicles there, the easier it would be to part. After all, there is less hair to place on one side of the part line or the other. I think the opposite is true though. In the less dense parts, a few tiny hairs out of place really show up. Like this:

Other factors affect how the parts come out too. Beside follicle density, strand diameter, how much wiggle there is in the scalp, the child's ability to sit still, and curl pattern can all impact how parts look. Whether they are styled damp or dry can make a big difference too. If you aren't sure how to get the best parts for your little one's hair, pick up a comb and experiment - just do it gently.

Tomorrow we'll talk about braiding the actual cornrows.

Summer Hair: Bike Helmets

We all know that kids need to wear helmets while riding bikes and scooters or while rollerskating, but there are a few little tips I'd like to share with you that make for an even safer experience.

• Hairstyles
• If you know your child will be riding a lot, choose a style that allows for the helmet to sit as near to the head as possible. That may mean cornrows, twists, or braids, but not necessarily. Loose hair gives Little R the best helmet fit. Consider your child's own unique curl pattern, hair density and diameter. 
• Remove all hard decorative accessories before putting the helmet on. This includes ballies, clips, barrettes, and anything with plastic or metal pieces. If your child falls, the last thing she needs is a hard hair accessory jammed in her head. Ouch. 
• Fit
• Always have your child try on a helmet or three before purchasing. You may want to go to a bike speciality shop and ask for help with finding the proper size. You may find a better fit with a small adult helmet than with a helmet for children. 
• Adjust the straps to accommodate each new hairstyle. 
• Here is an excellent video on proper fit:

• Buy a new helmet when:
• The old one is getting a little snug, or if the current helmet is not a good fit.
• The helmet is cracked or dented. It's smart to replace it if it has absorbed the impact of a fall, even if there is no visible damage to the helmet. Once the foam inside the helmet has been crushed, it cannot provide adequate cushioning for another impact.
• The buckles are broken or damaged.

• Don't forget:
Helmets can easily snag on playground equipment, causing injury. Be sure your child removes the helmet after they are done riding, or scooting, and before they hit the playground equipment. 
There are different safety standards for skateboarding helmets. If your child is a skateboarder, be sure to buy a separate helmet that meets the safety standards for that sport. 

Happy Riding!

Saturday Spotlight: First Braids

Last week we featured some first twists and this week we have some first braids. It's such an honor to see all of these first styles done by confident moms who are taking great care for their little ones' hair. Today's baby style and care routine is shared by Mama C and 11 month old daughter Little S.

We brought Little S home from the hospital at 2 weeks old. Her hair so soft and wispy - it always smelled like lavender baby shampoo, ahhhh those were the days. Now that she is a big girl, we have finally found a routine that works for us. We co-wash every other night with Hello Hydration, using a little for leave-in after bath. Once a week, we detangle with the Tangle Teezer (which requires what feels likabout 1/2 bottle of conditioner; and mommy gets in the tub too!) After bath we work in some coconut oil, seal with jojoba oil (only once or twice a week for that though), finish off with So Precious Detangler Moisturizer. We usually leave her hair loose or pull a tiny twist across the hairline. We use a conditioner/water mix for a refresher and cocounut oil as a daily leave in. Her baldy patches have grown in and her hair is soft, shiny, and pliable.

Last night I got brave. I was taking out our usual hairline twist for bath time when it dawned on me how long her hair is getting! I decided I would try one braid after she fell asleep in my arms. Well, one turned into five and I was so excited. I was combing and parting in the dark and my hubby was the pony-hander-offer.  Not ideal, but hey, you do what you can do, right?  They were a little crooked this morning, but I weighed them down with snaps and off to Baby School we went!  Everyone said she looked so mature in her new hair 'do, and I feel pretty darn proud if I do say so myself.

You have every reason to feel proud, Mama C. Completing a first braided style is a wonderful feeling and you did a terrific job! Thanks for sharing the experience with us.



You all want to submit a Saturday Spotlight, don't you? Get the details here!

Just for Fun Friday: The Musical Edition

I switched up Little B's hair to two cutie-pie pig tails with a zig zag part for a music performance she and her class were giving at school. Later that day, she was walking into her guitar lesson carrying her guitar on her back and I had to laugh. Her pig tails were sticking out from either side of the guitar bag just so.

Those of you who regularly check out the Happy Girl Facebook page may remember that I mentioned I was looking for a trumpet for myself. I don't play or anything, but I've always wanted to. Look what came my way...

A smelly old suitcase? Yeah, well kind of. It's a case and it does stink. But check out what's inside.

That's right. It's a beautiful trumpet that's almost as old as I am. 

Isn't she pretty? I named her Chicky Baby, which is also what I shout out as a warning before "playing" her. My mute is on the way, so I won't be driving the family, pets, neighbors, and neighbor's pets nuts much longer. I did make a noise that got somewhere in the vicinity of actual music the other day, but I think it was a fluke. 

Do you play an instrument? Which one?

Where in the World is Little R?

Has anyone been wondering where Little R disappeared to? When I last posted about Little R three weeks ago, it was a 10 minute challenge. Before that I did a video on how to finger style loose hair. Preceding that, a short and sweet styling session. Anyone see the pattern?

She's been pretty clear that she is not into having her hair done, or doing much of anything I would like her to do. It's been a little like living with a grumpy teenager in a tiny six year old body - which sounds like it would be funny if it were someone else's child. It's been endless pony tails and headbands that go with whatever she'll deign to wear from her wardrobe. The other day, I sensed her mood was pretty good and her resistance at a low ebb so I jumped in and suggested a style for a special day at school. I must have been convincing and she must have been feeling generous because she agreed.

Even so, I knew I had to make it snappy or things could get ugly. I spritzed her hair pretty well, added leave-in and sort of, mostly, detangled. I parted off some random medium sized sections from the hairline to  just past the crown of her head. I added some styling cream to each and cornrowed them, clipping the ends to hold the rows as I went. When I finished, I parted a line from ear to ear just below where the cornrows ended. I started cornrowing at her right ear and continued across the back of her head, removing the clips and incorporating the ends of each cornrow as I went. I banded it all on the side and left the rest to hang down.

I don't have any photos of the process because we did this one standing at the bathroom mirror to give her the sense that it would be quick. I wasn't quite as fast as I'd hoped, but I didn't want to scare Little R off by asking Little B to run and get my camera.

What a relief to see something other than a pony tail. Oh wait. I guess it is a pony tail. Darn.

2 Hour Detangling + Styling? Not so much.

I had some high hopes for our hair sessions this past weekend. I was going to get things done. It started out okay with quick washes and cooperative children, but it all went downhill when I sat down to detangle Little B's hair. We had followed up three weeks of twists with a twist out, then a hair trim, and then four days of loose hair. That was a bad, bad plan. Not only did we have lots of trapped shed hair from the twists, but some of the hair that was trimmed got caught in the coils even though I rinsed her hair as soon as we got home from the stylist. And there it all sat for four extra days. That was not my finest hair care moment.

After I finally did wash and condition her hair, we made ourselves comfy in front of the TV and got down to detangling. I parted her hair down the middle and worked on the left side first. I must have been really engrossed in what I was doing or really amused by the old Pee Wee's Playhouse episodes we were watching because it didn't seem like it was taking all that long. As I finished the left side of her head, I was alarmed when I looked at the clock and realized an hour had gone by. It normally doesn't take an hour to do her whole head.

It was at that moment I let go of every single plan for the day. Little B's planned style? No. Styling Little R at all? Nope. A family bike ride? Not gonna happen. Cooking dinner? No ma'am! I let the girls watch cartoons in the morning so we got a late start as it was and I knew I'd be two hours in without even coming near a style. My entire focus was on finishing Little B's detangling and putting in some kind of quick style to keep it from tangling so much for the coming week.

It did take another full hour to do the other side. Little B was a champ all though it. She didn't complain once. Well, maybe once.  When I finished, I had that center part to work with so I quickly made it into a zig zag part using my rat tail comb.

I braided two big, kinda lumpy cornrows on either side of the part and ended them in little puffs. They weren't great, but they sure were fast. The next morning, I picked out the puffs to deflect attention from the cornrows and decorated them. My cornrows were so slapdash and I had to employ some little bobby pins to tuck stray bits in. I hope to switch this up some time during the week to relieve any stress on her hairline and make the whole thing look a little neater. Maybe I'll eve find time to style Little R's hair (not that she cares).

I'm hopeful next week will be better. And next time, I'm washing and detangling immediately after a trim.

One to 1,000

I dont ask my readers for a lot, but I'm asking you to read this and take action.

Bill Gates has just issued the following challenge:

I need your help in making the case about why small farmers (in developing countries) are so important. In fact, I want you to share your best ideas and help spread the word…At the end of the challenge, I’ll highlight few of the best entries.”

The Adventure Project, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and funds for effective social enterprises, is in the midst of the Grow initiative. This program supports the efforts of Kenyan social enterprise Kickstart. Kickstart develops, launches and promotes simple money-making tools poor entrepreneurs use to create their own profitable businesses. Kickstart has developed a line of portable irrigation pumps they call "The MoneyMaker." Kickstart entrepreneurs then sell these affordable pumps to rural Kenyan farmers. The entrepreneurs make a living and the farmers are able increase production like never before.

What does this have to do with Bill Gates? Well, 80% of the poor in Sub-Saharan Africa are subsistence farmers, and their children go hungry. A Kickstart pump can increase a farmer's yield by 1,000%. Yes, 1,000%. That not only means the children are fed, but there is something to sell at market. Income means medical care, and education. Income, medical care, food, and education lift families out of poverty.

We have just 8 days to stand together and get Mr. Gates' attention. If The Adventure Project's Grow campaign can be featured by Bill Gates, it could mean big things for small-scale farmers. We need 1,000 people to show Mr. Gates we understand the importance of the small-scale farmers and are committed to supporting them. It's really simple to be part of this, all you have to do is create an about.me page for yourself highlighting why you are passionate about ending hunger and supporting small farms in the developing world. You can even use images provided by The Adventure project. When you are done, register your about.me url on The Adventure Project's One to 1,000 page so you can be counted. The complete instructions can be found here at One to 1,000.

Did I mention that there is money on the line? If we get 1,000 people in the remaining 8 days, sponsors will donate over $12,000 $14,000 to the Grow campaign. Last I heard, we were at 95 103 129 almost 200 people and if we get to 1,000 I'll pony-up for an irrigation pump too. I'm betting we get there.

You can be 1 of 1,000 can't you? (Yes, you can!)

Saturday Spotlight: First Twists

I like all of our Saturday Spotlight submissions, but those celebrating firsts always make me really happy. Today's first is a whole head of twists done by Mama CF for her darling two year old, Ms. V.

Ms. V joined our family when she was 11 months old... with the tiniest little coils we had ever seen.  It was tough, but we suppressed our styling-desires until her hair reached 5 inches soaking wet.  Between 11 - 23 months, we washed/conditioned/ detangled once a week (using Blended Beauty products alone) and moisturized daily, sometimes with coconut oil and sometimes with a leave in. Her hair grew insanely fast and just before her second birthday, we got brave.

Armed with freshly washed and detangled hair (along with a big bowl of popcorn... Ms. V's favorite), we tackled her first "full head" style: Rope Twists... the style I loved most even before we met Ms. V. Honestly, it's probably some hybrid of 2-strand twists and rope twists... my first attempt!) We did no parts, no bands, and just used Blended Beauty's Jelly Cream to add some hold to her damp hair.  She did fabulously and sat still for the 40 minutes it took me to figure it out. Her movie of choice: The Polar Express... in April. But hey, it worked.

The twists only lasted a few days before the fuzz-factor took over the back of her head.  The biggest surprise of the whole experience - how much we loved the twist out on her sweet little face. She loved both styles too, and kept telling her mirror image how pretty her hair was. I am excited for the many options and styles in our future!

Thanks for sharing your beautiful daughter with us, Mama CF. Her hair is gorgeous and those twists were precious!


Hey Everyone, want to be featured in a future Saturday Spotlight? Get all the details here. 

Just for Fun Friday

 When she has a big afro, I really should put her helmet on for her.

A Good Twist Out, Finally.

I thought I'd take a minute to show you all how I ended Little B's little twist style. A really good twist out eluded me for a long time, I figure maybe it eludes some of you too and this will be helpful. I washed her twists a few days before the twist out so her hair would be clean before a scheduled trim. I think that helped the twist out too; the ends were loosened a little by the wash. When twist out time came I gathered together my supplies, set her down in front of her homework and got to work. My supplies included only a rat tail comb, a pin tail comb and coconut oil.

I coated each twist with a little dab of coconut oil and then rolled the twist in the opposite direction in which it was originally twisted. I only needed my comb to undo the ends of a few twists. For those few, I used the end of my pin tail to ease the hair apart. The rolling motion loosened the twist and from there I was able to gently separate the two strands while keeping the pattern intact. I tried to capture that on camera for you but I needed both hands and the photo was just a big blur. 

This is what the twists looked like just before unraveling. This was twisted counterclockwise to begin the unraveling process.

Twists in...

Twists out!

You'll notice I didn't use any water or water-based product. I've learned the hard way that it destroys the twist pattern. If simply taking the twists out is the goal, some water and conditioner is super helpful, otherwise an oil like coconut will provide a little slip without messing up the look of the twist out. I was surprised that this whole thing took about half an hour, surprised too when Little B said she was done with her homework after about ten minutes. I think this was the only week all year she didn't have a mountain of homework to do.

We only had to maintain this for a day or so because we had a trim scheduled, but I'm pretty sure it would have lasted a few days with the use of her sleep cap and a little more coconut oil to keep it happy.

Washing Little Twists

Little B has been wearing little twists for about three weeks. I've co-washed them to freshen her hair a little and I've moisturized her hair regularly, but this weekend it needed a real wash. I've been asked to share how I go about washing twists without making them super fuzzy. I'm not sure I do avoid making them fuzzier, but I can share my process for washing them.

We started with twists that were curly in some places and sticking up in others. I absolutely cannot remember what style I had them in, which is scary considering it was only three days ago. Was it a knotted style? Pig tails? Braids? I don't know, but whatever it was made the twists really goofy.

Using the hand held shower head, I wet her hair well. I was careful to hold the shower head at least a foot away to diffuse the pressure from the spray. I took a small amount of low lather shampoo and gently massaged her scalp with it. I kept my fingertips on her scalp and ignored the twists. As I rinsed, the shampoo and water flowed down the twists, cleaning them as well. 

I used a whole lot of conditioner over the twists. I didn't really manipulate the twists or conditioner much. I sort of patted the conditioner on all over. After a few minutes, I rinsed that too again keeping the shower head at least a foot away. 

I had used an old T shirt to absorb some of the water and then had her shake her head to help the twist straighten out. I added a lotion type leave-in and let them air dry. 

This what the twists looked like after the wash but when still damp. The ends looked a little neater as they dried and curled. Two days later I was able to take it all out for a great twist out. I'll cover the twist out process in my next post.

Hair Care When Mommy Isn't There

cc licensed flickr photo, by Ben Husmann. 

A few of you have asked me to write about hair care when mom has to be away and the kids will be cared for by someone else. I've done my best to help a few people develop a plan, but I have to confess that since my girls came home over three years ago, I haven't spent a single night away from them. Not one.

That's going to change soon. Early this summer the girls will be spending a few days with their grandparents as we head off to a friend's wedding. Grandma will be responsible for making sure the girls' hair is presentable and cared for during days that I'm sure will include swimming, lots of playing with cousins, and maybe even a trip to an amusement park. That's going to be hard on their hair.

Our normal vacation hair plan won't work for this situation. I know Daddy Grandma, as she is affectionately known, is going to do a great job. I also know that I've only given her about a ten minute tutorial and even less hands on experience with the girls' hair - and that was last year. My instructions will be followed to the letter because she's the absolute best about that kind of stuff but she can only do as well as my prep work and instructions allow.

My plan is to do little twists for Little B. I think that's her most durable style and easiest to care for. I considered cornrows but I feel like my cornrows need to be babied to look good for a long time. The twists will need a quick spritz with water, a shake and a headband. At night, she just has to put on her sleep cap.

Little R is a bit tougher. Her styles last a week at most and only if they are watched and adjusted every day. We'll be going with loose hair for Little R, maybe I'll throw a single cornrow along her hairline before I kiss her goodbye and jump in the car. It will have to be braided or put in a pony tail at night and taken down in the morning. It will need to be sprayed, moisturized and lightly finger styled. Hopefully a headband will be all she needs. If it's super hot, it will be easy to put in a pony tail.

I plan to leave their Grandma with morning and evening instructions but hope to limit what she has to do to a total of five minutes for both girls. I'll bring an empty spray bottle, a leave-in, instructions, and accessories. I'll also bring conditioner and a detangling comb, but will co-wash and detangle Little R when I get back. I'm skipping anything nonessential and although coconut oil would be great for all that swimming, every cosmetic I travel seems to leak all over the place despite double and triple bagging, so I'll skip it.

That's the plan. I'll let you know how it works out. How do you all handle this type of thing? What do you do if you have to be away for more than a few days?

Getting Sand (and Other Stuff) Out of Kids' Hair

I had a sandbox when I was little. It was a homemade wooden box, set under a pine tree. I remember spending hours there, even though it was often full of sharp pine needles and icky crawling things. When I wasn't afraid of the insects skittering over my bare feet, I enjoyed it immensely. My girls have a sandbox too, it's a pain when sand gets everywhere and it takes up too much space in our tiny yard, but the pleasure it brings them is palpable. I may insist they wear hats to minimize the sand-in-hair potential, but I coulnd't deny them that simple childhood joy because it takes me time and effort to remove sand from their hair.

Sand, mulch, glitter, freshly cut grass, and funny bark shavings are a pain to get out of hair. That's a fact. We all have days when we have to weigh whether or not we'll have time for removal before giving the okay to play. I don't think many of us impose an outright ban on playing at the park, playground or beach because they might be all sorts of stuff in their hair, therefore the day will come when we have to spend serious time getting out whatever worked its way in, even for those of us making hats part of the routine.

Bigger stuff, like bark chips and grass are pretty easy to remove. They can be picked out using finger tips or rinsed away with a hand held shower or kitchen sink sprayer. One of our best local playgrounds is covered by inches of what one of my friends recently described, with a equal parts disbelief and disgust, as bark shavings. It's not mulch, bark chips, or bark dust, and the tiny, strange shavings get absolutely everywhere - in hair, in shoes, down little pants, and stuck to sweaty faces. It's a great playground otherwise, but I can' imagine what committee thought that would be a good idea. That stuff is a littler harder to remove than regular bark chips, but it can usually be picked out. My friend once successfully vacuumed it out, but she wants me to point out that she used a long, central vac hose with no moving parts. They did the whole family's hair in sections and the kids were greatly amused by how their hair, and their mom's, stuck straight up after. Vacuuming with a long hose attachment may work in some instances, but please don't use a mini vac or anything with moving parts near the head.

Sand is trickier, and usually requires some kind of wash. I have had excellent luck with the hand held shower, but other people like to soak the hair by having the (heavily supervised) child lean back in the tub so her hair is submerged, but her face is above water. A Happy Girl FB reader suggested a waterpik, which seems like an excellent idea. A shampoo wash or the use of a lot of conditioner helps remove sand better than water alone.

Protective styles work so well in summer for so many reasons, but they can be a lot of trouble when stuff gets into them. Getting sand out of a head full of cornrows can be far more challenging than getting it out of loose hair. When the girls have an elaborate style during the summer and we are headed somewhere sandy, I double and triple check that we have a hat. That helps protect the scalp exposed by the part lines from too much sun exposure. If they do get sand in their braids, I spray them gently with the shower head, add a generous amount of conditioner on top of the style without really rubbing it in, and then rinse. It isn't ideal, but it does remove some sand. Although I haven't tried it, the soaking method would probably work well for cornrows too.

Sand can be difficult to remove, but compared to glitter it's a cake walk. Time is a great glitter remover. Seriously, good luck trying to rush it; that stuff is tenacious. Hope you like sparkles!

Has your precious babe put something else in her hair that won't come out easily? Superglue? Gum? Check out my Hair Emergencies post!

Summer Hair: A Good Hat

Little hats make me feel nostalgic. A big sun hat with tiny strings to tie under a chubby little chin is deliciously babyish. I bought a lot of hats for the girls' first summer home, but we ended up using just two, and then later only one. I want to show which we used because a good summer hat not only protects their faces from the sun, it is excellent protection for the hair and scalp. They help keep sand, freshly cut grass, and wood chips out. I put them on my girls every time we were headed to the beach, the playground, or backyard sandbox. They were great to have in the car on the days the window sun shades weren't enough, and the girls couldn't dodge the sun because were confined by their car seats.

Both of my favorite hats were really cheap. The first was a floppy brimmed sun hat with a print of cherries all over it. It had generous strings that were held together with a tiny bit of velcro. Amazingly, the velcro never once got stuck in the their hair and the strings stayed together once the hat was on. I got them at Target and it came with matching sunglasses. I think I paid less than $8 per hat and I've seen new versions at Target every single summer since. I was just there and the selection was pretty good. These are usually made of polyester and feel soft and a little satiny, perfect for hair that is just growing in. This type of hat is great for infants and toddlers who don't have a ton of hair because the crown isn't often generously sized. When choosing one, look for a really wide brim for lots of protection and something that can be washed quickly and easily.

Once my girls' hair started to really fill in a bit, I bought adorable toddler-sized hats in sweet plaids and dots from children's clothing stores. They matched their summer outfits, but not one ever fit well or stayed on. One summer afternoon, we were at the drugstore and passed an enormous cardboard box of fisherman's bucket hats sitting under a sign that said Hats, $5. I dug around for two white ones in small and plunked them down on the girls' heads. They were adult hats but they were a good fit. For a while, when they weren't wearing their floppy sun hats, they wore their bucket hats. When their hair outgrew the sun hats, they wore the bucket hats exclusively. The great thing about bucket hats is that the crowns are so roomy. I found these could accommodate even a pretty big afro and any other style I wanted to try.

First summer in bucket hats

They wore these for two summers and while the hats may not be pretty, the girls looked pretty cute in them. I loved that these were inexpensive, durable, and could be thrown in the washer and dryer when they got dirty. These hats are generally 100% cotton, and while I wouldn't use a cotton hat in winter when moisture retention is key, in summer it doesn't seem to be an issue for us at all. Bucket hats can be purchased all over the place in every pattern and color, but I like the cheap plain ones best. They are appropriate for boys and girls, kids and adults. I plan to buy the next size up this summer, I hope the same drug store has them.

Second summer in the same hats.

I know someone is going to ask me how I got them to wear hats at all. Let me tell you, I insisted. I did not back down even if someone cried. Little B was always willing but there were plenty of times Little R wanted to play in the sandbox without a hat. I made her stay inside unless she agreed to wear one, even if Little B got to go out. If I saw them remove their hats, they had to come inside immediately. I was serious and kind of ruthless about hat training. To balance it out I also told them why it was important they wear a hat and how absolutely, melt-mama's-heart cute they looked in them. It became second nature to them after a short time and I eased up. By then, they were often reminding me to get their hats.


Which summer hats have worked for you little ones? And what do you do to ensure they actually wear them?

Summer Hair: Protecting the Hair from Salt Water

Do you live near the ocean? Are you planning to spend some serious time on the beach? You'll probably want to take some steps to protect your little one's curls and coils from salt water. When we wet our hair in the ocean, minerals in the water are deposited on the hair, and when they dry in the sun they can leave the hair feeling bizarrely straw-like. It can be dry, rough, frizzy, and feel strange and coated. I love it when my feels like that; it goes well with the protective layer of sunscreen, bike chain grease, and sand I seem to wear on my skin during the best summers. That's just one of my personality quirks though. I don't blame you if you don't want that for yourself, or for your kids. I don't really want it for my kids either.

Having your child wear a swim cap is a great idea for protecting the hair, but few little kids want to be the only one on the beach in a swim cap. At least, not once she is old enough to realize she is the only one. I've had my girls wear Lycra caps at the beach a couple of times, and while it always made it easy to spot them in a crowd, I felt bad about how conspicuous it made them. If a swim cap won't work or doesn't appeal to you, try some of the suggestions listed below instead. You'll have to experiment to see exactly which combination of techniques works for your child.

If your child will be playing rather than swimming, a regular hat may be the perfect accessory to protect hair from splashes, from the wind, and from the sun. 

• Add a good leave-in, conditioner, or shea butter before swimming. Unlike using a pool, most little kids aren't going to be spending a ton of time with their heads in the water. For normal swimming, the leave-in or conditioner will just rinse out in the water as they do lesson laps or Hey Mom! Watch Me! dives and headstands, but that's a lot less likely for a little one playing on a beach. 

• Bring a big bottle of tap water and rinse the hair before heading back to the car or hotel. This will help remove the minerals on the hair. If you are on vacation, you can use bottled water. If you fill an old bottle with tap water, be sure to mark the bottle so no one accidentally drinks it. If you live near the ocean or it's a day trip for you, save a gallon milk jug and fill it with water and you'll have plenty to rinse everyone's hair. If you leave it in the car, it will even get nice and warm. 

• Wash or co-wash as soon as you can. You need to get all that sand out anyway, right? Add a generous amount of leave-in afterward.

If you have an ocean-loving girl and you think her hair will be saturated by salt water, take the further steps of adding a little coconut oil the night before you hit the beach and giving the hair a long rinse with fresh water right before heading toward the sea.

Summer Hair: Swimming in Chlorinated Water

In the last few weeks, I've received a lot of questions about the issues that come up with caring for hair in summer. Moms and Dads of curly kids not only have to consider things like which summer camp to enroll our kids in, but how to protect their coils from seawater or chlorine, and how to get an entire bucket of sand out of their hair. Over the next week or so, we'll be discussing summer hair. Today's topic is a repost from last year. For many of you, this will new information. If you've been with me here for awhile, feel free to use it a a little refresher on chlorine and curls.

So many of our children are about to start summer swim lessons or are already begging to play in the pool. Chlorinated pool water can be hard on hair though, so it's best to take some precautions to protect pretty curls and coils from chlorine damage. We've talked about swim caps before, now let's look at simple routines and steps to protect the hair.

Public pools are heavily chlorinated for obvious reasons. They require pre-swim showers too, and that fresh water rinse not only keeps the pool cleaner, but is very good news for hair.

Here are some steps to take to before and after swimming:

• Adding coconut oil to the hair will help the hair absorb less water. Use it the night before swimming to give the coconut oil time to penetrate the hair. 

• Soak the hair with tap water before getting in the pool. If the hair is saturated with tap water, it will absorb less pool water. Remember that a light rinse won't do it, have your child stand under the shower for a few minutes. If the hair is in delicate style that cannot handle direct shower spray, consider putting a lycra cap on your child before she steps into her pre-swim shower and make sure that cap gets soaked. 

• Use a latex or silicone swim cap to further limit how much chlorinated water the hair takes on. Since they won't keep the hair totally dry,  put them on after soaking the hair with tap water. These caps can be used over lycra caps if desired.

• After swimming, rinse the hair thoroughly. You can wash the hair with shampoo at this point to remove even more chlorine. If you choose to wash the hair, don't forget to condition too!

• After the post-swim rinse or wash, add a moisturizing leave-in.

 Little B at her very first swim lesson, not quite ready to put her ears in the water.

Further options:

• Swimmer's shampoo removes chlorine, and the chlorine smell, from the hair. If your child is swimming more than a few times a week, adding a swimmer's shampoo to your routine can help reduce chlorine damage. UltraSwim is probably the best known brand, but it does contain sodium laureth sulfate (SLS). If you avoid shampoo containing SLS, try Aubrey Organics SLS-free swimmer's shampoo. Always follow up the wash with a rich conditioner and a leave-in.

• Styling to reduce exposure to the chlorine is another great option too. If you aren't using a swim cap and your child has looser curls, you can gather them into a ponytail high on her head. If your child's hair is more tightly coiled, box braids or twists are a great option because they can be gathered up as well. This is especially useful for beginning swim lessons when children are rarely required to submerge their whole heads for long. Gathering the hair up will keep it up and out of the water for a good portion of swim class. Protective styles like braids and twists are also a good idea if you are using a swim cap. Swim caps are much easier to put on and take off when the hair is in braids or twists. Putting a swim cap on over an afro is tricky.

• There is a lot of advice out there suggesting swimmers a generous amount of conditioner to wet hair before entering the pool. Without a swim cap, and maybe even with, most of that conditioner will simply end up in the pool water. Swimmers using public pools are required to shower in order to keep dirt, oil, and hair and body products out of the pool. I don't think anyone relishes the idea of swimming around in other people's hair products. I spend hours in a public pool every week and can always tell when someone near me has a lot of product in their hair; I can both smell and taste it - and it's gross.  I don't recommend adding conditioner to the hair before swimming unless the methods above are not providing enough protection for the hair, or you are swimming in your own private pool. If you do choose to add conditioner before a swim, be sure your child is wearing a latex or silicone swim cap that fits very well, or a lycra cap plus a latex or silicone cap. Rinse the conditioner out thoroughly after swimming.

 Little R at her first class, trying to get the concept of kicking.

While these are suggestions for protecting the hair from heavily-chlorinated public pools, the same steps can be taken for private pools. Most people don't shower before using a backyard pool though, so using coconut oil and swim caps are good ways of minimizing damage.

If your child spends most of her swim time in a kiddie pool filled with tap water, the regular use of coconut oil will help reduce how much water her hair absorbs. My girls still enjoy their little, blue fishy pool on the days they don't have swim lessons, so during summer I add some coconut oil to their hair almost nightly.

I find it hard to believe they were ever this little.

I hope this is helpful and gives you one less thing to worry about as you enjoy a summer full of sun, fun, and swimming.