[momof8]

My daughter from Guatemala just turned 4. She has the beautiful dark straight hair that alot of your children have. My question is...how do you keep it from getting ratty?? All my biological daughters have curly hair and I do too. My Russian daughter has alopecia...virtually no hair. I thought that this beautiful dark hair would be easy to comb....no way! If I just wash it, a few hours later it is matted. If I use conditioner or no more tangles spray...still tangles! I have broken more combs..including the big detangling combs on her hair! And she cries everytime I comb it. Any ideas?? Or at least someone to comiserate with me??

[sak9645]

I believe in short hair for children until they are old enough to wash and comb it themselves, and until they stop playing with it and getting things like food in it.

My daughter was almost seven before I let her grow her hair. Once she started doing so, she took full responsibility for its cleanliness and neatness, and I must say that she always looked good, even when her hair reached well below her waist.

She even taught herself to braid her own hair and make her own pony tails. The only time I did any combing was when she got head lice at school in fourth grade.

There are some very lovely short styles for young girls. And if the hair is thick enough, various hair clips, barrettes, and hair bands can be used to create a dressy appearance.

If you do not choose to make your child have a short haircut, your best bet is to talk to a hairdresser about a good shampoo and conditioner for her hair type. Many of the supermarket shampoos are very drying, and many of the supermarket conditioners are either too "heavy" -- making the hair look dirty or oily easily -- or not sufficiently able to make a child's hair manageable.

I don't know a great deal about Guatemalan hair, but Asians like my daughter, as well as Black people, tend to have very dry hair, and need conditioners that moisturize without making the hair seem dull or oily.

If your daughter swims in pools a lot during the summer, and her hair is dried out and dulled by the chlorine, have her massage conditioner into her hair BEFORE going in the water. This will minimize damage from the chlorine. Then, when she comes out, have her shampoo as normal.

Sharon

[robandjulie]

DD's hair has always been very long and fine, so it tangles a bit; more so lately. Before bed everynight we comb it out and put two braids in it just like Cinderella has in the opening scene where she wakes up, combs out her braids, and then eventually pulls it back up when she goes to start her day.

Now she wants it in two braids every single day and I can't talk her into letting it out loose ever. Last night she went to bed with just her hair combed and she woke up at 4AM crying hysterically that i needed to put her hair in braids or it would get all tangled. So...you win some you lose some. No more tangles but also basically never see her hair and dealing with her routine around her hair now.

We just use baby shampoo and a rinse with some apple cider vinegar diluted in water, then comb it out while wet and put it into two braids. The braids just start at the base of her head; no ponytails at the tops which makes them easier to sleep in.

[ana-mom]

Ana's hair is very straight but I keep it cut at chin length and use conditioner after every shampoo. She gets very few tangles that way.

I can remember my sister braiding my niece's long, thick hair into a single braid every night to keep the tangles at bay. She would then re-braid it into a single braid for daytime. I think she was in high school before I ever saw her wear it loose.

[Slatond10]

My DD's hair is LONG but not fine or straight so maybe we don't have the tangle issue you have? However we use Johnson's no tangle leave in conditioner after each shampoo'ing and I use a spray on detangler b4 combing. We do put it in a pony tail b4 bed time to prevent night time tangles.
She wears it all kinds of ways (whatever she chooses) duing the day. Her favorite is down on the weekends or as she calls it "long."

[bhouston]

Brooklyn is 6 with hair that hangs to her hips...and it tangles...she also swims at least twice a week year round...so that adds to hair damage...We use a very good natural shampoo and conditioner...and then spray it with leave in conditioner as well as a good brand of no tangles...I braid her hair every night before she goes to bed....and she wears her hair in braids alot...due to the tangling....

I just cant stand the idea of cutting it short! She is okay with the it for now and french braids look so cute too....It is a lot of work but on those special days that she wears it long....people go crazy over it because it is so unique! Most little girls have short hair...and rarely do we see little girls with hair as long as hers...it is a bit wavy at the end but not curly...I always joke her hair is a full time job...Beth in Idaho