Curly hair may be in today, but unfortunately, this is not how it has always been. For decades, entire generations have been taught that their hair was not something to be very proud of. It simply didn’t fall under the beauty standards society set for us. Many of us were forced to wear tight braids when they were kids; only to tame the wild strands. Others were called out on the streets, and some even compared themselves to their associates thinking they were ugly or just wired wrong. As a result, a whole generation fell in the pit hole of chemical hair treatments that they’re still suffering its consequences to this day.
Luckily, things have changed; society has grown more accepting of our genes we ironically inherited from our own ancestors since we happen to be inhabitants of Africa. Anyway, just that some people started to accept us for who we are, doesn’t mean that things have completely changed and that we’ve earned complete acceptance. Little girls today are just like the little girls we’ve outgrown, and unfortunately, this affects them the same way and the loop goes on and on. We end up having our own children, cousins, and nieces hating on themselves thinking that they’re not beautiful. But why? Because someone said so? Well, it’s time to set things right and teach those baby girls how to embrace their God-given magnificent crowns, and here’s how!
Do your homework
For starters, you’ve got to do some research and start learning about curly hair. Get to know about hair types, porosity, routines, suitable products, and read about Lorraine Massey’s CG method. When you know what you’re dealing with you’ll help her rock cooler and healthier curls. Maybe that was our parents’ problem, that there was a lack of knowledge back then. You can start by following bloggers; our favorites are @letts_curl, @curlychickvic, and finally, @curlytalks by Dina Ghalwash.
Hair care needs to be done right
Once you get the grip of it, you’d better start implementing what you learned by caring for her hair the right way. Moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize! Let her get used to weekly hair masks and deep conditioning. Use a comb and get rid of the old towel and get her a microfiber one, or a cotton t-shirt will do just fine actually. Find the right products for her hair type and start styling. Even though it could be a little tough at the beginning with all the boring steps an all, but once she looks in the mirror, she’ll start learning how to embrace her natural beauty.
Be a good example
Remember, a mother is the first person her daughter looks up to. So how do you expect her to embrace her curls if her mama doesn’t embrace hers? Quit heat and go natural, and if you’ve straightened your hair for good throughout the years, involve her in your transitioning phase and let her encourage you. By that, you empower her, you empower each other!
Pick the right bedtime stories
Even cartoon characters and Disney princesses have straight hair. Little girls get attached to these characters and even aspire to be like them. Having a curly queen on the team is definitely a plus. So in case you could get your hands on suitable books for bedtime; like Big Hair, Don’t Care or Naturally Me, that support your cause that would be great. Even if you couldn’t get someone to get it for you from abroad, you can still download E-books. One that really impressed us was Curlee Girlee. It’s not just because it tells the adventures of a curly-head who embarks on a journey to straighten her hair, but also because it allows kids to embrace their hair in the most wonderful way. Curlee Girlees get to submit photos or videos to be the Curlee Girlee of the week where their stories are shared with the whole world. This might even be a great surprise for your baby girl as well.