Maintaining the hair of a tender-headed child can be quite a challenge. You love your kids and express that love through proper guidance. Parents are the first teachers, and as you teach them self-grooming, many of those tasks fall on your shoulders when they are young, including hair maintenance.
I vividly remember sitting between my mother’s legs as she combed, brushed, and braided my hair. I would slightly wince as I sat in my little rocking chair watching TV (this was back in the 1970s). My younger sister squirmed and cried as my mother did the same thing to her hair. Tender-headed was all my mother would say.
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Tender-headed means having a scalp that is sensitive to touch, especially any tension. This term is popular with little curly and coily girls, as we usually get our hair braided, combed, and brushed.
There are some tender-headed women, but most have worked through it with simpler hairstyles that require little manipulation. However, with children, there is no easy solution. Sad to say, many mothers are callous to their children’s whines, and this can cause a negative and excruciating experience.
No one wants painful memories, so here are some tips to make the experience less damaging to the hair and her spirit.
Distraction
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This was my trick with my daughter when she was younger, and I needed to wash her hair. Each time I laid her on the kitchen counter to wash her hair in the sink, she hated it and cried. My solution? I began singing “Jingle Bells” and made her sing with me. It was a huge success! Before the wash session, she had a tear-stained face, singing at the top of her lungs and smiling at me. It was extraordinary as we repeated the song until her hair was done.
Distracting your child is a big part of being a parent, whether at the doctor getting vaccinations or hiding their toys before Christmas morning. It’s our job to distract them as they cannot always understand or deal with some of the realities of the world. Having them blow bubbles or sing along to their favorite DVD are just a few ways to get them to forget, even for a moment, that what they are doing is not fun. If you’re lucky, they may start to associate hairstyling with something fun!
Use great detangling products
Whether washing, conditioning, or styling, use water-based products and help your fingers or wide-tooth comb glide through the hair. It’s worth the extra money (if they cost more) to prevent your child from wincing and crying during detangling sessions. If shampoos leave her hair in dry tangles, try a gentler brand or a cleansing conditioner.
Try styles that tend to last longer
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Braids are a great style for tender-headed children. Sounds like just the opposite? Well, not really if you do not braid too tightly and understand that moisturizing and wrapping the braids in a satin scarf at night is the only maintenance needed. She may be willing to sit a little longer and not whine if she knows this happens once a week or once every two weeks. She’ll enjoy the breaks in between.
Be gentle and use proper tools
Take time when combing, brushing, or braiding your child’s hair. Sometimes, we rush to get out of the house or get them off to bed, but in our haste, we tend to be rougher and can create a harder experience for our children.
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Take your time and use the proper tools (wide tooth comb, tangle teezer, etc.) so you have minimal tears streaming down your face and hair in the comb. We want their hair to stay a positive component within their childhood, so take extra steps to ensure it stays that way by being gentle to their beautiful tresses, and they will follow suit into adulthood.
