How to Be Gentle with Your Child's Hair

Caring for and styling our children’s natural hair can be a daunting task. I am two years in and still learning how to take care of my daughter’s hair every day. Wash day can sometimes be an all-day adventure. It can consist of kids not sitting still and meltdowns that are difficult to get through. No matter the circumstances of wash day, it is important that we remain gentle when caring for our children’s natural hair. You want to keep your child’s hair healthy and thriving. I have learned that it is super important to be gentle, because children’s hair and scalps are fragile. Here are a few ways that I am gentle when washing and styling my daughter’s natural hair.

Detangle in sections

Detangling is not something that can be rushed through or looked over. Yes the task is a tough one for both parties, but it must be done. Detangling my daughter’s hair in sections has made my life and wash day so much easier. On wash day I separate my daughter’s hair into four sections and add conditioner to her wet hair. The conditioner helps add slip and makes the process much easier. Never detangle your child’s hair while it’s dry. To release tangles I use a Tangle Tamer or a wide tooth comb to help ease the tears and remove knots. Always detangle from the ends to roots, starting off slow and not being overly rough.

Moisturize often

Moisture is the key to everything. Keeping your child’s hair moisturized can help with the styling process. Water-based moisturizers will help to keep your child’s hair soft and manageable. You will be able to easily detangle and style your child’s natural hair if you keep it properly moisturized. I use water daily and apply a light moisture mist or milk to her hair daily for maintenance.

No tight braids or styles

I do not create tight braids or hairstyles on my child’s hair. Tugging and pulling can cause breakage and damage your little ones’ edges, because their hairline is very sensitive. When creating hairstyles, make sure that you are being gentle and not braiding your child’s hair too tight to prevent tension around the edges of the hair. I prefer to create protective styles such as medium twists that can be worn for multiple days. This helps to prevent over styling and too much manipulation.

Protect their hair at night

It’s also important to protect your child’s hair at night so that it doesn’t get matted or tangled. Satin bonnets help to protect the hair at night so that when you get to wash day, you won’t have a hard time detangling matted hair.

How are you gentle with your child’s hair?