If you are a new parent blessed with a girl with lots of hair, you have probably had difficulty is knowing how to wash the child’s hair without a meltdown .  After a day spent crawling and/or rolling around (hopefully on the carpet), the hair sometimes gets tangled and dirty.  Some children are  not willing to have their hair washed on a regular basis either.  What is the parent to do?

Here is a few things you could do if you find yourself in this situation:

  • Prepare your equipment:  You will need towels, large-tooth combs, shampoo, conditioner, detangler/creme moisturizer( in the case of super curly hair), butterfly hair clips,  paddle brush, toys( rubber ducks, dolls, ships:  whatever will survive water and will distract the child when water wets the head!)
  • The shampoo should be made specifically for babies.  This means it will not sting if it gets in the eyes.  There are several brands on the market now so you do not have to worry it it runs down the child’s face.

Call (613) 789-2179 for an appointment if you are in the Ottawa, Ontario area.

  • Catch enough water to cover the child from the waist down while they are sitting in either the bath or bath tub.  Ensure you have everything within arm’s reach before putting child in bath as you will have to be on high alert in case anything happens.  Test temperature so it will not get cold too soon but it is not too hot  for the child’s skin.
  • Litter the water with all the toys that will catch their attention and wet the hair while keeping a conversation to distract them.  Try to let most of the water fall to the back so the child does not feel scared if too much water rushes over the face.
  • After applying and rinsing off the conditioner, use the towel to sop the water from the hair.  Avoid rubbing the hair as this causes it to tangle and will make your task more difficult.  Remove the child from the water and start the comb out.
  • Apply detangler/moisturizer and use the large tooth comb to get the knots out.  If the hair is super curly, you might want to make large plaits so it stays straight.  If the hair is straight, you can just leave to air dry. At this point you could use  a blow dryer  and paddle brush to speed up the drying process.

By Paula Barker, Silkielocks Hair Design

Buy my e-book:  Dreadlocks:  A Hairstylist’s Manifest, (Silkielocks.com/Amazon.com)

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