Teaching Adoptive Parents To Care For Natural Hair

Many couples and families now are interracial and this has increased the 

need for teaching adoptive parents to care for natural hair. The parent who takes charge of the hair is usually at a loss of what to do if they have no family who understands it.  They will research salons that specialize in multicultural textures, but even then, what they end up doing depends on what’s easier, not better for the hair.

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I have had adoptive parents who were told to relax the hair of their 6 year old or

told to shave it because the child cried too much.  Rather than walking them through the process of natural hair care, the quicker route is chosen.  Natural curly hair requires time and if you don’t have that, money to pay to have it done.  Many women with super curly hair don’t realize the reason we were sent to the salon was because Mom got tired and decided to splurge.  Likely, she saved herself 3 hours, and in the busy working world, that’s priceless!

If you have adopted a child with natural curly hair, here are a few things you will have to do so

your child does not end up with knots:

• Soak it with a moisturizer or other leave-in product to soften hair. 
• Comb it every day, when possible.  The child will cry, still comb it every day.
• Get some covered rubber bands to hold it in combed sections.
• Wash once a week.
• Braiding the hair right after the wash and conditioner makes it less painful and keeps it straight.
• Braids with extensions are not good because the child is not having the hair done often so the take down session is pure drama.
• If you did not wash your child’s  hair for more than a week, slot out 3 hours or more and gently care for it.
• Curly hair takes and needs time and patience