Lesson 4: Hairdoodads

I made up this word. Doodads, meaning little thingamajiggies, and specifically for hair, you know?  Hairdoodads.
Here's what you need:
Bobby pins. For holding buns, up-dos and twisty things and keeping things in place

 Jaw clips. The big ones are most likely not going to work in little girls' hair. Try it in your own. Okay, not you, dads. The medium ones will work for little bun flips or half ponies, etc. The most useful are the teeny tiny ones. They are good for holding things in place as well or better than a bobby pin, though they can't be hidden the same way a bobby pin can.

Barrettes, ribbons, bows, headbands

New-fangled thingies are coming out on the market a lot lately to make different dos easier. Bump-its, spin pins, "Modern Up-do Maker," etc.

Lesson 3: Hairbands

Hairbands come in many different colors and sizes. Use fatter bigger hairbands for thicker hair and styles. Since baby and toddler hair is so fine, you will need to use the tiny poly bands or these:As her hair gets thicker, you can use bigger and thicker bands, but don't get rid of the little ones, because they are still useful for styles with small sections.
Clear poly bands are good for styles where you want to hide the band.Try out some different brands to find what you like best. Some brands retain their stretch after a day in the hair and can be used over and over. Others stretch out and need to go in the trash. Some pull and break the hair more than others, and some slide around more.
Do not use the office kind of rubber bands in your daughter's hair because they will pull and break her hair (and hurt!).

Lesson 2: Brushes and Combs

Different hair types and different styles call for different tools. Here a few you may need:

Hard plastic or metal bristle brush
These are good for getting the tangles out of thick hair and moving a lot of hair into a style like a pony tail. The kind that are squishy in the middle don't hurt as much since the bristles are more free to move when they catch on a snag.
Soft bristle brush
The soft bristles smooth the top layer of hair to "fine tune" a style. These brushes work for finer thin hair to get tangles out, but won't do the job for thicker hair.
Wide tooth comb or pick
These are good for combing through wet hair. Use these when you want to undo a braid or twist and keep the curl or wave without making it all go poofy or frizzy. Also if the hair is very curly, a regular brush may cause a big frizz, so a wide tooth comb or pick can be use to get the snags out.
Fine tooth comb/rat-tail comb
This is the best tool for parting hair. It can also be used for styling short hair, ie. boys' haircuts. A rat-tail comb is named after the long thin handle that looks like a rat's tail. It is good for making zigzag parts. I am sure there are plenty of other types of brushes and combs that are useful, but these are what I have, and they will do for the scope of this blog.

Lesson 1: Why do hair?

The first and most important reason for doing hairdos is to keep our little girls modest. We want them to have good self-esteem, and feel good about themselves. They don't need to have a prom style to be modest, just keep it brushed rather than unkempt. Fancier hairdos bring compliments and attention, which can make you and your daughter both feel great, but please let's be careful about our motives for styling hair. We need to watch out for vanity. Let's show our girls we value them for more than their beauty. And if you find yourself more interested in finding out if anyone complimented her on her hair during the day rather than what she learned at school, let this be a reality check for you that you are too obsessed!

Hairstyling time can be bonding time for you and your daughter. Some girls really love it. Some don't. If your daughter is complaining about how much it hurts and how bored she is, it doesn't really make it enjoyable for either one of you. You may want to stick with the simpler quicker hairstyles.

Hairdos are functional for keeping hair out of the eyes during play or to keep the hair from getting all tangled up.

My favorite reason for doing my daughter's hairstyles is because I am an artist, and hairstyling gives me a creative outlet. I love to make her hair beautiful, the way I enjoy painting a picture or sewing a quilt. Every morning I have a new canvas.