It seems to be a personal sharing week for me, but, oh well, here I go again. My mother was widowed when I was three years old, so at that time, for the first time since having my oldest brother (who was 16), she went to work. This resulted in her having zero energy or desire to help me style my hair. The woman wore wigs for the majority of her adult life, so it was a clear indication that she didn't want to be bothered with her own hair, let alone her daughter's. My four older sisters hated doing my hair, too, because I was "tender-headed." I really was, and my hair was often a dense, tangled morass of curls that was difficult to get a comb through. Forget about trying to press/straighten it with a hot comb either, as I'd cry and wail just at the sight of one. So, besides using boxed at-home perms, the majority of my youth was spent wearing askew pigtails or up in a sloppy bun. It wasn't until well into my 30s, when I decided to cut my hair low and go natural, that I achieved any form of hair confidence.
Which is why this week's Feel-Good Friday is dedicated to the dads who assist in enhancing the self-esteem of their children by taking charge of their child's hair care. How your hair looks and feels is connected to your self-esteem in so many ways. The amount of money that women especially spend on their hair and hair-related products, and our struggles to go long, short, natural, colored, gray, etc., are all rooted in how our family/guardian approached it. For the guys, well, it's often a choice between a clean shave or Hair Club for Men, but even how your mother or father approached this makes a difference in your decision. So, these patriarchs' approach to their children's hair care will make a huge difference in the adult lives of their children. And they do it with relish and great class.
#DadsDoHairToo is a hashtag that has grown in prominence and popularity because Dads recognize this is not only a way to bond with their children but it is a way to help them craft their own sense of beauty or handsomeness without allowing the outside world to dictate it.
Dads are not usually the first people to come to mind when it’s time to do their children’s hair.
But, it can be a bonding experience between a child and their father as they tackle the tedious process of washing hair and styling it together. While it’s typical for the mother or woman in the household to take on the responsibility, more men are embracing doing their children’s hair.
The #dadsdohairtoo hashtag was created to normalize fathers as their children’s hair stylists.
Thousands of videos and images of dads combing, brushing, washing, and completing different hairstyles are pictured throughout the hashtag. The joy coming from kids after seeing how their dad styled their hair will always be an Instagram-worthy moment.
Shoutout to Foster Dad Flipper Peter Mutabazi, a foster dad who recently decided to foster a young girl and had to learn how to do her hair.
I wrote about Mutabazi in this column, and I follow him on Instagram because he is an inspiration and it is a joy to watch his interaction and wisdom in handling his foster and adopted children.
As a girl's first love, that reflection of beauty through Dad's eyes is pivotal. But the boys need Dad as their mirror and role model too. This father's interaction while grooming his sons' hair is just delightful.
And if you follow the #DadsDoHairToo hashtag on Instagram, you'll get some heartwarming, sweet, and even instructional videos like this one:
“Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” ―Charles Kettering
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As I watch my husband so carefully and lovingly brush our youngest’s hair while at the same time teaching the twins about the roles of husbands and wives, I realize that the teaching is more in his actions, in this moment, than his explanations.
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It’s no wonder that our littles are so enamored with husbands and wives, as they are in the presence of the perfect example of a loving husband and father each day. Just listen to their their joyful glee! They can’t wait to have families of their own complete with spouses, kids, and cousins!
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I love my @mpauladvisory and our #3Paulsinapod!
What a family affair—loving your child so much that you take charge of their grooming is something that is not only caught by the child getting the hair and maintenance love, but their siblings too. These children will never forget the lesson and will carry it into their future not only on their head, but in their hearts.
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