Kids aren’t exactly known for their wellness routines. Most children would rather spend more time playing than styling their own hair, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take matters into your own hands. Teaching proper self-care is a vital step towards preparing kids to be and look their best.
You probably already know you can do a lot with your kid’s hair. You can brush it, let it grow, straighten it, or spike it with gel. Yet, it’s up to your kids whether or not they actually let you do these things. Nobody wants their kids walking around with perpetual bedhead, so let’s talk about the best ways to care for your child’s hair.
Start with Healthy Habits
Like teaching your kids to eat their veggies, you can lead by example by showing kids the best ways to keep their hair clean and healthy. Depending on the nature of your child’s hair, they might not need to wash it every day. Dry hair can get away with not being cleaned with shampoo every day while oily hair or dirty hair might require a rough scrub.
Teach your child the best way to wash his or her hair safely. Simple things like using your fingertips instead of nails to scrub the scalp might not be evident to kids without instruction. Show them how to keep shampoo or conditioner from their eyes by leaning the head back and rinsing away from the face.
After the shower or bath, help your child detangle their hair. Show them that untangling their hair is essential to keep their hair looking its best. Use a children’s detangler to make untangling their hair easy and pain-free. Get into a routine with your child to run through the hair care basics every day.
Learn About Your Kid’s Hair
Your children might have a different hair type than you, and it’s essential to learn the unique ways to care for this new kind locks. Curly, natural hair, for example, requires a lot of different care than naturally straight hair. Don’t buy into hair myths that might leave you doing the wrong things with your kid’s hair.
It’s okay to experiment with different products with your kid’s hair. They’ll look to you for guidance to find the best styling tools as they get older, so learning early on can be a good first step. Most kids aren’t interested in trying hot tools or heat styling, so look for easy products they can incorporate into their existing hair routine.
Empower Your Kids
Kids want to feel like they’re in control. They likely have a lot of opinions on how their hair should look. While you don’t have to listen when your kid wants to cut off all her hair or dye it magenta, you should empower them to take part in their own haircare.
Letting children make small decisions about their own hairstyles is a great way to involve them in their own development. They want to feel heard and in charge of their own bodies, so give them the ability to control their own hair length or how they’ll wear their hair to school in the mornings.
Be a Strong Example
The most important thing you can do when it comes to your child and his or her hair is to be a good example. Kids feed their emotions and opinions off of the adults around them. If your child looks up to you, then you don’t want him or her to catch you being negative about your own hair.
Keep the negativity to a minimum not only when talking about handling your own children’s hair, but also your own hairstyle. Kids will quickly pick up on your feelings, and they might even start repeating these things themselves. While it can be frustrating to manage new hair, stay calm and understanding. If your kids see as a positive hair influence, they will carry that into their own lives.
Kids don’t care very much about their hair, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to. Proper hair care starts at home, and the sooner you teach children to value their own self-care, the better. Be a positive example for your kids by showing them how to not only take care of themselves but how to be confident with their own hair.
