love and other wonders: Montgomery's New Hairdo

Montgomery was in need of a new hair-do...one that didn't require a daily fix from me (agonizing for both of us!)...and preferably for her, a "downer" style. "Downer" to Gommy means needing no elastics or barrettes and, most importantly, swish-able and shake-able.

For a bit of a back story, most of the little girls in Gommy's pre-K class are Asian and wear their hair "down" and very long. This was also the case at Gommy's pre-school last year; the little girls in her class were of European, Asian or East Indian backgrounds and also usually wore their hair "down" in various lengths. So, although big sis' Maia and I have praised and praised Gommy's afro puffs, braids, and other more traditionally African-American styles, Gommy has always asked for "downer" styles. (It probably doesn't help that Mommy is ethnically blendy, with ethnically blendy hair...usually worn in "downer" styles.)

What's a mother determined to instill "I am beautiful me!" into her daughter supposed to do?

Resist!

Ok,ok...so I know that's not the best plan...but we have made a conscious choice to live in a diverse community and have our children attend diverse schools, and we firmly assert and teach that every creation of God is beautiful and perfect as He intended. We remind our children of God's love for beautiful variety, and how we can see that in the many beautiful and different flowers and the many beautiful and different people He has created. AND...we make sure not to buy any Disney princess anything that doesn't included Tiana! We have also made sure that Gommy's dolls represent the United Nations and then some, in all skin tones...even adding our own home-made blue-haired and pink-haired dolls! (I'll post photos of them soon...soooo cute!)

Yet and still, maybe it's the constant barrage of hair and cosmetic commercials, advertisements and billboards everywhere around us in the city, but this little girl still wanted her "downer" hairstyle!

Insert Maia to the rescue! Ever since Maia chose to "go natural" and cut off her processed (perm-straightened) hair in favor of her natural hair texture, she has been researching and exploring healthier hair care and interesting styles that complement her hair texture. Recently she showed me an instructional video on the Internet for double-strand twists that lay close to the scalp in rows similar to cornrows for braids. I watched, learned, and styled Maia's hair in these twists and she loved it. And then we both thought hmmm, this might be the long-sought answer for Montgomery...a "downer" style that celebrates her beautiful natural texture and coilability (my new word).

So, after sitting tearfully through the styling (a more tender-headed child you've never met), Gommy finally emerged with a "downer" style that was Mommy-ethnic-pride-approved and Gommy-swish-able-and-shake-able-approved. And she looks just beautiful...but then again, she always has.