Mums, is this weird or am I being weird?

I think it is a bit odd but he is likely stressed and doesn't want to upset the girl anymore than she already is. I think it's nice you can help.
Everyone complains we don't help neighbours and then complains if someone reaches out for support at a time of emergency.
If your happy too then do the hair, make/buy them some food or a cake and drop off a card when hopefully the baby is home safe. You will then have neighbours happy to help you for as long as your there!

Lesson learned !! Wow just wow . Imagine bitching online about a dad trying and trying to keep his daughter happy with how she wants her hair. We do not know what kind of dynamic they have and why he hasn’t prioritised learning to plait hair 🤦‍♀️

OP I think you’ve done a lovely thing for this little girl that they will all remember when they needed a little help so well done.

From all your posts, it actually sounds like he's a good dad who just wants some normalcy for his daughter in a difficult time. I know if I needed help with anything, my neighbours would be there even though we don't know each other very well.
It's been really nice reading about neighbours being helpful and friendly.

OP has already said that he's improving with her showing him. I find it hard to believe that he'd been trying for a long time, couldn't do it but is now suddenly making progress.

The most likely scenario is that it is his wife's job and it never occurred to him to learn how to do it himself. Hopefully it's at least a lesson learned, especially as he's now about to have two children.

Equal parents yes doesn’t mean everyone is good at everything. How do we know this dad hasn’t been trying for a long time and just can’t get the knack of it. Not everyone can do everything that everyone else can! There is a knack to it and some people just don’t have it and maybe this little girl desperately likes her hair that way and he was doing what he could to make sure she was happy in a probably upsetting situation is what I’m saying. I don’t think that makes him anything less like people have implied

I don't hate men, I just have little patience for those who aren't equal parents and put their children into situations such as this one. OP says he is already learning, he should've done this ages ago.

My husband is an equal parent. Anything I can do, he can also do.

Some of these comments are awful- my husband can do it because he’s a great partner blah blah blah!!! Yes he probably can do a ponytail but if the little girl is set on a plait then I guess that’s why he asked because she is probably upset about her mum being away and knowing a new baby will be arriving soon. Yes a little odd to ask a neighbour you don’t know so well but he probably panicked with a lot of his kind. MN is so full of men hating people it’s mental how some even have partners or husbands!
you saying yes is a lovely thing to do and you may well end up having a lovely relationship with the family and become friends after helping them out: that’s what neighbours do after all

no she should not be able to do it for herself. BUT - why doesnt he just youtube how to do a plait? Good learning opportunity for him. It would make more sense if he asked you to show him how to do it.

This whole story is just lovely!
I'm so glad it all worked out, hopefully Mum and new baby will be fine and home soon ❤️
You’re very kind to help out and Dad must have been in a right pickle to have asked you!

When I was young, my mum had an operation and was in hospital for a few days, my Dad couldn’t do my hair (was very long and thick) so I stayed off school. If only he’d thought of asking a neighbour to help! 😁

I think it's a lovely thing for you to do and as a mum who was crap at hair, I'd have let the devil himself do my daughter's hair if they could braid!! You never know, this might be the beginning of a lovely friendship. And mum just might be that little less stressed while in hospital by knowing her daughter is happy going to school.

I think it’s sweet he’s trying hard to help his daughter when he must be feeling overwhelmed and worried. Take it as a compliment.

I don’t understand why it needs to be a plait? Just tell your child you will need to wear hair down in a hair band or in a pony tail, or give her a bobble round her wrist and the teacher would probably do it at if needed for PE, I find this totally weird and sexist tbh

You're doing a nice thing. It is a little strange that he asked, but I wouldn't worry unless he asks you to cook their supper and run the hoover around while his wife's in hospital. Maybe he is just really hamfisted and doesn't want to make his daughter upset by butchering her head every morning, at a time when she's already missing her mum.

Yes! So odd.

Yes, very weird.

He could have explain to his daughter that while mum is away she would need to wear her hair in a different way or learn to do it himself.

Instead he opted to outsource his job and the nearest WOMAN he could find. Like your time is not precious and you have nothing better to do.If you were friends this could be different... but still I believe he should have dealt with such a small thing himself.Fathers and Mothers should be able to parent on their own.

I found annoying so many people think this acceptable...

It’s a little strange but he obviously needs help and thinks you are a suitable person to ask, I’d take it as a compliment and a lovely thing that your doing to help a family who is struggling at the moment hopefully he thanks you for your support. Also 6 year olds can’t typically do their own hair maybe brush it but unlikely to be able to plait it themselves

I’m not a mum but wanted to say I’ve read the thread through and think it’s been lovely of you to help your neighbours out and get the dad learning how to do it too.

This is funny! I get it, I’m torn between ‘huh’ and ‘it’s sweet’

You don’t know them so I can’t understand why that would be the Dad’s solution! It’s a lot to agree to, a small one but still a daily responsibility. However, I like that the Dad had the guts to ask so his daughter can keep nice hair whilst they’ve got huge stuff going on and you’re really kind for agreeing.

So yeah, odd but no harm in it.

It's lovely to help people out and I'm sure it will be returned. Who cares if he can't do a plait, plenty of women can't. its not crime of the century. Save you concern for something that really matters 😂

I’d actually take it as a compliment who clearly finds you approachable and caring and has asked for help in need.

People generally say ‘ask if you need help’ someone asks and gets told their weird.

Men don’t always ask for help, hence why male mental health is such a taboo.

Sorry, just read your update OP ! That's lovely. Maybe we are all just a bunch of unfriendly cynics nowadays and need to learn to be a bit more neighbourly 😀

Yeah it's a bit weird, I think if you had children of the same age, at same school perhaps and perhaps had some kind of neighbourly relationship established or friendship with mum that would be a lot less weird. As previous posters have said, there are tutorials out there, although i must say, some people don't find this kind of stuff easy, I'm hopeless at hairstyles and can only seem to manage do the most basic ones neatly. Doesn't change the fact that asking you is a bit odd!

You sound lovely and kind. I'm sure that little girl appreciates your kind act in the mornings.

Oh bless them, he's obviously struggling and terrified and it's just a wee bit of normal for the girl, he might not have the capacity to learn how to do it properly right now

Slightly odd, but don’t overthink. He can’t plait it, she is too young so he was trying to find a solution. Of course he should learn but if you don’t mind it’s a nice thing to do. And I can see why your friend is laughing. I bet the mum will be mortified when she finds out!!!!