Eccentricities of MN - black woman perspective

[Dearload]

I shave every 3 weeks or so (armpits) - I don't have that much bodily hair
I don't have a hair routine - many MN mixed race parents seem to have
Wash knickers as I shower - not in a washing machine

Please share yours

I also don't have much body hair. DM says that's a strong trait for women in our family, so I've never had to shave my legs.

My hair care routine is two big plaits and done 😂

I don't wear sunscreen.

Does washing my hair no more than once a month count? My hair care is "big doodoo plaits" before bed = crinkly hair in the morning

I never wear sunscreen.

I have little body hair and shave my armpits 4 times a year. (DM has never owned a razor and has the smoothest, silky hairless skin - so jealous)

Only started wearing sunscreen because of acne hyperpigmentation scars, but used to return home from boarding school after a whole term and holidays with a full bottle each time.😃

I wash my underwear in the shower and then in the washing machine.

I can cook almost any part of a goat, cow or a chicken

I speak 5 languages fluently

YY to little body hair so no need to shave legs. Wax armpits rarely.

However, I am a big fan of body moisturiser and use it after every shower. Currently on the Palmers Cocoa Butter - love the smell.

Palmers Cocoa Butter made me come up in eczema when we were in Australia twenty years ago. It still flares up sometimes when it's really sunny. I can't use products containing mineral oil any more. I HATE it with a vengeance.

Hairless legs here too! Verrrrry low maintenance hair care ‘routine’ - bun in bed, although do concede satin bonnet. Hair washing once a month or so......sigh!

@AllTheWorldIsGreen Palmers Coco Butter has a few ingredients in it that are known allergens e.g. tocopheryl acetate, behentrimonium methosulfate that cause some people to have contact dermatitis. Just keep an eye on anything else you put on your skin that causes you a reaction.

I rarely shave my armpits also and I don't have hairy legs.

I’ve shaved my Legs about 5 times in my whole life. I have barely any visible hair on my legs. It’s totally mind boggling reading on MN how often white women have to shave its so completely out of my experience. I suppose they find out hair dos equally mind boggling.

I wash my knickers in the shower too.

Sunscreen to prevent acne pigmentation

@Dastardlythefriendlymutt which five languages can you speak?!

The only time I had to step up with the leg shaving was when I was pregnant with my son. Must have been the extra testosterone.

Can I ask why people are washing their nickers in the shower?

I'm just funny about putting them in the washing machine. If I need to put tea towels in there on another wash it just doesn't sit right with me.

Also I don't wash clothes everyday and don't want my knickers waiting around in the laundry bin.

Well I'm giving the game away now @AMemeByAnyOtherName. Other than English I speak

Zulu
Sotho
Kalanga
Shona
Shangaan

And enough Afrikaans and French to get me by

Ah, je parle un peu de français aussi! None of the others though! I went to college with a girl in my french class who could speak four African languages and German (and English) fluently. Honestly, it's so impressive to me that I end up getting a bit gushy, and probably make a complete fool of myself going on about how impressed I am, but wow! Massive props to you @Dastardlythefriendlymutt ! 

Lol thank you Meme

My mum speaks 6 and Sad speaks 3, they have 2 languages in common between them, so am most comfortable with those 2, the rest I learnt from both of them when alone would exclusively speak their own languages and family. Also we spent some time in Southern Africa while I was younger. I visit often and watch a lot of African telly (thank you VPN), so I get to practice at least.

Weirdly each family member has a language preference. My Scottish granddad is the most impressive as he moved to Africa speaking only English and came back with my nan speaking four more.

Thanks for explaining @sugarlost X

@ Dastardlythefriendlymutt, did you learn those languages as a child?

I neglected teaching my children my own African language when they were younger. They are 12 and 9 now and only know a few words. I regret not teaching them, especially as they do sometimes feel left out when we visit my home country and everyone is chatting in that language.

@SayWhatNowNow

Firstly is the phrase "now now" a hint to which African country you are from? 🤔🤔

Yes as a child, but my fluency wasn't so great with some of them after I went to school and was only speaking English (I was a boarder).

We moved to Southern Africa for two years living between two countries. I definitely improved during that time (ages 11-13).

I also made a concerted effort in my teens to expand my vocabulary and by my 20s I had achieved the same fluency I have in th two I speak daily in the other three.

I dont think it's too late to teach your children at 9 and 12, although it helps a lot if they want to learn (the 12 year old probably actually needs to buy in). Just daily exposure makes a massive difference. I'm glad I made the effort to learn. It has enriched my life immensely.

Thank you!

No, no reference to my country of origin. Don’t want to mention it but I speak two of the languages you mentioned.

That’s good to know. My 12 year old is very keen to learn. We bought her a book with translations and she refers to it often. I’ll get on with teaching them then. We visit every year (well, Covid has put breaks on this year’s trip 😢) so hopefully next time we go they’ll both manage to string a few more sentences

Yeah all I can say is full immersion helps, as do the visits. I am doing my best to speak exclusively to my DC in those languages before they start school.

I'm not sure which languages you may mean but a chance children's shows like Takalani Sesame (YouTube) may be relevant for your DC (I'm not sure if 9 is too old - might be). I stream DSTV for kids shows too in addition to Cbeebies. It's harder to find kid friendly resources for Shona and Kalanga but they are there.

Also when I'm with my family we try to communicate exclusively in those languages. It's never too late to learn

Washing knickers in the shower . I forgot that I did that as a youngster growing up - weren't allowed to 'store' dirty underwear.

I no longer do that but I do soak and give a light hand wash to everyone's underwear on a Saturday morning before putting them in the washing machine.