toddler girls hair - help!

[Tigger2016]

My two year old twiddles her hair that much it goes in knots. Used tons of conditioner but they won't come out. Hence I've had to cut them out. Also her dad cut her fringe and it's not long enough to be scooped in a ponytail. She also won't keep clips in or wear a hair band. She hates her hair being brushed ( I've even tried to do it whilst she's engrossed in Peppa Pig ) to no avail. I'm rubbish at doing hair - anyone got any fool proof 'hacks' please ( apart from going to a hairdresser and having her hair cut short )

Can you slather it in conditioner in the bath, comb it while she is still in there (give her a comb too to join in), then plait it into two plaits as soon as she is out of the tub?

Not fool proof but persistance. Little and often.

Use a really soft brush just to get her used to brushing rather than to tackle the knots.

Condition evey other day and use a wide toothed comb, when conditioner is on, to detangle.

Detangle spray each time you brush.

Will try that NapQueen - she's not great with her hair full stop - hates getting her hair wet. Any ideas about what to do with the fringe until it grows out

Have it cut short maybe?

DontFeedTheDailyFail

Already use set angling spray - will try the soft brush thing though

Why wouldn't you want to cut it short? Much easier.

Loads of cheap clips and calling them "pretties" works for my daughter. It took a lot of persistence though.

WhatDoIGet

I'm trying to find ideas without getting it cut any shorter ( that's my final resort. )

De tangling spray ( not set angling !! )

Get a tangle tease. They are brilliant.
I also spray dd's hair with a mix of water and Conditioner.

Depends on how fine her hair is, but for my two girls (with v fine hair) I found a water spray bottle useful for when doing their hair. Makes hair more manageable to put in pony tail.

Water spray bottle and loom bands for bobbles

Yes sorry didn't read the op properly I'd get it cut short though

Tangle tease and bribe with whatever you can! I hardly have to bribe my daughter now. She is a twiddler too.

I like you was desperately trying to hang on to the longer hair. Till DD cut her own hair with toddler scissors and it looked so awful I had to have it cut. Lovely French Bob and how my life changed so much easier to keep and looked nicer. If I had my time again I would cut her hair far sooner in a heart beat:

Have u tried combing instead of brushing? My just 2yo won't tolerate brushing. We do her hair in front of CBeebies every morning - use detangling spray (loreal kids one a green bottle is good) and comb. Starting at the ends and if there are knots I always add more spray and then hold the hair at the root whilst trying to deknot so not to hurt her. She then hands me whatever hair bands/clips she wants in.

I think I am quite lucky she is good - but I also think it is down to me making sure I don't hurt her. She will sit still and let me put 2 fish plaits in quite often (and has done since she was about 18mnth - she has lots of hair!) have you tried plaiting? A plait might not feel as tight as bunches for example?

As for the fringe I would experiment with different clips - my dd only likes some of the clips we have brought. Some are too tight feeling I think, and some get the hair snagged and hurt them. Once it's a bit longer and in a in between stage I found doing bunches with lots of hair bands a good way of dealing with it. So down the side of her head she would have 3 or 4 bands in, the one at the top having least amount of hair in and then next one down would have the hair from the top bunch plus some more. Does that make sense???

She's been to playgroup today. I thought we had made progress - used de tangling brush and spray - and one hair clip for fringed and ponytail- go me!

However two hours later and pick up from playgroup all has gone awry - no sign of bobble or clip and had yet another knot in her hair due to twiddling :/

Use two in one shampoo and conditioner and then still condition as normal.

Don't wash too often

Use one of those tangle teezer brushes.

Don't worry if it looks like a mop, they all do at that age.

Sounds like progress to me. These habits don't occur overnight and it takes more than one day to break them.

You did well to get it tied up and clip in. for wining the days battle, keep going and it'll be the war.

Keep going and over time it will stay in till pick up and before you know it your DD will be at school full time with her hair in neat pony tail (well momentarily neat this morning anyway) and you'll be on hear advising other mothers how they'll get there too.

Hear = here! Shockingly bad even for me.

Thanks all for your advice - I do use a tangle teezer ( and I meant fringe NOT FRINGED!! )

one day I'll achieve plaits!!!!!

I find two clips, one put in kormally and one put in at 180 degrees to the other right beside it means the clips stay in much better. Hard to explain but basically top and tail the clips.

Oh and even if you don't want to cut the length do get it trimmed regularly. Even a dry trim every 6 weeks will make a huge difference to the tangly ends

We achieved plaits for the first time last week

I call it "Anna hair" (2 plaits)

Or "Elsa hair" (one plait on the side)

My DTs have their hair plaited as 'mermaid hair' or 'horse hair' every night before bed. Generally they can be persuaded to have mermaid or horse hair the next day too. Hair is plaited after the bath too.