Locs For Children

[Locs]

I have decided to locs my childrens hair. Have done it for the following reasons:

1.They seemed to be extremely tenderheaded, combing their 14 inch long hair would take up to 6 hours
2.They love swimming, going 2 or 3 times a week, and the washing, combing plaiting was wearing me (and them) down

1. I don't want them to have chemicals in their hair at this age (or any age if they follow my advice:))

4.It was taking literally a whole weekend to sort out, not leaving time to have fun. 5.I have yet to find a product that is actually any good for African/Carribbean hair, something that works removing tangles improves manageability and provides much needed moisture (not oil!).

I feel that black hair products don't really have enough market research or investment. The black hair issues of decades ago have not been adequately addressed.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

To be honest why fight the curl:)Have found children love their hair this way.

I started their locs with tiny two strand twists.

Are you thinking about locs for your child? Do you think there is still a stigma over locs? What do you think about black hair and the time it all takes?

I do think that there is a much more shallow explanation to it, basically it is what Hollywood assumes we do or do not find attractive.

I would just like to say as well that whichever reason it may be doesn't make it right.

On the hair issue I don't think that there is any type of stigma to having locs anymore, but agree that there are not any decent tried and tested hair care products out their for black hair.

Er Flutterbee, I'm afraid you are mistaken. For example, The Cotten Club, was famous for black entertainers and white audience but the female dancers had to be a certain shade of black (ie very light skin) before they even got a foot in the door.

Howard University, a leading black university in USA was set up to educate the mixed race children of slave masters. The blacks in the USA who got the better jobs pre-civil rights movement were often those of a lighter hue who did not possess a nappy head. Harsh but true.

Wallace Thurman wrote "The Blacker the Berry" and I suggest you read it. It will open your eyes to the grading stystem that did and still exists when it comes to the hue of black skin.

Hollywood will happily cast a dark skin black male but highly talented dark skin actresses have to contend with the unspoken rule "the lighter the better". That is reality and denying it does not make it disappear.

Oh fgs I'm not going to get into this, back to the hair discussion ladies.

I'm not having a go Flutterbee but seriously, if you can, read "The Blacker the Berry" by Wallace Thurman.

Now, now ladies! Take it easy

Yes, back to the original post.....

I'm cool!

I think the stigma over locs is more with West Africans not so much with Caribbean peoples.

My MIL came to visit and looked suspiciously at my dd's hair (they are locs) and said, "what style is this childs hair?" I said "Just twists"I just don't want the headache

Well, my Jamaican parents would have a fit if I start wearing locs and I'm 41 yo

So maybe it is just the 'older' generation then. I haven't the heart to tell my mum (who's Caribbean) that her grand daughters have locs, I play the same line of "Just twists mamma"

I guess I am a bit of a coward! (Just don't want world war 3 kicking of in my sitting room)

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Actually I have found that living in a mainly white area has made wearing locs easier, people here don't even know what it is!

i love locs on children & adults but with children you have to be careful of the dreaded NITS if they get it it is very very very difficult to get rid of, and junior age it is rampent!!!!

I don't want to ignite a war of words on here but this has been my experience of the 'shade' issue.

The male members in my family have a preference for white/ ls women which has really annoyed me.

I appreciate Bob Marley's genius but sometimes think was his global appeal more accepted because of his hue.

There used to be a negative saying in London'Ah, that's dark'. I protested and never said it.

The choice of models is biased, but at the end of the day Naomi is more famous than Tyra (or her mum). The Queen of soul (and many princesses) have bypassed the shade threshold. Angela Basset/ Nia Long used to get most acting roles.

I think it's good to be aware of the prejudices so that we educate or children to think with clear eyes. Although sometimes this can go the otherway. I'm a very ls mixed race woman who has recieved prejudices from ds people.

At school I was bullied (albino, half cooked), from adults (I have no culture), at college a 'concious sister' would frown and say 'what is she?',myth that ls girls are easy and most frustrating after working extremely hard on my media project was accused of getting preferential treatment by the teacher.
These are just some comments.

My longwinded point is that it goes both ways, and neither is acceptable.

I hear ya crounchingtigeress.

Whichever way, there is always some group of people with a problem, either subconcious or conciously.

But I think one has to not make 'their' problem define how one lives, socialising, and whom one loves!

IYKWIM

should be socialises.

Thanks, pattsy, what does IYKWIM mean?

Sorry, it means: If you know what I mean

Patttsy x

AAAAAAAAhh, that's a good one. Ah mumsnet, I learn soo much.

I personally would not loc my childrens hair but what works for you works... children look cute with them thats for sure!!..

I plait/canerow my dds hair once or twice a week maybe more, maybe less they both have very thick long hair so it takes hours.

I think there are beneficial products for black hair but you have to try and find the products that suit your particular hair type just like anyone has to.

To improve moisture you have to condition the hair well using hot-oil treatments and leave-in conditioners as well as regular conditioner..moisture is lost during washing,chemical treatments and swimming... this has to be replaced or the hair will never be at it's best.

Black hair takes time and thats a fact...just like black skin used to take time...now everyone moisturises

Re:products for black hair, I think it very much depends on the type hair you have. There is such a huge variation in texture, volume etc that is very difficult to make real comparisons or generalisations, even within families

I know I'm a bit late, but my hair has been locked for nearly 5 years (did it myself). I do get negative comments, including 1 from an older distant relative when we were gathered around at the hospital while my uncle was dying: he said that he couldn't believe I was related with hair like that. If I hadn't been so upset at my uncle's illness, I would have probably gone for him. But I let it pass.

I often get white people stereotyping me as a ganja smoker or whistling Bob Marley tunes around me, but I'm used to it now. Many black people are locking their hair nowadays so you shouldn't get too much flak if you live in an area with lots of black people. I live in a mostly white area &, whenever I do my daughter's hair in braids, a lot of people comment that it's cute that we have the same style which makes me grin.

Locs, as to the last question in your initial post, I don't mind the time it takes to do my daughters' hair. I find the longer it takes to do the hairstyle, the longer it lasts. Although my older daughter is tenderheaded & doesn't like having it done, I know she will get used to it in time (as I did). I love black hair & find that it's really versatile. It's capable of a huge variety of hairstyles: braids, locs, pressed or "down" hair as my daughter calls it , afros, waves, fades and a huge array of girl's hairdo's. Everyone was amazed when I cut my son's hair into a mohawk for big hair red nose day, since they didn't think black hair could do that . When I was growing up, we were taught that kinky hair was bad hair & good hair was straight/wavy (i.e. caucasian) hair. I love black hair & make sure my kids do as well. I am actually hoping that my youngest one's hair gets kinkier (it's curly but coarser at the back) so that she can have all of the hairstyles her big sister has.

do it!!! Buck the trend - stick two fingers up at the predjudiced or judgemental! It looks cool and funky and is functional for your babies!