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The Hair Washing

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"NO MORE!!!!!! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!"

"HELP ME! HELP ME!"

"OH, PLEASE IS IT OVER?!!!! MAKE IT BE OVER!"

"I WANT MY DADDY!!!!!!!!"

These were the the pittiful screams if my six-year-old daughter as we endured our weekly ritual of washing the hair.

I wonder if the nurse who gave her the first bath accidentially got soap in her eyes or otherwise tormented her because she has never liked getting her hair washed.

Now, you must understand, as the mother of sons with this one being the first girl, it was all new to me, the sheer hysteria around getting the hair washed. I tried to console her, hold her gently at the sink, sing to her, anything to make it easier.

There are times I think she does it for affect. Even her otherwise brave little sister has gotten into the screaming act because of their minor water torture. She has curly hair and before age 3 1/2 never cried. Her big sister's drama is starting to creep down!

Getting the hair washed and coiffed is a ritual in this black-girl home. We are all natural, I have dread locs, her little sister has curly hair, courtesy of our generations of mixed heritage. My six-year-old has everything from her Afro-Caribbean-Cherokee-French-African ancestry all tightly rolled up in glistening afro puffs.

I've invested in everything from Carols' Daughter, Warm Spirit, and Aveda products that make her hair part like butter. She looks beautiful in any style, especially little two-strand twists. She has the texture of hair that is just-so for any style.

So, now she wants to get her hair combed, the clock ticking for kindergarten. This, the little fashionista and butterfly princess survived her water-torture. All quiet in the bathroom...until next week!
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