Mommy Blogging
It’s been a trying week. Blogging looks easier than it is. Thoughtful and useful content takes time to create. It takes time to capture, find, edit and store pictures without overloading your PC. It is challenging to build and maintain a website. That’s all before you start promoting the blog and asking for support and readers. Thank you for reading and following us, your support means everything!
Pinterest Hair Fail!
Giana was off from school this past Monday. We had tried a Pinterest hairstyle of crisscross braids last weekend that took time to create and unfortunately didn’t last. I had planned to tackle some things on my ever growing to do list. I was working on some other write-ups, and since we have done so much for the girls in the last couple weeks, I thought she could spend the day polishing up her spelling/math and working on a craft.
Laufty Plans often go astray.
What’s your WHY?
She wanted me to help her with the spelling games on the desktop. Threading the beads on her bracelets that she was making for the family was causing her trouble, and she wanted help with that too. Every other hour she wanted a snack. Her favorite activity is playing on her iPad, and I limit the amount of time I allow for that. Of course, she wanted to use it. I had to revisit my why’s.
Why am I blogging? What is my goal?
My Whys
- Creative Expression.
- Ability to help others.
- To use my voice for diversity and unity.
- Quality time with my family.
- To challenge myself.
- Teach my children leadership, entrepreneurship, and self-love.
When I thought about these goals, I quietly tucked away my laptop and pivoted. Just a glance at my child and I realize time is fleeting. She is sprouting up and is very tall. Little by little I see changes that are undeniable pieces of my baby girl blossoming into a young lady. She placed her first poster on her bedroom door, and she has been Facetiming with a friend who lives out of town, she talks back in sassy tones and slams doors.
How long will I be doing her hair?
These tiny indicators of a preteen, slowly but surely, she is slipping out of my grips. I know it affects me. I’m guilty of trying to control her every move. From the outfits she wears, to her penmanship, regulating the cleanliness of her room or how much she eats for dinner.
I recall reading an article when I was pregnant about being a Virgo mother to a Cancer child. It said that our zodiac signs were not compatible because the Virgo mother is critical/practical and the Cancer child is sensitive and seeking praise. This causes me anxiety to this day!
Pause, Pivot, and Reprioritize!
So here we are with a couple of hours just the two of us. My child is asking for my attention, and I am distracted by my professional goals. I remind myself that she is my goal, she is my priority, she is my inspiration. I pause, I pivot, I reprioritize my day.
“Alright Giana, do you want to rework those braids and watch a PG-13 movie together? I think you can handle it and we can do those box braids you asked me for?” She smiles, she nods, “yes mommy”. Her big brown eyes sparkle back at me. I think she is so dang cute.
We choose The Great Gilly Hopkins a movie about a 12-year-old girl shuffled from foster home to foster home. It was a good movie and watching the tears swell in Giana’s eyes as she empathized with the young girl’s plight made me adore her sweet soul that much more.
Box Braids on Biracial Hair!
Enough about that gushy stuff, You’re here to hear about the box braids. This is how we did it. Since we had washed and layered her hair with the same products used in the other Pinterest post, we didn’t need to add much more as far as products.
We also took advantage of the parts that we had from the crisscross French braids, follow us on Instagram for those pictures.
How to do box braids on mixed kid’s hair:
- With coconut coated hands I gently unbraided her hair.
- I took the back of her hair and divided it into two halves. I used a hair clip to secure the rest of the hair out of the way. Concentrating on ¼ of her head at a time.
- Then I divided that section of hair into a 1 inch row.
- I made 1 inch x 1 inch squares of hair.
- Each sectioned square was secured with a colorful rubber band.
- Then I spritzed the section of hair with a water bottle blended with 1/4 conditioner and essential oil.
- I used coconut oil to seal it in and curl definer for extra moisture.
- Braid each section secure with another rubber band.
- Add a little more mint oil to the scalp root.
Here is a video of us braiding her hair:
We are on day 5 and the braids are holding up well. To maintain the look we are doing the following steps:
Maintaining Box Braids on Mixed Kid’s Hair
- Giana is sleeping with a Child adjustable sleep cap on at night.
- Pulling her braids into a shower cap in the bath.
- We added a little Mielle Mint almond oil to her roots on day 3.
- We added a little mousse on the length of the braid on day 4.
As I let go of my grip on her, I see how much her freedom means to her. She has been styling her braids each day on her own and loving it. The braids give her the flexibility of wearing them in a high or low ponytail, her friend did a braid of her braids. She came home one day with a banded ponytail of braids. Girls play with their hair in school, and for the first time, she can change her look as she pleases.
Updated 3/26/2019
Technique stayed the same but we added new products to our box braid routine that we did yesterday and here are some new pictures:
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