Goodbye yarn extensions
Apr. 4th | Posted by Nicky
6 comments
So they lasted just over three weeks. Then I couldn’t stand it anymore, because their foreheads were getting fuzzy.
Spice – the first day.
- Sugar – two weeks in.
Sugar actually asked a few days ago to take the yarn extensions out – she wanted “new braids” – but I said “four more sleeps”… with, of course, the devious intention of stretching that to a week since they can never remember how many sleeps anything is.
Alas, four sleeps it was. But for a day’s worth of braiding, that’s not too bad. For a first time doing yarn extensions, and with active three year olds, anyway. Anybody got these things to last a lot longer and still look good? Any tips?
The girls were pretty durn excited when we snipped them off tonight. Some moms may identify with this – Jrock and I thought long and hard before we decided to offer them yarn extensions, because of all the social/cultural/identity implications. Anyway, we decided that they wouldn’t hurt them (like a relaxer or weave – I think that is so wrong for kids!) Our only concern was that they would like the extensions so much, that they wouldn’t want their “real hair” anymore. Especially Spice, because she’s pretty vain and really into hair. But they both surprised us and, as much as they enjoyed them, are ready to get back to their “real hair”… which they agree is softer than yarn anyways.
Enjoy the video… it’s of them getting their “hair” cut off. You get a little more of their talking than I can usually capture on film. It’s pretty amusing.
They looked lovely!
What did you mean about there being social/cultural implications of yarn braids????
Ruth
YEs………..
They are such little sweethearts. I am so impressed with what you have learned to do with their hair!
If you ever find the secret to keeping the fuzzies away let me know! Three weeks sounds pretty good to me! One thing you can do is since the top is usually where it’s most obvious, just re-do those braids ~ or change them into cornrows for a different look… my girls are usually ready for a change after a few weeks though.
That’s good to know, KAren, because you did such a nice job as I saw on your blog!!!
Oh, Ruth – I realized Ididn’t answer your question well. Well, first off, Ethiopian kids don’t have hair extensions – only ladies. But they ALWAYS have their hair braided(never free hair.) And extensions CAN have the implication / reprocussions of “I don’t like my curly hair so I’m doing extensions that mimic non-black hair…” da da da
It’s a concious choice, anyway, is what I was getting at. And a health choice. No way over my dead body are the girls getting relaxed hair anytime before teenage hood, if even then.