What plan is the best for parents when they are choosing a natural hair lifestyle for their child? There are 3 different ways a natural can transition.

• Short term (0-1 months)
• Mid-term (2-11 months)
• Long term (1 yr. or more)

Not all mothers are willing or ready to chop off their child’s hair if they opt for a short or mid-term transition, so what is a mom to do? SistersWithBeauty is focusing on Natural Hair Transitions all month and then it dawned on us; children are transitioning too. If you’re a mom that is not willing to cut your child’s hair, let’s look into the best way to long term transition as opposed to making your child live in a Teeny Weenie Afro (TWA) if you indeed don’t want her to.

As you know, when attempting to grow out a relaxer the hair can become extremely fragile, especially as the ratio of natural to relaxed hair increases.  It is important to treat the hair with tender loving care while ensuring you protect the hair right down to the tip.

For parents who wish to return their child back to their natural hair, I highly suggest doing a long term transition with protective styles. Children are all over the place, running here and running there, and never really wanting to sit down to get their hair done. For this reason, when you do have them in one place, maximize that time by doing styles that will last longer than one day. We tagged our Bridging the Nap (BNAP) stylist Nikki J to give us some styling ideas and she did not disappoint. Below are just a few of the styles you can do on your child while you carry out their long term transition.

 

It is important to note that you don’t want to make any style too tight or too heavy for your little one. I suggest creating styles with only their hair at the base to release any added pressure extensions may bring. Try to avoid micro braids and extensions that can pull on the hair.

A huge part of your child’s transitioning process will be you caring for their hair during wash time. As you maintain two different textures of hair, be prepared for this to become more and more challenging as the months roll by, but don’t allow this to discourage you. Choosing to long term transition will allow the natural hair time to grow, while you create a smooth transition for your baby girl. It won’t be easy. It may prove to be more challenging than you expected, but if you decide to no longer chemically treat your child’s hair, the benefits are endless and I’m sure she will thank you in the end.

BMWK: Have any of you transitioned your daughter’s hair? How long did you transition and can you share any great tips with other parents looking to do the same? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

*Feature photo by photographer Andrew Thomas Clifton