When I went looking for a book on children’s hair when my children were born, I couldn’t find one. I looked in those Black beauty magazines you see at every grocery store.  Usually they just had  a bunch of photos of the latest celebrity  hairstyles. Sometimes I’d get excited because there would be a few pictures of little girls with cute hairstyles. But the photos never had any directions! Now I know I can’t just look at a photo of a hairstyle and turn around  and make it work on my daughter’s Maya’s hair.  And I don’t think most parents can either.  So I enlisted the help of a couple of hairstylists and barbers who patients showed m several basic hairstyles.
 
This book will teach you the secret to a neat part and how to comb your child’s hair without all the tears and drama.  And while we all wore our hair in two pigtails when we were girls, those styles are all old school now.  Today our kids want twists, locks, and Afros. Thanks to the step-by-step instructions, you can learn how to do cornrow and double-strand twists. And for you

moms who want to relax your daughter’s hair, I’m not mad at you. I believe parents should have all kinds of hair-care options and I’ve included tips and instructions to help you relax your child’s hair safely.
 
I’ve talked to enough parents of Biracial children and parents who have adopted Black children to know the hair issue is driving many people crazy. Black children’s hair texture is so different from that of White children’s that so many people are tempted to just cut it off, or snatch it back into a ponytail. Don’t give up. I’ll explain hair textures and different hair products to make your life easier. The book also explains why Black hair needs oil, and offers hairstyles that will help cut down your stress level from the hair drama.
 
Dads who may be caring for their children for the first time might be overwhelmed by their daughter’s hair. The book will give you tips on simple hairstyles that will get you out the door faster and helpful hints on grooming habits. Fathers who do their daughter’s hair say that their braiding sessions have brought and unexpected dividend-a way from them to bond with their girls.
And those of you who have boys know that you have hair issues too. Like the never-ending search for the perfect barber who will cut your son’s hair the way you want it cut.  
 
You don’t need to be an expert to learn how to do the styles in this book. We only included styles that could be done by the average mother or father. Some of the hairstyles are really easy.  Others take a little practice. I bought one of those mannequins at a beauty supply store and sat down to learn how to do cornrows. You’ll be rewarded by the smiles on your children’s faces when they realize that doing hair becomes less of a hassle and they end up with a great new look.
 
But more important that the hips new hairstyles, I hope you take away the message that it is important to turn your combing and brushing sessions into loving experiences. While you comb and brush your child’s hair, tell her how beautiful she looks. Also tell her how much you like combing her hair. Too often Black girls have to hear how “bad” their hair is or how unattractive they are.
 
My girlfriend Joye has a wonderful ritual that she started with her daughter Jordan when she turned two.  After washing her hair, she and Jordan stand in front of a mirror and chant: “I am BEAUTIFUL! I am SMART!” More than anything, Joye wants Jordan to know that her beauty does not come from her hair.
 
I used to be depressed overall this obsession with good hair and bad hair, until my friend Jackie told me how she put a stop to this obsession over hair. In fact, this how they described people, Jackie said. “They would say ‘You know so-and-so, the one with the good hair.’’’  Before they had children, Jackie told her husband that there is no such thing as “good hair” and “bad hair.” It’s all good hair,” Jackie says she told him. “If there’s hair growing on top of a person’s hear, that is good hair. Now if there’s no hair growing, that’s bad hair and we have a problem. Otherwise, all hair is good hair.”
 
Adapted from It’s All Good Hair, Coupright 2002 by Michele N-K Collison. Published by HarperCollins Publishers.