Hair Woes
November 27th, 2007
A rare smile (almost) during the morning hair regime. If only we could leave Joy’s hair down and out like this. Unfortunately it has to be sectioned and tied back or it will become one big matted knot.
Joy and I have major struggles over her hair. She has beautiful thick curls that are very hard to keep clean and healthy. I have put countless hours into researching and teaching myself how to maintain and style it (protective styles that keep her hair from drying, tangling, and breaking). Every time I do anything to her hair (2-3 times per week) we have huge struggles…crying…fighting. I am very careful and try to make it painless (which prolongs the process) but she puts up a big fight no matter what. I am tired of the struggling…the tension and negative energy that it produces on otherwise peaceful mornings. Most of all I don’t like the dynamic it creates between us.
I want to cut it off. Cropping an African American girls’ hair is generally frowned upon in the AA community. I am not sure why. Maybe it is considered a cop out. Maybe its just because it makes a girl look like a boy. I don’t care much about imprinting Joy with girly identifiers but I do want to do the right thing culturally.
I am torn. Every time I do Joy’s hair I say its time to shear it off. But I can’t bring myself to do it. She can have dread locks but then she will have to cut those off one day too if she decides she wants “regular” hair.
Please people…tell me what to do!
November 17th, 2007
We recently returned from New York where Aaron opened a show at Marlborough Gallery…gorgeous paintings in a perfect space. As many friends and family members joined us there are lots of photos (THANKS DOE!) and movies. Here are a couple of favorites
Dennis with “Full On” and “Bomb”
Joy and Janis at work at the opening reception.
