Hi everyone - my question may seem a bit frivolous, but it's really bothering me.
My 1 1/2 year old daughter's hair grows straight forward, and it's getting long enough that the sides are constantly curling right into her face and eyes. I know it's bothering her (not just me) because she'll try to brush it out of the way, but she still doesn't quite understand how to do it.
I should clarify that this is the hair along the sides of her face - she sort of has bangs already - the hair that lays on her forehead just doesn't seem to grow so long.
I'm constantly trying to brush it behind her ears, but it's not long or thick enough to stay put. I've tried these nice rubber-backed toddler barrettes, but she won't leave them in. Her hair is really really thin and fine.
What do other moms of girls do about this? I remember my mother kept our hair in a boys' cut until we were in grade school (she called it a "pixie cut" but we knew better) and I hated it. Now I know why she did it!
Thank you for all your help! It made me feel so much better to know this is a common problem, and not just me being punished for my tomboy tendancies.
I combined a bunch of advice - I got the tiny rubber bands from Wallgreens and got her hair wet first. Since it's the side hair that's a problem, I went for two side "stick-out" ponies. When she went to pull them out, I handed her a q-tip, and when she went to pull the other one out, I started playing "where is your nose."
Everything worked like a charm! If it keeps going well I will probably try out those hair clips too. And the bonus is that she looks like a girl now, despite wearing her brothers' hand-me-downs.
Here's what worked for me- a hat! At 1 year my daughter loved the 'doggie hat' grandma gave her and willingly wears it inside and outside. She is now 2 and still likes it.
Some of the Once Upon a Child stores sell these cute bows that are actually tiny hair clips. They come in many colors. They are all brand new and come in different sizes. For the older girls, they have pony holders with the same bows on. These things are soooo cute, they stay in and won't pull the hair out like ponies do. I have several for my colors to match different outfits for my 1 1/2 year old. They are up front in baskets, at the check-out. The store I go to is the Woodbury one.
I was a hair stylist for 7 years and I have 2 little girls whos hair grows forward too. Either you can get a cute haircut that frames arund her face so when it falls it is to short to go in her eyes but you dont have to get her hair cut off or really short ( just ask them to face frame her) or I wouls always pull my daughters hair back to keep it out of their faces. Hope this helps I know its a pain for both of you!
I have a duaghter who has that same problem and I just started to put one pony tail at the top of her head, I call it her "whale Spout" b.c that what it looks like. I know its really aggravating when its in their eyes and won't grow to the sides...My daughter won't keep a head band in and even the good barretts fall out to so even though its a little silly she'll be sporting her whale spout until her hair decides to cooperate with fashion:)
K. H
My daughter had a "pebbles ponytail" for a while until her hair grew out longer. We had the same problem with the hair clips--they either wouldn't say in or she would pull them out. The ponytail seemed to work well.
My daughter had that super fine baby hair too(kinda still does) and I decided early on I wasn't going to do bangs and liked the part on the side where you would part a boys. She got alot of "pebbles" ponies on the top her head too until her hair was long enough. When she finally had enough hair we started the inverted bob haircuts. It's stacked in the back to make her hair look fuller and thicker and angeled down towards her face. Super cute, girlie and very low maintance. She just needed frequent hair cuts. I did this until this summer when she turned 6. We are now for the first time trying to grow her hair out long. She just didn't have the right hair before and it's finally got some thickness to it.
Goody makes a adult barrette in earth colors that will not come out of hair easily. It's metal, oblong shaped.
As far as ponies I use the small rubber bands to this day. They type african american's use with their small braids. I buy them at Sally's, they come in all sorts of colors and they will not come out either. I love these and it's all I will use for a pony. I stay away from the cute plastic one's that say no ouch, no slip or whatever I just cant' get them tight enough.
If I use a small rubber pony like mentioned before and then use the barrettes or hair pieces from Gymboree that usually works wonderfully.
Another trick I do is always do my daughter's hair wet. Works 10x better, looks smoother and stays better. If she's going to have pigtails. I will give her a bath before bed, do her hair and then in the morning just fix her hair up, maybe re-pony it but it only takes me a few minutes.
I wish this website would allow us to post pictures I could show you all of this so much easier.
Good luck!
Hi K.,
I did hair for 17 years before moving to WI, so I hope this helps! My suggestion would be to have the sides of her hair tapered (extremely mild layering) around her face. It'll usually keep it out of the face without shortening the overall length. If you didn't want to cut it at all, you can always try a touch of gel to sweep it back and kind of hold it without clips. Hope this helps, and no you aren't being frivolous!
L.
i still have the same problem with my now 2.5 yr old. what worked for us was to just use those really small pop/snap in metal goody clips-they were the only ones that didn't just slide out by themselves, then i would play a hand game (like pat-a-cake) to keep her hands busy until she forgot they were in, once her hair was long enough, we did the "pebbles ponies" too, but she would still yank at them unless i did the hand games to forget we just fixed her hair....
Try a stretchy headband if she'll leave it in.
Childrens hair gel.
I have the same problem with my 1 1/2 year old. I finally ended up trimming her bangs and the back. Before it was messy looking and in her eye's, now she looks cleaned up. I to was a victim of the pixie cut. LOL. I didn't want the same fate for my daughter. LOL. She doesn't look boyish at all, just cleaned up.
Ahh, the age old question. Well, I am a hairstylist as well as a mother of a 2 1/2 year old girl. If she won't keep barrettes or pigtails in her hair, get face framing. It blends the short baby bangs with the long hair in the back. Stylists can do it now so it isn't so blunt cut. Ask for face framing with a razor. It gives it a cute feathery look, faster and safer than using a scissors in their little faces. It also grows out really, really well. My own daughter gets this done. Good luck
I used the small rubber band type hair binders. You can buy them at Walmart and target. They come in multi-colors or black. They were cheap enough that I would normally cut them out of her hair instead of re-using... They stayed in great.
