One of the most underrated and under-discussed facets of fatherhood is that gut-check moment when it comes time for daddy to do his little girl’s hair. This can be a tricky situation all-around – between the clueless papa, the tender-headed baby girl and the disapproving reviews from mama at the end of the day. There might not be a tougher spot that a father could ever be in.
But there is hope! For any and all men who want to do better when a little girl is left in your care – whether you’re her dad, her uncle, her godfather or just a close family friend – I present to you a kind-of idiot’s guide for you assuredly-smart gentlemen, featuring some do’s and don’ts (maybe more don’ts than dos) for dealing with your little angel’s locks. This is the article you need to read to get that approving smile from her teacher when you drop her off at school – and more importantly, avoid getting cussed out by her mother when you bring her home. So without further ado…
RULE #1: She doesn’t like getting her hair done. So don’t announce it loud and proud like you’re inviting her to a party. If you’re doing her hair in the morning before leaving the house for the day, do it while she’s in the bathtub. If you’re doing her hair the night before, do it while she’s watching TV (or vice versa, depending on your routine). The point is, whatever you do, DO NOT do her hair while she is not being entertained or preoccupied. Work smart, not hard.
RULE #2: She expects her hairstyle to hurt her. Sad, yes, but oh so true. It’s an old myth that her hair should hurt her when getting it combed. Don’t buy it – you will become a legend when you make sure you DO NOT hurt her, so take extra care to be gentle when handling her. A super helpful hint: mist the hair with a spray bottle of water, no matter what style you’re creating. This will ease the comb through her curly strands. And she will rave about you.
RULE #3: When in doubt, accessorize. Go to Target or your local beauty supply store and pick up a few hair ties and barrettes. Worst come to worst, you can definitely use these to camouflage any not-so-cute hairstyle you wind up crafting. Colorful hair accessories are your friend, and when used properly, they can make any “just ok” style look super-cute on a little girl.
RULE #4: If the tears start to roll, put her in control. If the little girl starts to cry and say that you are hurting her, simply remove all hands and tools from her hair and place them in front of her, almost in a “freeze and put your hands up” type of manner. This will help calm her down and allow her to see that there’s no reason to cry because you are no longer touching her hair. Then, hand her the comb and let her show you how to do it. Of course, we know she will not know what she’s doing; but the idea is to make her feel in control of what’s going on. When you get your tools back, simply say, “Ok, I’ve watched you carefully, and I will do it just like you taught me.” This is an excellent way to instill a sense of confidence as well as put her at ease, both of which can and will make your job tremendously easier.
RULE #5: Tell them what you want them to repeat. Normally, you watch your mouth around children because they tend to repeat the things they hear adults say. Now is the time to take advantage of that. Fill your little darling’s head with positive blurbs – “Getting your hair done is fun, right?” “See! It’s not that bad, is it?” “You like when daddy does your hair, right?” Superdads have daughters who speak proudly about their dad’s hair-styling skills. I would know – I had a Superdad!
RULE #6: Only use the best products. You’ll want to find products/brands that specialize in the type of hair you’re styling. Naturally, Uncle Funky’s Daughter has a little something for everybody. I recommend using Glossy Finishing Hair Polish once you’re done styling to add even more shine to her ‘do.
RULE #7: Use products that smell good. Another trick to help 
take your little girl’s attention off of what you’re doing: have them smell the product before you put it in their hair. “Doesn’t this smell like candy, Sarah?” you might ask. You can even have them hold the container and/or help apply the products as you work. UFD’s Supercurl and Extra Butter smell like heaven in a jar. If you’re smart, you’ll have at least one of the two on hand.
RULE #8: When all else fails, take a dance break! If the crying won’t stop and it seems like everything is going wrong, stop, turn on some music and get her to groove with you. It makes her happy, you get to look a little silly and have fun, and after a good ten minutes of doing the new-age “Running Man” dance, she’ll probably be too tired to fight off your comb with any real effectiveness.
As I’m sure you can imagine, there’s a lot more that goes into styling your little girl’s hair, especially if you yourself are new to the concept. It certainly takes time and patience on your part. You may not knock it out of the park your first time up, but with a little practice, and the ability to put your little one at ease, you’ll be a pro in no time.
