Natural & Happy Little Girls

So, my daughter has struggled with the idea of allowing her natural hair to be a styling option for her. We have had braids, flat ironing and even tried relaxing it for a long straight look. I was convinced that she was going to be my weave/ wig child. Some might think that her opinion about this issue stems from home life; however, contrary to beliefs, that is very false. I have short hair that is relaxed and friends that are close to us have natural styles.

Once, when we took down a set of braids to get ready for another set of braids, she was so miserable that she refused to sit at the dinner table without some sort of covering to hide her natural curly hair, I have to say, it broke mine and my friends hearts. Why does our natural hair bother us so much so that we want to hide it and feel ashamed of it?  I explained to her that her hair is beautiful and strong and versatile. Granted, she does have a lot of white friends, but those friends love her hair no matter the style. She like so many other little black girls look at their white friends hair and believe that it is the epitome on beauty... simply because our society has said so in so many ways. We have to claim our stake in this big world of beauty and all that it means to be beautiful.

In the end, she fell in love with it and now, sporting it like it is a crown. Look at that smile.