Battle of the Hair Brush

Some preschoolers really put up a fuss when it’s time to brush their hair! I’ve had a number of young moms ask me how to fix this problem. My granddaughter used to resist having her hair brushed, too, but with the suggestions I list below, we’ve conquered that.

First off, don’t use shampoo when you wash your child’s hair. Shampoos may contain harsh chemicals. They may sting the eyes, or make baby-fine hair more unmanageable than ever. I never use shampoo. I haven’t for over a year, and I wash my granddaughter’s hair the same way. I wash my hair with baking soda, and about every third or fourth wash, I rinse with an apple-cider-and-water rinse, which restores the natural pH balance of the hair. (Lemon juice will do, too) My hair is cleaner, healthier, longer, shinier than ever, and baking soda costs pennies to the dollars of fancy shampoo. It doesn’t sting the eyes, or contain harmful chemicals. If you want more info on baking soda shampoo, it’s all over the web. It’s often referred to as “no poo” or “no shampoo”. I have a previous post here, Never Shampoo Again.

I make my own “conditioner” too. I float a tablespoon of light olive oil in a small amount of water in a spray bottle. I shake well, and spritz this on my granddaughter’s hair in the morning before brushing. It helps make the hair shiny and tames down the frizzies. It even helps with detangling.

I bought a super-soft hair brush. Don’t get something stiff and scratchy and made of plastic. For your preschooler’s hair, you can get a natural boar’s bristle brush, which is often very soft. It may seem like it doesn’t do the job, but it will, and it won’t pull. Your child may enjoy having her hair brushed again when she learns it doesn’t hurt.

I bought a bunch of pretty hair things. I let my granddaughter pick out a couple in the morning that she wants in her hair. She holds the hair things, and she holds a small hand-held mirror while I brush. This keeps her interested, as she can’t see herself in the big bathroom mirror. Some mornings, if she’s very wiggly, I let her watch a cartoon while I fix her hair in the living room.

Finally, I let her brush my hair. I let her see how much I LOVE to have my hair brushed. I let her put funny hair things in my hair. I’m modeling preferred behavior for her, the way I want her to act.

This is a “killer combination”. You use modeling, positive reinforcement, and make it a really enjoyable experience, and the hair battles should end. If after you’ve tried everything else, and it’s still a problem, then you may want to discuss a very short hair cut with your child. Don’t cut her hair without her permission- she may never forgive you! But she can help to be part of the decision making process. Either she lets you brush her hair, or she needs to have it cut short.

Good luck!

For Further Reading:
Meal-Time Battles
Traveling with Tots
Nail Biting

Photo Credits:
Top: http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonlooks/ / CC BY 2.0
Bottom: http://www.flickr.com/photos/table4five/ / CC BY 2.0

Tags: baking soda, battles, conflict, hair brush, no poo, no shampoo, olive oil, preschooler, toddler, vinegar