Cherish My Daughter

Life happens so we can't always follow our regimens the way we'd like. Rules get broken but when it comes to detangling and manipulating hair, damage may be avoided with a little bit of wisdom. Detangling dry hair  is a recipe for disaster, and products that help us get the job done without losing hair doesn't have to cost a fortune.  I really enjoyed having the girls join me for their funny confessions.  I am so glad we don't take ourselves too seriously.  You won't believe what we get away with, but we're honest in showing you that everything doesn't have to be perfect to retain length.

Common sense tells us we should know what our kids are doing on social media, and the news reveals that our effectiveness may be a matter of life and death. Cyber bullying and depression are on the rise, but with a family full of women and two men who are stimulated by their eyes, I am especially convicted about making sure everyone understands reality versus the fantasy so many people appear to be creating on social media.  We can live our best lives behind the screen even if it has very little to do with reality. Even adults struggle with understanding that it's just a filter, Baby . If it is hard for us, how much more difficult is it for our kids who have so much more to learn? No one has all of the answers and always being aware of what our kids are doing on social media can be difficult. However, the are several practical steps we can take as parents.  Watch the video for all of the details, but I will say that the heart of the matter is a need for guard...

Here is another simple style tutorial for those busy mornings when you want something pretty but you're short on time. Not saying a complicated style isn't worth striving for, but the older I get the less important stressing myself out about a hairstyle becomes.  I love getting the girls in and out of my bathroom as quickly as possible.

Is it just me or is there an obvious difference in the way themes were addressed long ago in children's stories? For example, I was horrified to read the original versions of classics like Sleeping Beauty where the consequence for disobedience may actually be death, and adults were obviously flawed works in progress. Is it because we are no longer faced with the same challenges as families of old?  When did we begin to find our children too fragile to handle the reality that bad things can happen without a fix, even when we are sorry? I think valuable character development happens when fiction actually exposes reality, and we are forced to consider where we stand with what we are seeing.  I've noticed that my kids need a lot less shielding than I imagined from serious themes involving suffering and death especially if justice prevails.  They seem to be able to absorb the greater message despite the loss.

Your boy (O&O) has jokes, but launching him to college has probably been one of our most challenging seasons as parents. We had full confidence in his academic abilities, sense of responsibility and social skills but we felt so many conflicting emotions in watching him spread his wings. Bottom line is that we really enjoy his presence. I have spent so many years asking O&O to turn his music down, and to stop drumming his beats on my walls. Those crooked paintings and wall hangings were such a big deal to me at the time.  Can I tell you that I missed all of that? The differences don't stop there.  Every family member has a role to play and when one member shifts, we all shift and renegotiate our roles.  Change is necessary and we adapt, but a certain level of grieving is inevitable.  Interestingly, O&O didn't need to go very far for the change to be felt.  Though his college campus is relatively close, by not being in our home functi...

I love a good product for detangling and I'm curious about all of the new lines I see in the stores too. What a great time to be natural!  Back in the day we were mixing stuff up in the kitchen, because the pickings were slim. Nevertheless, this tried and true mix has yet to fail me, and I find myself reaching for it again and again.  I have used many different cheap conditioner with success, and in the video I share which ones you may want to avoid.  I hope this helps someone out there! Detangling can be a deal breaker, and anyone with a full head of natural hair will admit that the struggle is real. One thing I don't mention in the video is that this works even better for me when I apply the conditioner to damp hair and allow it to sit for at least 20 minutes. The knots begin to dissolve even before I start working with my fingers. Try it and let me know how it works for you!

We don't use scripts.  Sometimes I will have a short list of my points to be sure not to forget anything, but I like to picture myself having real conversations with real people.  The screen separating me from the audience disappears for me. Can I tell you that I am having a proud momma moment releasing this video, because I am watching my daughter grab this same vision and run with it. She really spoke from her heart in a way that's relateable even if you aren't a homeschooler, but a difference distinguishes you from the majority.  I hope you guys will take a moment to watch the video and show our girl some love!

I never want to experience that feeling of regret after making an impulsive decision about my hair again!  What amazes me the most is that I typically do something drastic over a small frustration or something I had committed to managing.  It's never anything new. The other day, I could not get my cap to fit since the top of my fro has grown out so much.  I briefly considered buzzing it off just to get my cap to fit the way I like, but was that really what I wanted long term?  Was that the only way to get my hair to do what I needed in the moment?  In the above video, I show you a simple solution that allowed me to wear my cap and keep my fro.  No regrets. This experience made me think of all of the times I relaxed my hair after growing it down to my armpits.  I realized that those were similar moments of frustration about things that weren't new, but had become so blown up in the moment, I couldn't resist the impulse.  Is relaxed hair r...