This post is sponsored by Pantene, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Every Dad with a daughter will inevitably be asked the question, “Dad, can you help me with my hair?”. This question used to give me immediate anxiety. Hairstyling and hair care was uncharted territory for me. I’ve never had shoulder-length hair and looking after someone else’s long hair was entirely foreign to me.
My two daughters have an age gap of six years. My oldest daughter is blessed with very curly hair so before she left for college I was never faced with the “hair help” question. My youngest daughter just turned 13 and is blessed with long, thick, flowing hair. For years I have referred my youngest daughter to her mom for hair help but as of last month I have graduated to “Dad Does Hair” status.
The transition was easier than I thought – apparently I just needed a push. There were two things that propelled me from barely knowing how to make a ponytail to creating hairstyle tutorials on my Instagram. The first push was my wife telling me that I was running out of time with my youngest daughter because she was going to be going to High School next year. And the second was a story my wife shared about her and her Father.
When my wife was six her parents divorced and she and her three siblings went to live with their Dad. She blocked out a lot of memories from that time in her life but one happy memory makes her smile to this day. Even though her Dad was busy trying to provide, nurture and protect, he still took the time to help her with her hair before school. He wasn’t the best at it but he tried and as he brushed and braided her hair the world was alright.
To this day my wife’s Dad has no idea how much this simple thought meant to her. He may not have even thought much of it at the time. This story made me think about how even the seemingly routine moments in our kids’ lives can mean so much to them. Especially when it has something to do with helping them realize how beautiful they are.
A hair routine with your daughter doesn’t have to be complicated. I’ve found that doing my daughter’s hair two to three times a week works best. When we were first starting we would plan the days I was going to do her hair, now we just play it by ear. Don’t stress about it and just have fun.
Our routine is pretty simple. I start by having my daughter wash her hair. We’ve partnered with Pantene for this post because we like their Nutrient Blend Shampoo and Conditioner. It’s fragrance-free which my sinuses appreciate plus it has no silicone or dyes. My daughter also has a sensitive head and the Nutrient Blend Conditioner makes her hair soft, less frizzy, and easy to detangle. My wife also loves the fact that is free of sulfates and parabens. Use this link to learn more about Pantene Nutrient Blends Shampoo and Conditioner.
While my daughter is washing her hair I usually find a hair tutorial online that we haven’t tried or I decide on one we have previously used. It really just depends on how much time you have. To make it easier for those of you who are just starting, I’ve created a video montage below of the hair tutorials we have tried and liked. These are our go-to hairstyles that are easy enough for any level.
After my daughter’s hair has a little time to dry I will start brushing her hair while we talk about her plans for the day. The actual hair styling part typically takes anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on the style.
I can honestly say that my daughter and I have gotten closer because of this slight change in our mornings. If you’re a Dad with daughters I would highly recommend it. I also forgot to mention, it’s a great way to get your daughter to open up about what boys she is liking at the moment – that should be inspiration enough for any Dad.
