An Ignoble Experiment: [Parent Hacks] 3 new posts in Parent Hacks

Hello, ignoble.experiment@arconati.us, and thank you for subscribing to Parent Hacks. Got a hack you'd like to share? Send it to hacks@parenthacks.com, along with your name and Web address (if you'd like us to link to you).

Review and giveaway: Curly Girl: The Handbook

A serendipitous coincidence happened a couple weeks ago: just as I was asking for your hair care tips, I received Curly Girl: The Handbook in the mail for review. The publisher had contacted me a few weeks previous with a pitch, and I had said yes, knowing that dealing with kids' curly hair is a major challenge. I know, because I have a curly girl of my own.

What's great about the timing (besides the obvious topic fit) is that so many of your hacks are confirmed and expanded upon in this book. The author, Lorraine Massey, is the founder of a group of salons specializing in curly hair and has a head of remarkable curls herself. In Curly Girl, she shares her down-to-earth tips for washing, conditioning, styling, cutting, but most of all, loving and accepting curly hair.

What I like most about this book is that, despite her creation of DevaCurl, a line of curly haircare products, this is not a thinly-veiled marketing brochure. This is education, inspiration, and practical how-to written in an energetic but intelligent style. She talks about the different types of curly hair, how to care for each type, and even offers recipes for homebrewed hair tonics and conditioners.

In the book, you'll find all sorts of surprising suggestions, including:

ditch your shampoo in favor of sulfate-free cleansers or botanical conditioners
ditch your blow dryer (unless you have a good diffuser)
ditch the vigorous towel-drying
ditch your brushes and combs

There's even a section on curly kids.

In general, I have little interest in beauty books, and I'm not a hair product fiend. But I really enjoyed this book, and I've already put much of what I've learned into practice with my daughter. I'd recommend it to anyone caring for curly hair -- either their own or their kids'.

Win it! I've got three copies of Curly Girl: The Handbook to give away! Just leave a comment on this post answering the following question:

What's your #1 tip for caring for curly hair?

On Friday, March 4, 2011, at about 2pm PST, I'll randomly choose and announce three winners. Good luck!

Note: Giveaway open to residents of the US only. One entry per person.

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Reading is fun (and crunchy!) with letter-shaped cookies

via flexibledreams.blogspot.com

Look what Amy of Flexible Dreams is doing with Trader Joe's Cinnamon Schoolhouse cookies. I should say: look what her kids are doing! Smart and fun. Read the full post for more photos and ideas. Thanks for sharing this on the Facebook page, Amy!

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ProFlowers - Send ProFlowers starting at $19.99

Reduce hair combing drama with distraction

Few long-haired kids or their parents enjoy the daily hair-wrangling session. To calm the complaints (and even the tears), several PHers have come up with simple methods of distraction.

From Mrs. Mordecai:

I have a very squirmy twenty-month-old daughter. I grouped all of our commonly-used hair accessories (including small bottles of water, hair spray, and detangler) into a plastic tote and I keep it by the computer. When I do her hair, I put on YouTube movies of kittens and Sesame Street and it helps her keep still.

(Wondering which videos to pick? Read her full blog post on baby haircare for suggestions.)

From Suzanne:

When my daughter was a preschooler, we kept a brush and a little dish of ponytail bands and other hair accessories on a shelf near the kitchen table. Doing her hair while she ate breakfast was a real time-saver in the morning, and I think the food was just the right distraction from any tugging or pulling.

From Jenny:

Doing my princess's hair in front of their mirrors was adding to the DRAMA. It turned into an audition every morning. Now, once the kids are dressed, breakfasted, bookbagged, etc. they are allowed one TV show. Keeps them moving and I sit behind them on the couch and fix their hair without a single complaint! Watching Mickey instead of their own melodrama has saved our mornings.

Makes sense. And isn't that hair care tote a great idea? I've seen small plastic totes in the dollar section at Target.

Also: Plastic cleaning tote as portable art supply kit