Many HGH readers are adoptive moms on their own adoption journey, waiting for their children. Often, moms ask what they should bring for hair care when they travel to be united with their children. The great news, and short answer, is not much. While hair care is a footnote in the huge production of adoption travel, it’s only natural to think about it. It’s one of those few details within our control, right along with how many pull-ups to bring and what size shoes to pack.
We’ve talked about infant hair care before and the same goes for travel. A gentle cleanser, a soft brush, and a little oil is all that’s needed. For a very young infant with little hair, the brush and oil can probably wait until after homecoming. Even very young infants can have ringworm, so a topical medication would be a good thing to pack.
A little more might be required for older kids, or it might not. Many a mom, including me, has arrived to find her child’s head has been recently shaved. A recently shaved head will also be fine with gentle cleanser, a soft brush and a little oil. Kid’s heads are generally shaved to help control the fungus and lice that can flourish when a lot of children live together. It’s a good idea to bring an anti-fungal cream like Lotrimin. Ringworm on the scalp can be very tough to get rid of and all ringworm is contagious, so it’s important to talk to the doctor about it at that first appointment. Some families bring lice medication too. I’ve only run across a few families who needed it, but it’s not a bad idea to bring it.
Most shaved heads are a surprise, so it’s wise to pack as though the child does have hair. Fortunately, it can be kept very simple. A conditioner that can be used to wash and/or as a leave-in, and a wide-toothed comb are the basics. A natural bristle brush can help remove little fuzzies, and if you have a girl, a few headbands or a barrette can make her feel very special. The tiny metal barrettes that close with a bend in the middle can work for almost any length hair. Some people chose to bring a shampoo as well, but unless you know you will have access to a tub or shower and a good water supply, I’d skip the shampoo. Bathing your toddler or preschooler when you have just met can be a challenge, so a full on shampooing and conditioning might be a bit much. I think I used a little baby wash on a wash cloth and some warm water to cleanse, but I could have used conditioner instead. Plain water will do the job for the short term too. A conditioner wash would probably be fine for a school age child. After cleansing, a bit more conditioner can be added for a leave-in.
I always think it’s a good idea to wait until getting settled in at home before buying and trying out lots of products. It’s really hard to know what a child’s hair texture is from a photo and once you are home, you can take your time to learn about your child’s hair texture and figure out the hair’s needs as it changes with a new diet and a new climate.
a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil is mild, and can be wiped off without rinsing)
Lotrimin or other topical antifungal cream
Optional
baby brush
small amount of oil (jojoba, olive, or coconut)
Older Child Hair Care Packing List
conditioner (for use in cleansing and/or as a leave-in)
wide-toothed comb
Lotrimin or other topical antifungal cream
lice treatment
Optional
small amount of oil (jojoba, olive, or coconut- for use if the head has been shaved)
a gentle cleanser (Cetaphil is mild, and can be wiped off without rinsing)
natural bristle brush
hair accessories for girls
Those are the basics I recommend for a short trip of a week or two. If your trip is several weeks long and you are adopting an older child who will be in your care most of that time, you might add a shampoo, a moisturizing styling aid and a rat tail comb. Some parents have enough time to take older daughters to a braiding salon while in the child’s birth country. If that isn’t possible, a few simple puffs can be accomplished with a rat tail comb, a natural bristle brush and ponytail holders.
Wishing you and your little one a safe and happy journey!
While in Florida, we took Simone and Nadia to Walt Disney World for a day. They went on rides, met Disney characters, and otherwise had a ball. Of course, they wanted souvenirs. They asked for Minnie Mouse ears, Tinkerbell wands, and balloons. The girls love balloons. I wish I knew why. Balloons are colorful and fly but don’t do much else.
Two years ago, Ken and Simone had a falling out over a balloon. If I remember correctly, Ken had told Simone she couldn’t have one. Not surprisingly, we have a picture of Simone holding said balloon and wearing a scowl on her face.
On this trip I had promised we would get balloons at the end of the day. Disney balloons are not like ordinary balloons. They are huge and apparently well made. We have taken them home before, and they lasted a week. An entire week. We drove home in those cases. I started to think about how we were going to get the balloons home this time. Would we be able to take them on the plane? It didn’t really matter if we could get them home. I had promised. Besides, children don’t necessarily grasp all the nuances of an issue. All they know is they want a balloon.
I kept my promise. The girls faces lit up, and they gladly posed with their new toy. The next day I called the airline and asked whether we could bring the balloons onboard.
“Balloons filled with helium?”
“Yes.”
“Those balloons are filled with a combustible gas. You will not get through security with them.”
It turns out helium is an inert gas. Still, I had visions of Simone and Nadia screaming as a security officer confiscated the balloons. That could not happen. I gathered the girls and took pictures of them with their balloons, and then I explained the lady on the phone said we could not take the balloons on the plane. Instead we would let go of the balloons before we went to the airport and tell them good-bye. I had gotten this idea from Simone. We had watched her purposely let go of them on more than one occasion.
The girls clutched the balloons while Ken and I packed the car. When we finished, I announced it was time to say good-bye. Ken cut the strings, and all of us waved and said good-bye as they floated away.
We never heard another word about the balloons. No tears were shed. I, though, felt uneasy. While we had solved this problem, passed this test, there are countless more, waiting in the wings.
Mooooo!
Nadia overheard saying this while she slept and had a vivid dream.
When I learned I would be in Florida on business, I made an appointment with the Curl Whisperer. I had been reading all about her advice on curlynikki.com, and I wanted to see for myself whether she could tame my curls.
First, I showed her a picture of Simone and Nadia and told her about their hair. The Curl Whisperer recommended Aubrey Organics GPB for Nadia’s hair. It has protein in it and that will be great for her fine tresses. For Simone, she recommended Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, which is protein free and more appropriate for thicker hair.
We then moved on to my hair. I was concerned about breakage and didn’t know what kind of porosity I had or whether I was protein sensitive. The Curl Whisperer said I simply needed a trim to help with breakage. That was good news. I had thought she would have to do a drastic cut. She said I had normal porosity and said my more coarse strands would not like any protein. Armed with that information, I can better choose products with the proper ingredients for my hair.
She gave me a dry trim, washed my hair, and rinsed it with cool water. My curls really liked the spa treatment and formed perfect little coils. She applied a little of Curl Junkie’s Curl Assurance Aloe Fix Hair Styling Gel and sent me on my way. I paid the Curl Whisperer and left a tip I hope conveyed I appreciated her curly advice. I wanted to buy her a plane ticket to my home, but it turns out she likes living in Florida. That’s okay. I will just add a trip to see her to my long list of excuses to visit Florida.
One World, One Day
By Barbara Kerley
Here is the proof that our world is small, big, similar, and different all at the same time. This picture book follows children around the world from dawn to sunset.
The book features 60 photographs that show and tell how children in every corner of the world spend one day. What is so striking is how similar the day is for children. They all eat breakfast, go to school, spend time with their families, conduct chores, and fall asleep at night to do it all over again.
The pictures in this book can be used to tell stories and teach children about other cultures. There is a map in the back of the book that shows where all of the pictures were taken. Simone and Nadia like to point to where they live, and then I point to where some of the pictures were taken. This is a wonderful little book. We don’t own it yet, but it will find its way to our bookshelf soon.
Here are two book lists featured on theroot.com. One of them is for adults. The other is for children. I am familiar with some of the books on both lists and may purchase a few for review. Enjoy.
