I've got cramps in my hands tonight. You see, I spent five hours braiding hair today. ALL the girls were in need of new styles. I started in the morning with the two year old. I did 20 or so simple hanging braids all over her head.

In the afternoon my 12 year old and I did the 5 and 9 year olds, and then in the evening I braided the 12 year old's hair. The three older girls all decided they wanted the same half-up, half-down style.

I started by making a part across the back of the head, from the top edge of one ear to the top edge of the other ear. I braided the hair below the part in a grid of simple hanging braids-- 4 rows of 4-5 braids per row. Above the part I did cornrows that curve from the face and meet in the back at the crown. A zig zag part in the middle gives the braids kind of a stepped look.

Five hours sounds like a lot of work, and it is (I admit as I type with tired fingers.) You definitely want to make sure you allow enough time to do the job in an unrushed way. But my oldest daughter's hair will look good for two weeks. I'll probably get a full week out the 9 year old and 2 year old's hair. The 5 year old has very soft hair, and will probably need something new done in 3 or 4 days. But when you figure the minutes per day time investment, it's really not that bad.

I get a lot of satisfaction in seeing my fingers turn out a pretty hairstyle. And I find that braiding is a great low key way to get in some loving touch, some body contact, and some bonding time.

If you would like some more information about African hair care, don't miss this excellent article by Sherry Gragg, or you can cruise my archives for the many other posts I have done about hair.

Photocredit: Mary Owlhaven