Can I ask a bizarre question?

[basilosaurus]

Do you remember your mom braiding or otherwise messing with your hair?

Is this a standard girl memory, or only one written about in youth lit?

[Deleted]

I remember my mom trying to brush my hair, which was unsuccessful because I had lots of curls. My mom, of thin straight hair, didn't know what to do with me. I remember lots of broken hairbrushes.

But she couldn't braid, so no memories of that.

[Deleted]

My mother didn't braid my hair. My father did, and I have lots of memories braiding my sisters' hair and them braiding mine.

(I'm pasty white if this makes a difference)

[texassmith]

Yes, my mom French braided my hair all the time. Now I have 2 girls and I suck at doing hair :/

[redheadbaker]

My mom would French-braid my hair for my dance recitals. Not on a regular basis, though.

[IIOY]

Once in a blue moon I asked my mother to do something with my hair but I can only actually recall one instance with any specificity. So yeah, not a big part of my childhood.

[Deleted]

My mom made sure my hair looked decent every morning before school until about fourth grade.

I learned how to braid from books, myself.

[basilosaurus]

I ask because I don't remember my mom touching my hair. I remember her wigs/baldness. I remember my tiny little sister teaching me a pony tail.

I'm not sure I'm strong enough to admit the degree to which these few responses affected me, but I'm still appreciative.

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2012 7:12:42 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I ask because I don't remember my mom touching my hair. I remember her wigs/baldness. I remember my tiny little sister teaching me a pony tail.

I'm not sure I'm strong enough to admit the degree to which these few responses affected me, but I'm still appreciative.

::hugs::

As much as its a romantic notion (moms and little girls, hair, etc), I think it is more of a practical function than anything else. My mom did my hair because she had to, not because we enjoyed it. I have fonder memories of gardening with my mom, collecting rocks and catching frogs because that's the kind of person my mom is. I don't have any recollection of watching my mom apply makeup (she doesn't wear any) or shopping for/wearing pretty clothes. I'm sure your mom did wonderful things with you that were just as meaningful.

[basilosaurus]

Thank you, ms. bee. The response doesn't help right now bc I don't have those memories, either, but I appreciate the sentiment.

I was just having a really weird moment where all I remember of my mom was her wigs and and ugly ass peridot and amethyst bracelet. One that I would always ask her to wear. 6 year olds have no taste Who knows what happened to that mid 80s junk.

[mrshandy]

My mom was never very good with my hair. She had no idea how to do a simple braid or barely a pony tail. I always thought it was really cool when other people would do hair.

[laurenpetro]

sibil, i have nearly no memories of my mom being especially maternal. she was a great woman and i know she loved me very much but i can't think of many warm and fuzzy moments with her.

[Michelle]

Sibil, I'm another one who had her hair braided and braids her own daughter's hair, but I don't have memories like Laura Engels (sp?) on little house on the prairie where the mom comes up and brushes her daughter's hair with affection while they smile at each other in the vanity mirror as part of some bonding ritual. Instead, it was (and is today) a moment of arguing because when you have long thick hair you have lots of tangles to brush. Like bee said, it was more of a practicality thing.

I'm sorry you are going through a rough time right now. I'll keep you in my thoughts today.

[thejackpot]

Yes! My mom braided my hair all the time. One of the best things about having a son is that I have avoided girl hair- I have yet to master braiding.

ETA: Sorry you are going through some tough feelings. Few things are as romantic as they are in literature, braiding is no different. (})

[foundmylazybum]

Nope.
I have a lot of very thin hair that tangles very easily. I remember never brushing it and having a perpetual rats nest that I would NOT let my mom come near me with any sort of hair tool whatsoever.

Guess who had a little short haircut like Ramona Quimby growing up--and is still prone to rats nests now?

Sibil, I'm sorry you are having a rough day

I can't think of a memory that is a "standard" mom/daughter memory or experience..

[OscarQ]

My memories of my mom brushing my hair are not affectionate. It's more the trying to brush my unruly curls into a clip before a dance competition thing.

She actually came towards me with a comb on my wedding day and I panicked.

[statlerwaldorf]

I remember my mom combing my hair and it wasn't fun at all. I have curly hair that tangles easily. She doesn't know how to braid. I braid DD's hair often out of necessity. It's not a very good bonding experience.

[orangeblossom]

Yes, my mother braided my hair. My mother braided my hair as part of our weekly days-long hair washing session.

Day one: Wash, condition and braid hair in large thick plaits
Day two: Press hair and/or braid into a real style

As an aside, one of my aftercare teachers taught me how to French braid and once I learned I started braiding my mother's hair on a regular basis.

[Deleted]

My mother had 3 kids in 4 years and wasn't very 'motherly' so only once in a while. I did my own by the time I was 4 or 5.
I made my own school lunch for kindergarten too. For some reason that bugs me - I wasntba 'kid" for very long.

[meg]

I do but it wasn't really a pleasant memory. Mostly I remember her fighting my snarls and me crying lol. She wasn't a very good braider. My sis and I taught ourselves to french braid on our American Girl dolls.

I am sorry you are having a hard time with this. For me, this isn't some seminal mother daughter moment or anything... it was always a big fight with threats to cut my hair all off!

[basilosaurus]

Thanks, guys. Weird weak moment. For sure I understand the pain of tangled tresses

But I've spent all night with a friend in the er. Nothing like putting my stupidity in perspective! And it's only 5 am so far.

[MixedBerryJam]

My mother didn't braid my hair, but every Sunday night I'd sit on the floor by her feet while she put rag curls in. Anybody else remember them? You'd tear an old pillowcase into long, slender strips, then somehow (I've never been able to do it to myself) twist the hair and the rag together. It hurt like heck because it had to be wound r-e-a-l-l-y tightly, but the end result was Shirley Temple curls. I loved the curls and begged for them every Sunday, and then I'd cry as she was putting them in.

[Michelle]

Jul 29, 2012 9:51:20 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Thanks, guys. Weird weak moment. For sure I understand the pain of tangled tresses

But I've spent all night with a friend in the er. Nothing like putting my stupidity in perspective! And it's only 5 am so far.

Not stupid AT ALL Sibil.

But man I hope your friend is ok and that your day gets a whole lot better.

[basilosaurus]

Haven't give to sleep yet! Will be ludicrous later. Why can't I be the friend in bed with beautiful morphine and the phone is about to die.

To make the pce, I'm pretty sure this is the hospital where obama was born.

[basilosaurus]

Honestly, I don't remember which hospital he was born in, they've why I say I think

[chickadee77]

Jul 29, 2012 9:51:20 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Thanks, guys. Weird weak moment. For sure I understand the pain of tangled tresses

But I've spent all night with a friend in the er. Nothing like putting my stupidity in perspective! And it's only 5 am so far.

I'm sorry you're having a bad time. I lost my mom a long time ago (I was 19) to breast/brain cancer. When I was little, mom went to cosmetology school and we were her guinea pigs. Later, when she faced radiation (she'd been sick on and off since I was 8 and had gone through chemo 3 or 4 times, so she knew her hair would go), she handed me her scissors and said, "Here's your revenge!" lol.

No point, I guess. Just know that everyone's memories are different, and relish the good ones you have... That doesn't always stop it fron hitting you like a ton of bricks, though, sometimes. Get some sleep. I hope your friend is okay!

[earlgreyhot]

I have that memory, but also I'd play with my mom's hair.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

I don't remember my mom braiding my hair, but she must have at some point. She was leaving for a few days, so my dad was in charge of getting me ready. I remember sitting him down, each of us with a Barbie, and showing him how to braid to make sure he did it right for school the next day. That's an awesome memory.

I also remember screaming matches when my mom would brush my hair yelling, "Beauty is pain!!!!"

I hope your day improves, Sibil. Good vibes for your friend.

[meshaliuknits]

No, I don't. I remember her taking me to the salon with her a few times, though.But mostly I remember my mother thin & bald & sick & then gone. So I kind of feel where you're coming from.

Sent from my EVO

[StrawberryBlondie]

I have really fine hair, and my mom was convinced that long hair would showcase its fine-ness, so I spent a decent amount of my youth with a very ridiculous almost pixie cut.

So, no. No memories of mom braiding my hair.