She's Pretty. Curls and All.
I asked Alexis a question just over a year ago that I felt was worth revisiting. I can't find the video from last year, but basically I asked Alexis if she thinks she's pretty.
Last year she answered, "Yes." Enthusiastically.
I imagined that some day the enthusiasm would fall away from her answer.
I didn't imagine that this year would already be different. She still said, "Yes," but not until AFTER she said that her curly hair isn't pretty. She has said that she wants straight hair for a long time, and I guess that's not going away anytime soon.
I have no clue how to get her to understand that she has amazing curls that half the world would love to have.
(The video starts with me asking her what she likes to do. She replied, "Sing and dance," so I asked what kind of dance is her favorite. Jazz dance. I didn't really need to ask to know that, for what it's worth. Jazz has been her favorite for a while now.
After that I asked if she thinks she's pretty. She went on a little rant about her hair. She likes the color, just not the curls.
At least she realizes she has a perfect smile. Because she does.)
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Reader Comments (11)
my oldest hates her curls too, still at age 21. (the only one of the 4 with curly hair). My almost 15 y/o girl would die for the curls. We all want what we don't have :)
Most days, I feel like I hate my curly hair, but when I get it to behave properly, I love it. I've always wanted straight hair, too.
Tell Alexis people will always envy her curls and pay tons of money for what she got naturally. I always get compliments on my hair, even when I feel like it's unruly.
Curly-haired kids rock. :D
Oh, Alexis. I know how you feel.
I hated my curls for the first 22 years of my life. I straightened them as soon as mom would buy me a straightener. As an adult, 22.5 years old, I started wearing my hair curly. My confidence went through the roof!
It took encouragement from my friends to give curly hair a try on more than just "bum days." Does anyone at dance have curly hair? I'm completely ignorant about dance but I bet there's at least one jazz dancer who has curly hair.
You don't know me, but I love it. My curly hair AND yours.
Maggie
I have lived in both worlds! I had straight hair until 6th grade. I had 2 perms and curls every since. At first I complained a lot. I spent a ton of money on products to straighten it. Now...let's just say a few years later...I love my hair. I don't have to do anything but wash it and turn my head upside down and dry it! I can always straighten it if i want but am thankful it pops back up after a wash!
She will learn to love it in time. Everyone wants what they don't have!
She can join forces with Ginny. BOTH have wonderful curly hair and both obviously do not like it and I have NO IDEA why. But like it is been said before ... the weird thing with hair is that we never want it like it is.
Mine is too heavy. I cannot wear it longer because then it hangs down totally boring - anyway if you put a smart layer cut on it or not. 90% of mankind would want my strong and full hair and that is why I try not to complain, but .... LE SIGH
She is PERFECTLY right about her smile though :))))
Another curly girl echoing the same thoughts. :-) Didn't mind my hair when I was young (5/6) then hated it all thru middle and high school. I just wanted hair that would behave!
I've learned to like my hair. I still struggle with having curls but I have come to embrace the fact that they are part of me. And I completely agree with what Kylie said.
Alexis, I completely understand. Growing up, all I wanted was straight, blonde hair, not the red, curly hair I was born with. I'm still not a big fan of my hair, but I accept it. I wish we could all love ourselves exactly the way we are born!
She is right her smile is perfect, and in time she would come to love her curly hair, I actually wanted curly hair when I was younger, so it proves that we just want what we don't have.
I'm 31 and am only just getting the hang of handling curly hair. Sometime in late elementary school is when I started hating it (I don't remember ever thinking of my hair til my 5th grade teacher likened my hair to Medusa's during our mythology unit) I'm only just now starting to come around and willingly wear my hair curly and down. I too can echo to comments of precious posts that I always hated how unruly it looks and was always determined to do its own thing.
I've been thinking about this all weekend. I wonder when I started hating my own hair?
so then must alexis hate my hair, eh? wait until i get my hands on that child!