My mom is thinking of going napptural

[Cherished]

Hey Everybody!

I had a phone discussion with my mom this morning that floored me. I have kept her informed of the process on my napptural journey since I discovered the site back in April. As I learned more, I mentioned to her a few times that she might want to consider going napptural again, but each time she was dead set against it (she is a militant curl wearer). I have washed and twisted my hair there so she could see what I was doing.

This morning she called me, and I was asking her about her work schedule for the week. Since I'm off until Monday, I thought I would spend Friday with her in case there's bad weather this weekend and wouldn't get to see her again.

She mentioned that she was going to call a friend (who also happens to be her hairdresser) to see if she could get her hair done at home (the usual practice). But get this... she says to me that she's thinking of having M. cut her hair so that she can wear it natural.

Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather! My mother is considering doing a big chop!!!! I realized that I was taking too long to respond...and then I jumped in! I told her that she would love it and that it would be much easier to maintain, besides she likes to wear her hair short anyway. I told her it would be sharp, chic and she would love it. Then I asked her how much new growth she had. She wasn't sure, she thinks maybe 2 to 3 inches. I told her we could have a Hair Day, I wanted her to color my hair (she has done so before with great results), and that we could do our nails and facials, so let's make it a Girls Day. She started laughing and said she wasn't sure about the facials but the other things were fine. She repeated 3 times that she was thinking about it, but she would see. I told her don't chicken out, everything would be fine, and that her hair would thank her for it.

Let's hope she doesn't change her mind about the big chop. I have been trying to get her away from that curl forever. For the past few years, she hasn't always been pleased with her curl so I think she's ready for a change. I need some happy healthy nappy thoughts to go out to my mom. Sorry about the long post, but I'm really excited about this. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[the80five]

:thumbsup

*sigh* maybe your mama should have a talk with mine. She's addicted to the relaxer. She thinks my going natural is just a phase ...

[Cherished]

It's interesting that you say that...at first, so did mine. I have been able to show her that I mean it, particularly by doing my hair at her home so she could see what I was doing.

I made it a point to share positive things I've learned on my journey (made it a point not to say journey to her, though because I don't think she was ready to understand that yet), and I noticed that she has cautiously become very positive about this change. I say cautiously because it's my mother's nature. Right now, I've been working on her negative opinion about locs...slowly the wall is coming down. Some of my cousins have locs, and we spent about a week with them this summer when my grandmother passed away, and my mom is opening up her mind to the idea of locs on anyone's head.

I made sure to give her a little bit at a time. She has to crawl before she can walk. But mainly, I make sure to accentuate the positive. She is noticing the amount of women who are wearing napptural hair as well. Where we live, there are quite a few, so she can see the endless possibilities of having napptural hair (re: versatility).

[Maestradiva77]

I "converted" my mom, so I can relate. It's so much fun to be able to "hair obsess" with my mom. LOL!

[Cherished]

Originally posted by Maestradiva77@Dec 10 2003, 03:01 PM
I "converted" my mom, so I can relate. It's so much fun to be able to "hair obsess" with my mom. LOL!
I'm looking forward to it! LOL

[lydicarol]

Congrats and I hope she decides to chop it off as well. :)

[Cherished]

Originally posted by lydicarol@Dec 10 2003, 03:41 PM
Congrats and I hope she decides to chop it off as well. :)
Thanks. I'll be sure to let you know. Keep those happy nappy thoughts coming.!

[DazeOff]

Hi! It's nice that your mom is really considering going napptural. My mom has been on this curl thing for awhile, too. I remember looking at old photos of her when she had a nice TWA. I just wish she would appreciate my decision to wear my hair unprocessed. But today, after I read your post, my mom came in the room and touched my hair. She said, "Wow! It's so soft!" :rainfro And I'm like, "Thanks, you should go natural, too." She left the room with a, "I might." :shock Wow, that's a good accomplishment coming from her. 50-50 chance...heh. :thumbsup

[Cherished]

Originally posted by DazeOff@Dec 10 2003, 04:15 PM
Hi! It's nice that your mom is really considering going napptural. My mom has been on this curl thing for awhile, too. I remember looking at old photos of her when she had a nice TWA. I just wish she would appreciate my decision to wear my hair unprocessed. But today, after I read your post, my mom came in the room and touched my hair. She said, "Wow! It's so soft!" :rainfro And I'm like, "Thanks, you should go natural, too." She left the room with a, "I might." :shock Wow, that's a good accomplishment coming from her. 50-50 chance...heh. :thumbsup

Hi Dazeoff. Wow! I know what you mean about the 50-50 chance... so here goes...Happy nappy thoughts out to Dazeoff's mom and my mom!

[paulita425]

Thats is so wonderful taht your mom is going natural. My mother has been natural for about 10 years now, then my sister went natural about two years ago, then my aunt went natural, then finally, a year and some months ago, i went natural, i did not even transistion, I had about a 1/3 inch of new growth and cut everthing else!! So now more than half of the women in my family have natural hair again. :app

[Ebonique]

Cherished, perhaps your mom will do like mine did. I knew my mom was growing her hair out. One day I came home and next thing I knew, I looked up and she had already chopped off her perm. :cen

[Lagina]

Congrats Cherished on convincing your Mom! I worked on my mom for 7 months and her last relaxer was in October and she is now transitioning with conrows. (My sister too, see album for pics) She is too afraid to cut all her hair off. But hey at least I got her to stop putting the perm in her hair! :thumbsup

[Cherished]

@ Ebonique

Girl, if I get there Friday and she has cut it off already, I'll probably faint from sheer joy!

@ Lagina

That's great! You convinced them and they are on their journeys.

I really want my mother to do this badly. She used to wear a twa before she had that darn curl put in. I really want her to let this thing go because it looks like her hair is thinning. Plus she's in a triple process because she colors her hair also.

When I was an infant (I know from pictures), my mother had thick jet black hair that hung to the middle of her back. She pressed her hair. She attempt to relax her hair one time only, and it took some of her hair out. So she never had a relaxer. She only pressed her hair.

Then in the 70s we wore our afros. The 80s came along with those darn CareFree Curls, and she has been wearing that thing ever since. She has had healthy hair before, I want her to have it again.

[Cherished]

Originally posted by paulita425@Dec 10 2003, 06:16 PM
Thats is so wonderful taht your mom is going natural. My mother has been natural for about 10 years now, then my sister went natural about two years ago, then my aunt went natural, then finally, a year and some months ago, i went natural, i did not even transistion, I had about a 1/3 inch of new growth and cut everthing else!! So now more than half of the women in my family have natural hair again. :app
That's incredible!

:thumbsup to you, Paulita425, and the women in your family!

[pookeylou]

I know with your support she will be able to do it...THAT IS WONDERFUL!!

Make sure you let her know we are cheering for her....and let us know when she does the deed...she may not be a part of this forum...

but we are going to ADD...HER...TO...OUR ....LIST!!!

The list of those who became perm free in 2003.

Have fun...

I need to go call my mom.

[Cherished]

Originally posted by pookeylou@Dec 10 2003, 07:58 PM
I know with your support she will be able to do it...THAT IS WONDERFUL!!

Make sure you let her know we are cheering for her....and let us know when she does the deed...she may not be a part of this forum...

but we are going to ADD...HER...TO...OUR ....LIST!!!

The list of those who became perm free in 2003.

Have fun...

I need to go call my mom.
Thanks, Pookeylou!

You're right, she's not a part of the forum, but I'll get her here sooner or later. You know I'll support her wholeheartedly, after all, she's my mother. Go call your mom!

Keep those happy nappy thoughts coming! Now, I can hardly wait for Friday to get here.

[BamaFro]

Originally posted by the80five@Dec 10 2003, 01:50 PM
:thumbsup

*sigh* maybe your mama should have a talk with mine. She's addicted to the relaxer. She thinks my going natural is just a phase ...
Ditto that.

My advice is just to be as full of advice and encouraging words as possible. Come prepared with tones of products to try in her hair, maybe show her a few of the nappturality member info filled photo albums, the works.

Wow, this is beautiful. :rainfro