Nice people thread part 6 - thrice by twice as nice :)

LydiaJ

MiddyMum wrote: »

Is Michaels black too? And what's this hair product, my daughter has a white daddy! At the moment, she just has her hair in a frizzy fro but I really do need to sort it out.

No. Michaels himself is white, but his wife is black, so their kids have mixed race hair, just like your daughter (and my nephews, for that matter).

MiddyMum

Being a mixed race couple, I don't really encounter any prejudice. Sometimes, we get the odd stares from people in the street and I was once asked if my daughter was mine....she has a very pale complexion whereas I don't obviously. It's just ignorance really, I live my life day to day and don't really give it too much thought.

lostinrates

MiddyMum wrote: »

Is Michaels black too? And what's this hair product, my daughter has a white daddy! At the moment, she just has her hair in a frizzy fro but I really do need to sort it out.

Aha. Well, there is no pone hair product. Curly hair is different.

There are websites where you can find the techniques of 'curly girl' which is subtley different for different types of hair. Then you have to experiement.


The curly girl technique recommend no shampoo ( I realised at the hair dressers last week? Week before? That I had not shampooed since last time I was there, which was...June. You can use very inexpensive conditioners to wash the hair, and heavier ones to condition it, but I use wen, or rather, recent conversion to the amazon much cheaper copy. (it's a 'cleansing conditioner'). I find there styling products carp though. Sounds gross, and is hard to get used to, but is so much better for hair. I used to get occasional itchy scalp, that has cleared up too.

Doozergirl here, recommended morocan oil, which my hair did not like at first, but now drinks up. I recently bought two copy versions at tk maxx.

Curly girl recommends no silicones. This works for most people but not me. I still use frizz ease, then a curl cream styling product...this has taken some years of experimentation, but I find a cream product is least drying to my hair and most frizz fighting.

So, a normal hair washing night for me is, cleansing conditioner (which has to stay in hair a while, then rinse, then leave a little cleansing conditioner in (if using normal conditioner do the same, but which ever keep it away from scalp, mid lengths and ends) then oil, then frizz ease and curling cream mixed in the hand.....done. Sounds a faff, huh?

Never brush it, try not to comb it. Afro comb (I use a cross over style one, or a tangle teaser when my fingers really will not do the job, but that rarely ever happens now my hair is in better condition).


Managing curly hair varies between people and curl types, but it is possible!

I also still where my hair in braids (but just one or two now, not 'kenro' style to protect it from weather and scrimp on product use. Quite often I just leave it with normal conditioner on in plaits.

Sorry, that's a long answer. Although I don't do curly girl strictly it's a really excellent starting point for all curly and Afro hair.

MiddyMum

Well done to your son Lydia!

Location, location, location is on. I am not leaving it to catch up this time, because they still haven't uploaded episode 3 to 40D (new series), but have all the episodes from the year 2000 on there. Why I would want to know what property prices in London were in the year 2000 I don't know...

lostinrates

MiddyMum wrote: »

Being a mixed race couple, I don't really encounter any prejudice. Sometimes, we get the odd stares from people in the street and I was once asked if my daughter was mine....she has a very pale complexion whereas I don't obviously. It's just ignorance really, I live my life day to day and don't really give it too much thought.

As it should be, perfectly healthy attitude IMO.

One of our friends for d visiting us in our last area difficult as he felt very conspicuous. Where I am now we are a little more multicultural, but that neither dh or I are Anglican is an issue. Local vicar is not happy with me using the church (old area didn't mind, there was a catholic service in the Anglican parish every week and just 'popping in for quiet 'reflection' was no problem ( I am not a practising catholic, but feel respectful of my cultural background and find a pew a good place to think.).

I used to use the goddess chapel in Glastonbury for much the same thing.

lostinrates

LydiaJ wrote: »

Been to DS's parents' evening today. Not a full one with all the teachers, but a mini one with just the form tutors and one or two others - I saw his form tutor and the senco. All agree he is settling in much better than anyone expected, given his isolation etc and unwillingness to join in at primary school. Also, his subject teachers aren't expressing any concerns about him academically, which is teacher-speak for "it's all going OK so far but we've only known him a few weeks so we can't be very specific yet".

I got the results of his reading age and spelling age, too. When I came home and told him, he guessed 5 for both, and was amazed when I told him his reading age is actually 11 and spelling age 9 - not bad for a dyslexic. They told me a bit about their literacy strategy, too, which will be starting in a week or two and often sees kids move ahead 2 or 3 years in reading/spelling age over the first year of secondary school.

I am feeling happy that paying the extra to buy in this catchment was the right decision for him.

Hurrah!

Incidentally, have been meaning to ask...I think we have an old and incomplete box of Lego, is it any good for the Animator? If so I will set it aside for next time we see you. If not I will find another use for it.

LydiaJ

MiddyMum wrote: »

Well done to your son Lydia!

Thank you MiddyMum

lostinrates wrote: »

Hurrah!

Incidentally, have been meaning to ask...I think we have an old and incomplete box of Lego, is it any good for the Animator? If so I will set it aside for next time we see you. If not I will find another use for it.

Oooh, yes please. He'd love that.

lostinrates

Oh, great. that's good. I don't think a charity shop wanted a partial set and am very please that your dear s will get benefit.

Just have to remember where it is now......:)

PasturesNew

I always wanted Lego when I was a kid, but it was pricey, so we never got one. We had something else, a fake/lesser alternative, can't remember what it was called, but all you could do was build it into skyscrapers and put a roof on.... so a bit limiting.

Nikkster

My mum and I went to Legoland a few,weeks ago
(Free tickets, its arm and a leg stuff otherwise).