Real Men Can Braid Their Daughters’ Hair

Can dad braid his daughter’s hair? He can with some professional help because real men can braid their daughter’s hair.

When my wife asked me to participate in a hair-braiding class with my daughter a few weeks ago, I have to admit I was a little nervous about it. I had never attempted to braid my daughter’s hair because I had no idea where to begin and my wife always did it.

Eventually, I realized it would be a fun bonding opportunity and I agreed to enroll in the class which was called “Real Men Can Braid.” It was put together by Cozy Friedman who runs Cozy’s Cuts, a great kids hair salon in Manhattan.

When I arrived at the class I was still a little tentative, but my daughter immediately assured me that she believed in me. And, that was really all I needed.

The “Real Men Can Braid” class was helpful and informative. We learned about detangling, making ponytails and braids, and even how to put hair up in a bun. Eventually, I gained a little confidence in the task.

The class was also filmed for CBS This Morning and I had a chance to speak to Elaine Quijano, the reporter assigned to the segment. I told her that, although I never envisioned myself in a salon braiding hair, modern dads step up in every other way, so why not this? Indeed, if I am capable of making breakfast, and doing the morning routine, and taking my children to school, aren’t I also capable of making a ponytail? All of these things are parent tasks, not mom tasks. I just needed a little guidance.

So, having shared all other parenting duties with my wife, my parental voyage proceeded toward this final frontier of hair braiding, a strange new world for me but a place to which I am sure many men will go boldly.

Photo: Chris McKee