A discourse on hair, young kids and perpetrating esteem

From time to time, I help out by substituting at a classroom for youngsters between the first and eight grades. This day, I had the first to fourth grades and I had two little girls. One is eight and her hair is short, braided and natural; the other little girl is six and have long hair braided in twos and looking quite done. Well the eight year old was eating lunch and her brother made a remark about her hair and I stopped them and told them that her hair is fine and I broke down and asked them about India.Arie and if they have heard, "I Am not My Hair", of course, these are youngsters, so India.Arie is not in their radar. So, despite the fact that they are not to watch the internet, I went online and got the video so that they could see it and had a discussion afterward. The eight year old told us honestly that she DIDN'T like her hair. I felt for her right then and there because what she said was something that many of us sisters have a love hate relationship with their hair, thereby their self esteem and if we got a new generation doing this, then we dropping the ball. we are not making our daughters feel worthy and we got to stop. I have two daughters now 18 and 20 and they didn't get this one from me but they HAVE to have weave in their hair. it perplexes me to the highest. WHY? I remember as a six year old girl having bad arguments with my mom about my hair. I hate to say it but it was the beginning of problems between us. I know feel that as a mother who had some beautiful hair as a young girl and woman until she lost it permanently by getting a bad perm, it hurt her so that it affected my own hair journeys with her and myself but I understand that now and I have no hard feelings for her there. I wish though that we stop this and get to the light on this because we got more generations hating on themselves and THAT is not healthy.
When I first saw India.Arie perform this video, I only wished that she was around years ago when I was facing my own dillemmas. Although another fierce sister who went by the name of Miss Nina Simone was around and rocked a serious afro. My mom had mucho love for her and Miriam Makeba that one time she fixed my hair with an afro and put a clip in it so the afro would go back from my forehead a bit.and she told me I was like Nina Simone.and you know that day, I walked like I was Nina Simone. I still have mad love for them ladies to this day.
So I try my best to love these young girls and sisters to their own selves by letting them know that they are good enough. but we gotta do more. Show em love. encourage them and let them know that the mothers and Queens of Africa gave them their genes and now they must produce. Be your best and do YOU!

Greetings,
Although I write to an audience of one, I am glad for those who stop by and check me out. One thing that escaped my mind and I'm sorry that it did was last month was considered Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. that cancer is so dear to me because I lost a sister and aunt to it. nothing against Breast Cancer because I have since lost an aunt to it in May and it is even more relevant to me now, Ovarian Cancer doesn't get the rap that Breast Cancer do and after losing my sister then aunt to it. I am also sad that others who have lost their loved ones to this are not saying jack behind it and pushing for more women to be aware of this disease.
My sister was a lawyer for the federal government. I first noticed that something was wrong with my dear sister in March,2002 when she, my brother, their children and my aunt Alice(who has died in May from breast cancer) came down to celebrate. My sister was into it but she was sick. she spent the most of Sunday in bed and her son poked her in her tummy and she HOWLED!! when she went back home to Maryland, she was diagnosed with it and she lived one good year after it and died May 7, 2003 at home.
to say that this couldn't happen in my family, wouldn't, ain't gonna well that became a moot point. Then by late 2006, my aunt Lola got sick. she was let out the hospital for Thanksgiving; but after that, she was in and out the hospital constantly, until my uncle knowing that this is serious, had her put into a nursing home and he visited her daily. She died April 1,2007. hurt me sadly. by then, my father was going down rapidly. I don't think my mom would have told him but he figured it out anyway. I went to her funeral on their behalf. The Friday before Mother's Day, 2007, I went to work, and Mom told me that Dad wasn't going to last the weekend. It blew me away because we lived under the same roof. how could this be? I came home and the hospice nurses were there monitoring him. they told us just be there. My poor mom she was heartbroken. We started calling family and friends. he lasted the weekend but died the Monday evening. But as soon as my eldest brother came to Mobile, and saw Daddy, he looked at him, smiled and tried to talk but by then, his speech has left him. He died shortly after. He died four years and one week exactly to my sister's death and six weeks and one day after my Aunt Lola's passing. When my aunt Alice died the day after Mother's Day THIS year, I was like, well, there it goes again. I won't say I get maudlin around May now but I will say that although I lost three relatives in May, they are in my heart and soul and their love, teachings and good will go with me.
I think I will start a PSA on Ovarian Cancer. not to just remember Agnes and Aunt Lola, but to bring awareness of the dangers of it; There are women out there thinking they have bad stomach aches, abdominal pain and they may need to get a CA-125. for real. or BRACA test one just to see if you are suspectible. I know I will have to now. plain and simple. I hope you do too.