Hair twirling

[Nightflyerswmn]

My daughter has picked up the habit of twirling her hair around and around her fingers. It's getting so bad that she lots of tangles in her hair. Does anyone know any good ways to try to get her to quit? (besides cut her hair)

[Brenda Starrr]

I keep threatening my daughter with tying her hands behind her back. I'm still trying to think of a way. It not only causes tangling, but also breakage.

[Nightflyerswmn]

my daughter's hair is so curly it gets knots easy enough. i don't know how to make her stop.

[Paper Hearts]

I have a little daughter who is almost four (I am a full-time, single parent). Best thing, I think, is to reward her for not doing it. Don't make a big thing of it when she does it, it's an attention thing. Just when you comb her hair, if it's not all tangled reward her somehow that day-something like that.

[Onyx]

I agree with the rewards - works better than punishment for my kids.

[Paper Hearts]

I'm Generation X's "Dr. Phil"

[tabycat]

I have been twirling my hair since I was a baby my mother has informed me and I am now 31 :laughing One of my twins twirls her hair and who am I to stop her? Since it is a self-soothing tool for anyone I will never ask her to stop. However, I did show her the "right" way to twirl your hair so it doesn't knot up so bad that it has to be cut out. She is almost 6 now and knotless :grin well from twirling her hair anyway.

My advice would be just to teach her a good way to twirl her hair. Monkey see monkey do

[Scary Guy]

I wouldn't say this belongs here. Unless you're looking for a way to get out the knots.

I'd explain that it is a bad thing. Since they probably wouldn't understand flirting, and this won't come into play until they get older.

Better than chewing on pencils though. Or tearing sheets of paper in half like that guy from that one mini series.

[honeymustard02]

I agree, instead of breaking her of the habit, just show her a different way. Or maybe put most of her hair back and leave a few pieces in the front for her to twirl and nothing else?

[MmeAnaya]

question,

how old is your daughter? And...

when does she do this? does she do this when she's playing or watching television? does she do this when she's concentrating? or sleeping?

Like someone else suggested, try pulling her hair back. She might grow out of this habit. ( I know a child who does this when he's falling asleep so twirling his hair is "soothing" and helps him relax so he can fall asleep at nap time...)

[gothicmom]

is it anxiety related?

[Aralis]

I sometimes twirl my hair when I am tired. I use to do it when I was a child alot to try to keep myself awake at night while watching tv! =)

[lullaby1031]

I think every little girl goes through that little phase. I've always had curly hair and my mother would get so mad at me for knotting it up cuz I did that. She just put the upper half in a clip or pony tail and left the bangs for me to mess with. When I got older, she explained why its so bad for my hair when I did that and it just stuck with me.

[Nightflyerswmn]

thanx for all your suggestions.