Teaching Braid-Challenged Husband To Braid

[MadeiraD]

Basically my husband has long hair for most of his life (since he was in his early teens, he's 32 now). It's varied between waist and APL, right now at APL, and basically I'm going to be unable to care for my own hair after breast augmentation surgery, and it's been easy enough to teach him my two simplest daytime dos (cinnabun with ficcare and nautilus with stick). He knows how to properly detangle, wash and what not.

However getting him to learn my sleep braid... seems to be challenging, I've tried showing him youtube videos, showing him on my hair, showing him on his hair, guiding his hands with mine, even making a "braiding instructional device" out of three different colored scarves and trying to teach him that way.

Help?

[ooglipoo]

Here's how I learned, and I taught my kids and a Girl Scout Brownie troop...

Three sisters are stuck in the back seat of a car. All of them want a window seat, but they cannot ALL have a window, so they have to take turns. Sister from the right has to sit in the middle, then sister from the left, then sister from the right, then sister from the left.

Feel free to change it to brothers, if he doesn't identify with having so many sisters!

[BrendaLoan]

ooglipoo, love that method! We should have a thread with pictures of braids made by husbands, boyfriends, brothers, etc. That would be fun to see :o

[ooglipoo]

:redgrin: I'll try to get DH to braid my hair later and see what happens!

[PrincessBob]

Snuggles cannot start a braid without ponytailing first. I've tried and tried to show him, but he seems to be all thumbs.

[Gumball]

Oh I'm no use. I learned way back when on three strands of yarn. Easy to separate, easy to grab since the pieces are so narrow, and you could just tape a knotted end to a table for the base. :shrug: Good luck! :)

[Larki]

When I was learning to braid, I would braid the fringe on a pillow we had - but it sounds like you've already tried something similar with the scarves.

[Madora]

If he can't get the hang of braiding, could you just have him do a caterpillar braid instead (mini soft scrunchies placed at intervals down your hair?) At least it would be confined somehow when you're ready to turn in).

[LongHairLesbian]

It took me a really long time to learn how to braid, and what I found helpful was saying what I'm supposed to be doing out loud. A braid is just crossing the left and right strands to the middle, so while you are braiding, say "left, strand stays in the middle. right, strand stays in the middle. left, right. left, right. left, right." and so on and so forth. :)

[Anje]

Oh I'm no use. I learned way back when on three strands of yarn. Easy to separate, easy to grab since the pieces are so narrow, and you could just tape a knotted end to a table for the base. :shrug: Good luck! :)
Yeah, Gumball, I think you've probably advanced a bit beyond the point of not being able to braid. :lol:

[Vanilla]

Snuggles cannot start a braid without ponytailing first. I've tried and tried to show him, but he seems to be all thumbs.

I second this. Try teaching him with your hair in a ponytail first. That's how I learned how to braid too.

[Laurenji]

Got no help for you here. My husband is a better braider than I am - but only with bread dough. Lol.

[Scarlet_Heart]

All I can say is good luck, both with the surgery and getting hubs to braid your hair successfully.

Personally, I would never put my hair in my husband's hands. :p

[MadeiraD]

I have my reasons for trusting him
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1.0-9/648_44528813294_5767_n.jpg
He's on the left

[flemeister]

He's on the left
Oooh, nice. :)

I only learned to braid a few months ago. Tried many times before I got it right, and that's just for an english braid. Haven't even tried a french braid yet... :o

Brushing out the tangles helps immensely, and lightly oiling dry hair makes it easier to work with (otherwise it tends to stick together when I go to separate it). A consistent braiding motion is important to get it looking nice. I usually do a tight braid as pictured below.

http://s6.postimg.org/y0a0r0i6l/DSC02277a.jpg (http://s6.postimg.org/pi0kmobo1/DSC02277a.jpg)

A looser start is another option :) http://www.creatinglaura.com/2013/02/how-to-braid-your-hair.html

[GoldenSilk]

I just taught my boyfriend how to braid his waist-length hair! We went through a lot of trial and error. :lol: It helped when I emphasized that once you pick a braiding direction, you always stick to it - always crossing the outer strand over the middle strand, or always under. Then, it took him a while to remember to always cross with the outside strand that you didn't just cross. Finally, I started a small accent braid in front of my face, and had him do the same and copy my movements. I got his braid started at first, until he could see it in front of his face. Now, he's pretty good at braids that he can see.

My boyfriend still has to practice braiding all of his own hair behind his head (tangle prevention for work), but since your SO also has long hair and since the goal is to get him braiding your hair, perhaps copying you on his own hair would work like it did for us? Good luck! :)

[Scarlet_Heart]

Oh yea, I wasn't being snarky! My husband handles everything like a caveman. He's not gentle with anything. :laugh:

And again, best of luck with the surgery. :flower:

[jacqueline101]

I wish my poor baby would let me do his hair. Well what little he has. Anyway any secrets on talking him into letting me do his hair.

[swearnsue]

Hubby said he doesn't want to learn to braid my hair. I asked him to learn in case I was in the hospital or something. Braiding is for girls I guess. He won't polish my nails either. I need more girlfriends.

[MadeiraD]

I'm so glad I married an effeminate goth boy, hehe. He paints nails better than I do.

[Gumball]

Yeah, Gumball, I think you've probably advanced a bit beyond the point of not being able to braid. :lol:
Other people anyway. :laugh: Truth!