Trying to figure things out...

[jissy]

I currently have a thread stating that I am going back to my original dark blond from being a bleach blond. I am letting it grow a bit so the stylist will see what it looks like and able to match it. Right now I have no idea what I am going to do, but I will see the stylist eventually and ask their opinion. I found a salon that is paul mitchell trained and the girl that works there actually called me back and is very excited about my hair because she says that she too adores hair care. I will believe it when I see her hair and what she has done to hers, that for sure will tell me what she knows.

But having said that last sentence I am the last person who knows about good hair care. My first goal a few days ago was to change the color back to a close natural color so I can let the roots grow out. I have about 33 inches of hair right now and it grows fairly fast. I cut it in august and it has grown about 3 1/2+ inches in the last 5months(could be more but I didn't do a great job measuring).
I have 4 kids, 3 of which play with my hair and well lets just say it takes a beating. I dont want to be one of those moms that wont allow their babies to play with their especially when two of htem are little girls and they adore mommy's hair. BUT i do NOW want to make it healthier.

I was bored with my color thought it was so drab because i was a light blond then it got darker as I got older.
It's stringy and I have to brush it ALL the time or it doesn't look like it was taken care of.
I tend to not comb it when I wake up and basically ignore it while it's down and when I have to go out I take it into a ponytail(still not combing it) and walk out the door.
Most days I keep it up in a bun but that doesn't last and I just let it fly anywhere it wants to.
Its split but doesn't seem to look like its breaking off(again what do i know).

I have tried to not wash my hair yet I wont comb the natural oils down.
I have tried not washing it and just putting water through it and that just becomes a mess afterward because I desperately need conditioner in it. (when I only use water I have combed it through).
I don't use the right combs/brushes at all. My fingers are what I use most days.(i know you are all cringing by this point, sorry).

At this point I want to cut it and start over but not sure if cutting it would help me take better care of it. I am very busy with the kids, up and down stairs all day, dont' touch this kids, or get your toys up and well ya know. lol I adore long hair and as a matter of fact feel as though it is something that most women dont have but should. It says a lot about a woman who has long hair. The care she puts into it. Not wash and go and have a nice day the dinner is in the over waiting for you all while I go do something else. (although I really did my really really short hair when I was 20).
I really like the updos but dont know where to start with them and how to do them or find how to do them on this board.
It's sad that I am the only mom around that has really long hair(compared to the women around here) and I dont take care of it well it enough to be proud of it.

I've come to find since lurking on the boards again that it's not the color or type of hair i am bored with I'm unsure of what to do with it and how that can fit in with my 4 kids and the 3 little ones playing with it. (they dont play a lot with it but the girls LOVE to brush it or just play with it).

any suggestions? I have tried this before and fell of the wagon but would really like to figure something out.

Oh and I have no idea how to find out what type of hair i have thin/not thin, thick in meaning i have a lot or the strands are thicker?
My natural hair color was so shiny and my bleached blond hair is also very shiny, although i have a ton of split ends my hair feels very soft, not dry at all. But I certainly can't put my fingers through it lol.

[spidermom]

You can find hairstyles to try in the articles section, which is on the header on the top of the page. There is also a web site called Long Hair Loom that has a hairstyles section. It would be a good idea to find at least one that you can do quickly and easily most days, something comfortable of course, something that stays until you take it down.

My favorite wash style is CWC - conditioner to length, wash the scalp with diluted shampoo, rinse, more conditioner to length. It has kept my hair in good condition all the way to just past tailbone length. If you haven't tried that, give it a whirl - see what you think.

[jissy]

Just figured out by reading another post that wash and go hair is long hair and not the short hair. Funny the things you realize.

[jissy]

Day 3 with up do. I am using sock bun but not sure how to get all of my hair in the sock?

I get to where you have to use the rubber band to hold it but after that there is still stuff left and I dont know how to get hidden?

[jissy]

did CWC last night. I put conditioner on at top and let run off, then wash the same way then conditioner again and finger through and it feels good. Not as dry feeling as it use to when I just put wash everywhere. Although i didn't do the conditioner first before so that must have something to do with it as well.

Oh and it had been at least 4-5 days since my last wash for hair and it didn't smell at all. but did look a bit greasy. lol

[Curlsgirl]

Welcome! Can you do a simple braid? If you can then you can make a bun with it and secure it with pins and it holds very well. I use Amish pins but you can use a stick or regular bobby pins (though these seem to catch on my hair). I do CWC or CO also and find it works best for me. I think it's great that your kids play with your hair as long as you teach them to very gentle with it, nothing wrong with that! I say keep your long hair if you like it. Just don't feel you have to know and do everything here at once. None of us did that. It takes time. Learn one style like Spidermom said that you can secure it fairly easily and that holds well. Coconut oil helped my hair probably the most besides stopping the rough treatment. Good luck!