Conditioner, Confidence & Chain Lube

The tiny rituals that shape our kids—and remind us we’re not alone in this.

Author

Dad Braids
May 11, 2025

Estimated read time: 2-1/2 min

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today we’re celebrating the moms who bring the magic—who nurture, create, comfort, and lead. Whether you’re honoring a partner, your own mom, or a mother figure in your life, we hope today is filled with appreciation and love.

Here at Dad Braids, we know showing up is a team effort—and today’s a perfect day to say thank you to the ones who’ve shaped our families in all the most meaningful ways.

🧵 Braid of the Week

5 min Braid

This one’s a lifesaver. A clean, simple style you can knock out in five minutes flat—perfect for school mornings when the clock is winning. It crushed on IG and TikTok this week because it’s the kind of braid that makes you feel like a pro without needing 20 minutes.

🎙️ Podcast of the Week

The Daily Dad Podcast – Ryan Holiday

One of my personal favorites—short daily episodes packed with timeless wisdom on modern fatherhood. Quick listen, deep impact.

✂️ Hair Tips: 3 Basics Every Dad Should Know

1. Brush from the Bottom Up

Always start detangling at the ends and work your way up slowly. Less pain, less breakage, less side-eye from your daughter.

2. Wash Less, Condition More

Daily shampooing dries hair out. 2–3 washes a week is plenty—always with conditioner. A leave-in product helps a ton with brushing.

3. Protect at Night

Hair tangles while they sleep! A loose braid or ponytail before bed makes mornings smoother. Bonus tip: satin pillowcase = secret weapon.

🧰 New Gear List Page

Just launched a new gear list with everything I use—from brushes to the toolbox itself. No fluff. Just what works.

📸 Community Highlight

Thanks to everyone who sent in braid pics this week—you’re all crushing it. It’s amazing to see how far you’ve come.

French braids coming in from France!

And a reminder: our Dad Braids Fundamentals Course drops soon for Father’s Day!

⚙️ DIY of the Week

Bike chain looking funky?

This week’s dad-approved DIY is a fun little device to clean and lubricate your kid’s chain like a pro. It’s bike season—let’s get rolling!

❤️ Final Thought

This week, I had one of those parenting realizations that hits deep: raising a kid—especially a daughter—is beautifully complex. We’re not just brushing hair or packing lunches. We’re shaping confidence, empathy, identity.

I shared a video recently about the moment I noticed my daughter comparing herself to others. It was raw, emotional, and honestly… a little scary. How early it starts. How much influence we have. And how little guidance there really is for dads walking this path.

But what I felt most? Grateful.

Grateful for this community. For what we’re building here. For the sense that we’re not alone in trying to figure this out.

This is new territory for dads—and we’re walking it together.

From my family to yours—

Happy braiding.

—Strider

P.S. Got a question, a dad win, or a total fail you want to share? Reply to this email—I’d love to hear it.