Estimated read time: 5 min

🧠 Big Idea of the Week: Hair Confidence Starts With Us

One of the 12 challenges this community asked for help with was Hair Confidence - feeling unsure about what’s “right,” worried about damaging hair, or just not knowing where to start.

Totally fair.

We never got this training growing up. Most of us are learning on the fly. But here’s something I’ve learned this past year:

The way we care for our kids’ hair becomes part of their self-image.

If we’re gentle, patient, and confident? They absorb that. If we’re rushed, frustrated, or pulling too hard? They absorb that too.

Hair isn’t just hair. It’s identity. It’s comfort. It’s connection.

And when we take good care of it - starting with healthy brushing habits and scalp care - our kids feel it everywhere: in mornings, in friendships, in confidence walking into school.

So this week’s theme is simple:

Healthy hair = confident kids.

Confident dads = calmer mornings.

And we’re building both - one braid at a time.

🛠️ The Tools

Braid of the Week: Healthy Hair, Healthy Scalp

This video covers one of the most important things in all of haircare: preventing traction alopecia.

If you want long-term healthy hair for your kids, this is a must-watch.

👉 Instagram

👉 TikTok

Gear of the Week: Boar Bristle Brush

The secret weapon for smoothing flyaways and creating clean, polished looks - without pulling too hard.

Soft on the scalp, amazing for finishing touches.

👉 Grab it here

And for everything we use daily:

👉 Full Gear List

📸 The Moment

This week we saw some of the sweetest photos come in - dads doing their first braids, dads leveling up to intermediate styles, dads simply showing up. Heres a couple:

Want to be featured? Click here to share

And something BIG

Two in-person dad/daughter braiding workshops - one in Wisconsin and one in Colombia!

Dads gathering in real life, learning together, supporting each other 🙌🏻 It’s honestly one of the most heartwarming things to come out of this community.

I’ve now hosted two in-person classes myself, and every time I share those moments online, my DMs and comments explode with:

“Come here pleaaaassse!”

from dads all over the world.

Trust me - I wish I could hop on a plane and make it happen for everyone. But since I obviously cant, I’ve started thinking about other ways we might bring dads together where they live.

Maybe… Dad Braids chapters?

Not official. Not planned. Just an idea I’m exploring - small groups, meetups, local classes run by dads for dads.

Before I go any further, I’d love to hear from you: Would this matter in your area? Would people actually come?

If this sparks something in you, I’d love to hear from you. (Just a quick interest form - nothing is being launched yet.)

👉 Share here 

Your feedback will help me understand whether this idea has real legs… and could shape the future of Dad Braids in a genuine, community-led way.

🎧  I Was on The World’s Greatest Dad Podcast!

If you want to hear a deeper dive into parenting, presence, and how Dad Braids started, this was a really fun conversation.

Watch or listen here:

👉 YouTube

👉 Apple Podcasts

👉 Spotify

🧰 The Goods

The big Dad Braids holiday sale is live - and both first-edition products are selling fast. Still blows my mind seeing so many of you grab these. 🙏🏻 They’re starting to ship this week!

If you’ve been thinking about starting, leveling up, or gifting… now’s the moment.

✨ The Scrunchie Course

Learn the fundamentals with confidence - bonding + skills + zero overwhelm.

🧰 The Dad Braids Toolbox

Everything you need in one clean, custom-designed kit. Dad-proof, travel-ready, and built with love.

Use code BRAID30 for 30% off while supplies last.

🔗 Three Things Worth Sharing

Bedtime stories waste learning potential?

MIT research suggests kids learn more from hearing about your real day than from a scripted story.

👉 Watch here

The coolest shoe-tying method I’ve ever seen

My daughter is learning right now and… wow. Part of me wants to show her, the other part thinks it might scramble the circuits we already built 😅

👉 Watch here

‘Parent in the Present Tense’

A simple, grounding reminder from Daily Dad — short, real, and exactly the kind of message that sticks.

👉 Watch here

🗳️ Poll of the Week

Results from last week…

Our poll asked: ‘What’s your December parenting mood right now?’

And we ended up with a tie:

‘I’m tired but trying my best’ and ‘Slow and cozy sounds perfect right now.’

(Feels about right for this time of year 😅)

✌🏻 Final Thought

Hair confidence isn’t about perfection - it’s about care, gentleness, presence, and trying again tomorrow. The more we slow down, the more our kids soak up the love behind the effort.

Proud of every dad in this community. Truly.

Talk soon,

— Strider

PS.

“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” - James Clear

And our kids notice every vote we cast.