Expository+Writing

Patrice Washington

Expository Writing Reflection (writing to inform and explain)

I believe that this piece is not complete. I tried to mimic the writing prompt in out text about writing a letter to an incoming class about the expertise students have gained in a class. My letter is about the expertise that I have gained about black girls’ hair grooming, and the importance positive images of hair.
 * How far you've come (on this piece)**

The letter is sufficient in that it communicates the things that I want to communicate. I like that I have included resources that have helped me even though a resource page is not typical of a letter. What I don’t like about the letter is the “academic” sounding tone. I want the letter to feel conversational, like I care about the mothers that I am writing to. I changed some of the words and sentences hoping to make it sound more laid back. I am not sure if the changes that I have made have the effect that I want them to.
 * b) How satisfied you are**

I would like to know if the letter is reading with a “talk to you” tone. Am I sounding conversational at all? Am I sounding too academic? Am I sounding somewhere in the middle? Is that effective or not? I also want to know if I am coming off sounding like a know it all or as a mom who has learned some things and have more to learn? I would like to communicate the latter. Lastly I want to know if having an audience that is comprised of both black and non-black and biological and biological mom’s is too big. I really want to include every type of mom that could find themselves caring for a black child’s hair-including children of mixed race heritage (side note: should I include that ie saying black girls or girls with curly/kinky hair?)
 * c) What kind of response you need or what you want to know about this draft**



Patrice Washington Right here March 20, 2012 Prospective Mom to Black Female Child Anywhere

Dear Prospective Mom (Adopted or Biological) of black female child,

I am writing this letter to share with you of some things I wished I’d known before meeting my beautiful biological daughter. As a mom of a black female child I’ve learned that hair, and hair care/grooming play such a huge part in raising this beautiful child. I grew up and never really realized the time and impact hair has had on the development of my own identity as a black woman. Hair is such an important part of life for little black girls of all backgrounds; that there are songs, documentaries, books, blogs, youtube channels, and campaigns dedicated to educating people on how to care for and maintain it. I hope you can benefit from the lessons I’ve learned in the three years that I’ve been a mom to a beautiful black girl. One of the things I learned and want to share is that not all black girls’ hair is the same. Make sense enough--so in turn different hair requires different care. In my quest to educate myself about my own child’s hair I have learned that there are multiple textures of hair that require different type of attention. Even on top of one child’s head you could find multiple textures of hair that can change over time. It is important to understand the differences between hair textures and types in order to choose the right grooming routine for your girl’s tresses. Hair types are defined on a continuum of no curl (straight hair) all the way to the maximum amount of curl pattern (kinky). There are four major types of hair: straight, wavy, curly, and kinky. Your daughter’s hair will fall somewhere along this continuum and each type has its own set of techniques to keep hair healthy and beautiful. Now I would love to tell you about how to take care of each type but the truth is I have no clue! I am still learning what products and routines work for my daughter’s curly/kinky 3c/4a hair. Another thing I want you to know is that the unspoken standard of beauty in the U.S. is straight hair, and it will take some conscious effort not to allow that fact to negatively affect your child’s self-image. The reality is that your black daughter will most likely have hair with natural curl to it. Because of this you will have to treat your daughter’s hair in a way that does not communicate to her that because it does not fit the “standard” it is somehow ugly. With some guidance from other mothers, I have learned some ways of doing this in my relationship with my daughter. I show her characters with her hair texture and comment on how beautiful they are. I comment on how beautiful her hair is often. I read books to her about girls with hair like hers. I don’t allow family members, friends, or strangers to comment negatively about her hair without loving correction. I try not to use words that might communicate a negative message about her hair (for example: wild, out of control, nappy, ugly, work). I know I can’t control how she will respond to having curly/kinky hair, but I am going to do all I can to help her to know that it is beautiful, worth keeping healthy, and worth accepting just as it grows out of her head. I know this is a lot to take in but there is one more thing I want to share. This is my favorite part of having hair to groom on my little girl. The hair grooming time you spend with your daughter can be a positive bonding experience. When my daughter was first born I would nurse her and brush or stroke her hair. Eventually, as her hair grew I would do more styles to it but I always tried to keep “hair combing time” an unrushed sacred time for the two of us. Even if you don’t know ONE THING about styling your black daughter’s hair there are people and resources out there that will help you. I promise you can learn, just like I did, to care for your little girl’s hair in ways that help her grow up loving her hair. I know that there is a lot to learn, and believe me I am still learning. To help you I’ve included a list of some of my favorite web sites and books that have helped me. Enjoy bonding with your daughter over her hair. Sincerely, Patrice Washington (Mother in Training) 

This is a list of blogs, sites, books, and shows that either I have learned a lot from, or that my daughter likes. I hope it can help you as you learn how to take care of your little black girl. Take care. Resource list
 * Websites/Blogs:**

Chocolate Hair Vanilla Care []

Motown Girl [|http://motowngirl.com]

Afro Puffs and Ponytails [|http://afropuffsandponytails.com]


 * Children’s Books**

My Hair Is Beautiful: Because Its Mine by Paula Dejoie


 * I Love My Hair! ** By Natasha Tarpley

Bintou's Braids by Sylvianne Diouf Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs and Shane Evans

Please, Baby, Please by Tonya Lewis Lee and Spike Lee


 * Videos/Movies/Shows**

Sesame Street I love my hair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enpFde5rgmw

Super Why (PBS KIDS) http://pbskids.org/superwhy