Chances are, you probably grew up during a time when natural curls and hairstyles weren’t as “popular” as they are now. 

Thank goodness times have changed for our children. However, despite the trends, sometimes it’s still tough for children, especially young men to embrace their natural crown. 

That’s where you come in as their guide. 

The first step?

Recognizing what your child’s hair type is so you can teach them how to take care of it, instilling a sense of pride regarding what makes their hair unique. 

6 Different Hair Types 

Everyone’s unique, so it’s not unusual to see different hair textures on everyone. 

It’s important to understand and teach your child what his hair type is so you know how to properly care for it. 

At Young King, our products work well with six textured hair types, including 3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, 4B, and 4C.

Type 3 

Type 3 hair is considered curly hair, consisting of loose curls to corkscrew curls. 

• 3A curls tend to consist of looser curls. 
• 3B hair is usually a mix of loose curls and tight curls. 
• 3C hair is coarser and can sometimes be hard to untangle. 

Type 4 

Type 4 hair is kinky hair with mostly tightly coiled to z-angled coils. 

• 4A hair has an S-shaped pattern and can sometimes be frizzy or have a fine texture. 
• 4B hair doesn’t usually have a defined curl pattern. It usually reflects a z-shape. 
• 4C hair is tightly coiled and quite fragile, so you’ll want to have products on hand to prevent breakage. 

Always Stay Positive

Now that you understand his hair type, it’s time to start sharing with him just how unique his curls are. 

Start by ALWAYS being positive about natural hair.

Whether you’re speaking about your hair to yourself or someone else - remain positive when young ears are nearby. Chances are, if you’re talking negatively about your hair or someone’s hair who looks like theirs, they’ll do the same. 

Remember how we mentioned just how much times have changed? 

Well, there are a ton of resources available now (that didn’t exist years ago!) that you can use to inspire or entertain your young king about his natural hair. 

There are plenty of books out there related to children embracing their natural hair (like Crown: an Ode To The Fresh Cut), more cartoon characters on television with natural hair like Vince from Recess and Gerald from Hey Arnold! There are also more young actors (Caleb McLaughlin and Myles Brown) who are leading the way with their crowns. 

The key here is to always place positivity in front of your child regarding their hair. 

If, for any reason, they feel less than because of their hair - talk with them and help them understand why their hair is special and unique. 

Around here, we believe representation matters, and elevating our young kings to celebrate and love their crowns is vital for reinforcing self-care and instilling self-confidence in the next generation of Black and Brown men. 

Trust us, and they’ll thank you later. ☺️