HELP Losing the Faith

My son, daughter & myself are all on this journey. My daughter started the last week of July 2013. I have had a difficult time with separating her hair almost from the beginning. Her hair always wants to be one big mat. She has long hair past the middle of her back. It is fine(but a lot of it)and just a little wavy, but mostly straight.A lot of the sections are all balling up to about 3.5 inches, her hair was about 18 inches before she started. I have scoured the website, everything says just let it be, it will work itself out. I just can't imagine these fat little balls of hair will grow into long beautiful ropes. Will they just stay like this for now & grow from there? A lot of my hair underneath has done this as well. My son's has not done this at all. He does have a different texture than my daughter & I. My hair is similar to my daughters', the only difference is that mine is very wavy.If I didn't say I was worried about all the shrinkage I would be lying. To be honest my having dreads has been 20yrs. in the making. Meaning I have always been afraid of short hair therefore I have not let my hair dread for fear of short hair. I know even if all my hair shrinks to 3.5inches it would grow but it would be years before I had long hair again.We have all gone natural/neglect with just washing about 3 times about separating as often as necessary.Any words of encouragement, past experiences that were similar, or just some faith headed my way would be great thanks.Karen, Willow & Eli
updated by @karen-guy: 01/13/15 10:00:31PM

These are some of the crazy shrunken hair balls.

they look awesome

u see the balls are only at the enfdsand you see rope like dreads forming above them

they are fine

they are beauriful

they are just awesome just the way they are

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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

WOW! They look like fat sassy babies hahahhah SE is right give them some time. Some months down the road , you can maybe wrap them to "elongate " them. Keep posting they are beautiful!!!

Are the balls round or flatish? They look fine. Its true It will work out. I had past my butt hair and 1 1/2 years in to natural dreads its up to my shoulders pretty much. Mine totally did that but they look better every day

They look amazing I wish mine had done that, to be honest. Anyway, it looks like a few of them have super-shrunk, but most of them look ropey, so yeah, I'd say just leave them be. They do shrink, but once they're done shrinking, they grow surprisingly fast.

Before I started dreading, my hair was to my lower back. It shrank for almost 2 years. By the time it had finished shrinking it was above my shoulders. On the 3rd year it was to my shoulder blades. 4th year is was about mid back. 5th year it was to my lower back. Now it has almost been 6 years and my longest dreads tickle my butt crack lol.

I know you thought about it for 20 years and losing length was your worry....but if you had only given a few years to the process 20 years ago....your hair would now be to the floor. Yes your hair is going to get short. Yes your hair is going to have thicker ends where the shrinkage gobbles up the most of that length. With time and patience you will have the dreads that you want.

I went through the whole process and survived lol. You can too.

I think more people should consider growing their dreads out from being bald. I have never noticed any shrinkage. lol

I hope you stay with it. I think your hair is gnarly and awesome. Much cooler than mine right now. lol

peace be the journey

Thanks for all the kind, funny & inspiring words. The pics are of my 10yo who really could care less at the shrinkage of her hair. This is more about her crazy Mom lol. She is about a month ahead of me & I have similar craziness going on so this is probably is anticipation for all the shrinkage to come on my hair. What I am learning from this is that I need to take a lesson from my child & live a more care-free life & just enjoy the ride & try to live in the moment & enjoy it as it comes.Thanks again lots of love & patience to you allKaren