Sorry for the radio silence, my Granddad's struggle was much longer than any of us(including the doctors) expected. He remained for much longer than was comfortable and we are all glad he is now at peace.
I thank you all for your kind messages, they're all so lovely <3
This brightened my day a bit 
- I'm glad you agree with my choice.
I think your description of dreading being a journey of self discovery is so very true, it's much more than just a 'cool' hairstyle. I think it affects people on a very emotional level and in a very positive way.
My boyfriend helped me brush it all out today 
- it took a good three hours and wasn't the most comfortable thing going. But my hair will now take a brush through it and I strangely feel like i've lost more than just a few handfuls of hair.
DaThrill Helton said:
I think it is awesome that you are doing this out of respect. Part of your dread journey is discovering who you are. Some things are more important that your hair and this is one of them. I am very rebellious too so coming from me is a shock. I have the attitude that its my hair and if people don't like it they don't have to look at it, but I do admire your decision to do this for your grandpa and I think you are making a very commendable decision
I'm new here and have been dreading(natural method) for about a month and a half - loving it. In my previous post I spoke of not having told my parents anything and being worried about their reaction.
Well, they are now aware of my intentions. And surprisingly ok about the whole thing, my mother did the whole 'it's gonna be hard to get a job and you're going to need money' situation but they were very 'you need to look at the bigger picture but other than that we don't mind - if it makes you happy'. This really has made me feel so so so much better and restored my faith in my parents.
But the conversation erupted from the fact my granddad is very ill as he has cancer and hence I will be attending his funeral in the next couple weeks. I have many happy memories of my childhood with him and his passing is really going to hit my family hard. My parents were/are very close to him and it means a lot to them that I look 'smart' at the funeral. They originally wanted me to get the typical smartening up visit to the hairdressers which I managed to avoid. They agree that I can do what I like with my hair after.
So over the next week I'm going to have to brush out my crazy fuzzy and the three big knotted bundles and keep it this way until after the event. Part of me wants to rebel against the idea that dreads can't be smart or that I need immaculate hair to be part of society. But I know my granddad would prefer me to look 'smart' and it means so much to my parents. Rejecting this would just be defiance and probably ruin the respect my parents have of my choices.
Yet I will return! Because this path is the right one for me and I think having to brush out my hair and start again will only make my feelings stronger.
Blessed Be x
Catnip
Thank you! I hadn't noticed the search bar amongst the adds ;; - show you how observant I am lol
Some great information from so many kind people
Robyn said:
Soaring Eagle...the creater of the site has created a few letters to parents about dreads. Might help if your mom decides to be very stubborn
Greetings,
I'm Caitlin, I'm 16 and I live in Scotland
I'd been thinking dreads were pretty awesome for ages but only in the last year did I seriously start thinking of getting them myself. And it's safe to say this website successfully saved me from a future of getting my hair crocheted when I leave home! And also enlightened me to a new way of thinking about a lot of things.
After watching the delightful video and feeling all inspired and spirited, I decided there and then - that was it - and put my hair brush out of sight and mind. Since then I haven't missed struggling every morning to make my parting straight or fussing over what the weather did to my hair(how liberating!). I've found that washing with bicarb really is a good plan compared with more chemically options . And over the last week and a bit I have developed three distinctly knotty bundles that I am overly excited about(haha) toward the back of my head and the whole thing is getting very gradually more fuzzy and messy in all the best ways.
This all sounds great and I really am very happy with it BUT my parents are still, as of yet, unawares of the whole operation.
I wasn't so sure to start with so I didn't say anything or join the forum until I gave it a fair trail period - I obviously now don't want to go back. My parents(especially mother), like most, aren't so fond of dreads and the like. I was well aware of this on starting and knew there was going to be an argument but I honestly thought it would all be shot down fairly quickly. My mum commented in casual conversation that I will need my hair cut soon and I can think of nothing else that I would hate more right now then to go to a hairdressers and get my hair brutally brushed and straighten and coated in nasty stuff. Not to mention the surprise they would get from the frightfully matted sections. I know I can't do it - It feels like spiritual oppression on so many levels.
But we are gonna end up having this conversation fairly soon and I really don't know the outcome. I think I may be able to bring her round but on the other hand she may totally blow up about it and we've never really had a proper disagreement like what I'm imagining here. I feel like I should be responsible of my own self and decisions these days and I feel very strongly for what I have chosen here. Yet my parents are my parents and is it worth the strife? or am I worrying over nothing?
I guess I'm really looking for tips/advice from those who have been through the same and maybe a few prayers! 
Blessed Be x
