Luckily I didn't start my dreads with a kit, but I did end up buying wax, shampoo, accelerator, lock peppa and a couple tools which never seemed to work (loose hair tool and the lock docta which I realize now is just a felting needle with a handle!). It was tedious work keeping up with all the maintenance, and I was shocked that they were charging so much. I wanted a cheaper alternative. I always like to make or do things myself and save money so I found this site.
Wow! I see that everything I spent so much money on was completely unnecessary, damaging and is now sitting in my bathroom cupboard, waiting to be burned in a bonfire this spring. At first I liked the Lock Peppa the best because it really seemed to work the few times I used it, but then I'd wash it out and it would go back to the way it was before I applied it. Johnny Clean says "if you don't get the results you want, you must be doing it wrong!! Keep piling junk on there!". Oh boy. I'm sorry I fell into that trap, but luckily I had my dreads for several months so they had a chance to dread up before I loaded them with products.
I also didn't know interlocking was bad, or that backcombing was bad. I stopped doing these things and I'm waiting for my hair to grow out now so the loops I caused with interlocking will hopefully heal or grow together at some point.
I set to getting rid of the wax first. I did several washes with Dawn dish soap, baking soda and vinegar and they are finally clean and free of that junk.
I only use baking soda, vinegar and essential oils and my dreads have been doing GREAT in the short time I've been reading this site and using only natural products. I've learned to embrace my loose hairs and un-dreaded tips (which actually remind me of feathers in their shape), my roots that are not perfectly tight to my head (hair looks fuller now which is a plus), and my dreads are tightening up so fast now that I'm not putting goop in them anymore.
I love love love my hair and I love this site for saving it!
After considering all the opinions and thinking about what I would do...no, I wouldn't cut my hair if I wanted it the way it was. At this point my dreads are still new-ish and I could probably condition,comb-outand start over if I wanted to, but shaving my head...no. There are very personal reasons for the way I do things and the way I look and I don't think I could compromise who I am for money. I am not that person. I am a mother and a dancer. I work awful hours so I can raise my kids without day care and it is the right choice for me. I know HOW to make a lot more money being unethical and exploiting other people but that is not within me to do it. You can't make a shit ton of money without someone else paying for it one way or another. The stock market enslaves millions.
But you are not wrong for feeling like you should do what is best for your kid. If you think that having that money is more important than your hair, so you can do what you want with it and be happy, go for it. Do I think you would feel like shit being supported by people who don't understand and respect who you really are? Yes. It's a tough choice and I do not envy you. Best of luck man.
That's so adorable! I've put all kinds of weird things in my hair over the years- rusty nuts (the ones that go over screws), wire, pieces of computer board, feathers, leather cording, yarn, bones.
I'd love to see the random stuff kids would use. They have such powerful imaginations.
Hmmm I guess I'd try this in a pinch, but I have super sensitive teeth and have to use Sensodyne. I can't even use the Tom's version because it doesn't work. Which is strange because they both have the same active ingredient. *shrug*
I'm wary of fluoride in general, but I would much rather read proof and studies that have been done over anecdotal stories about some lady watering her plants this way or that. It could have been fluoride bothering the plants, or the chlorine most likely. Maybe she talked to them more after she started watering them with bottled water. lol
Incredible beauties! All of them! 
Dragonfly said:
I found this amazing flickr pool titled "Women with Long Dreads." I'm not able to copy and paste any of the images here, but there are over 1300 (!) incredibly awesome and inspiring images.
