Sunday, March 9, 2014

My Toddler Morning Hair Solution

I knew this blog would be pretty random, but this post might be taking that to the next level. I am going to describe what I do when my daughter's cute curls turn into a mad scientist 'do overnight. I have observed many other toddlers' hair is the same, so I am sharing this in case it might help someone else. I know a lot of people go to short haircuts as a solution but I love my girl's hair and so does she, so I was determined to find an alternative. It turned out simple and quick.


All you need is a spray bottle, a tiny amount of conditioner and some warm water. I use a 3 oz travel spray bottle I picked up at Target. I think it works well because it produces a nice fine mist. Put less than a dime-size amount of conditioner in, fill it most of the way with water and shake. Then just spray a few times, and brush gently starting from ends and working up. It is really quick, the knots come right out. For us, spraying and brushing takes less than a minute. This might work with a detangler, but I like this much better because it leaves much less residue and feels much lighter. Not to mention the cost is only a fraction compared to that of detangler/leave-in conditioner. The 3 oz bottle lasts at least a couple of weeks. I plan on getting some pure aloe gel soon and trying this instead of conditioner. I will update with results.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Living With OCPSD

What is OCPSD? It stands for Obsessive Compulsive Problem Solving Disorder. How do you know if you have it? These are the most common signs:

- You have a powerful urge to come up with solutions to every problem you are presented with.
- You experience severe distress whenever you encounter a problem you cannot solve.
- The urge to problem-solve is just as strong when someone else's problem is in question.
- You frequently hear: "That is a great idea, why didn't I think of it?"
- You also frequently hear "Yeah, I've tried that already".
- When your friend tells you about a problem, you usually have an idea for them before they've finished telling you how frustrated they are, and can hardly wait until they are done to present your solution.
- You frequently get a feeling the people you are trying to help are annoyed at you because they were just venting, and not looking for advice.
- You wonder if you are overly sympathetic.
- You can't stop problem-solving.

If you identify with all or most of the symptoms above, you may have OCPSD.

Treatment: There is no known treatment for this disorder, possibly because I just made it up today.

Some things you can try:

- When a family member, friend or acquaintance is talking to you about their issues, take a deep breath and listen.
- Quickly analyze the conversation to determine if they are looking for solutions or not.
- If you determine they are looking for solutions, go ahead and fix everything for them.
- If you determine otherwise, say these words: "I am sorry, that sounds frustrating". Then shut up.
- It may be helpful to have something to drink to keep yourself from talking. If that fails, try stuffing your face with any food that may be available.
- If none of this works, spit it all out (the words, not the food) and blame it on OCPSD.

I have been affected with this disorder since I can remember, and I decided to write about it to let others know they are not alone. So fellow OCPSD-ers, feel free to comment to say "Hi" and offer a solution or two.