Parents All is Not Bunderful

[sce]

Mine has short hair so a bun is completely not an option

I agree with get another mum to do it. Or practice, practice and trial run, so they both know exactly what they're doing, how long it will take, and whether the end result will be acceptable. DO the bun for practice too, so the coaches can approve, and your DD will know if it will stay in.

I do agree with practicing, a lot, on non-stressful days. Also, does the bun have to be done like the tutorial from the gym or just be in a bun? Extremely long hair might work better with a different method.

 

[Taurus]

Hairagami, spray gel & hairspray

 

[sce]

How old is your daughter? Can you share a picture of her bun, from the back, no face needed?

 

[gymmomtotwo]

The disrespectful behavior is what bothers me most and I do discuss this with her and I thank you for emphasizing that. The "wet idea" is an intriguing one.

This came out harsher than I wanted it to. It took me years of kids in ballet and then gymnastics to finally master the dreaded tight bun. I used to dread recital days and last year's gymnastics meets knowing I would have to do yet another bun. I even had the coach have to redo one on the floor of a meet last year. So I feel a lot of empathy for your wife. Oh the shame!!! Seriously, the wet hair was a game changer for me, and tons of hairspray at the end.

 

[Tbrov]

We use lots of gel on damp hair and a hair net. One mistake I've seen many people make is they use bobby pins instead of hairpins. (google hairpins vs bobby pins if you don't know what I'm talking about). We use about 10 hairpins per bun.

 

[BachFlyer]

I wished my daughter was less confrontational and emotional about this and my wife would be able to construct a better bun with greater consistency. My daughter wants her mother to make her bun, my wife wants to make my daughter's bun, but it's sheer hell getting the bun done.

I have no suggestions, because I am bun-challenged myself! Thankfully we are allowed to do braids! But I just dropped by to say that I love the title of your thread and your post. Consistency IS SO important when it comes to gymnastics, in more ways than one!

I hope that mom, or you, or SOMEONE gets their buns in gear and finds a solution! LOL

 

[sshreed]

Hair wars!!! True here, too. We put on girl power music and sing loud while doing hair. Before we know it, the hair is done! Never enough sparkles, but done none-the-less!

 

[GYM0M]

Hair nets are (or can be) your best friend!!!! Hair in ponytail (tight). Hair net (to match dd hair color) pin to pony then wrap and pin! Presto!

 

[pt coach]

I can only do one type of bun...if we had a specific required type of bun she would have to quit because I cannot do anything else. This is my method: slick hair back with lots of gel in a tight pony tail. Divide hair into three sections and braid each section so you have three small braids. Wrap each braid around the pony tail holder pinning it as you go. I generally use about 17 pins. Once all three braids are wrapped and pinned cover with a hair net. Then I add another hair tie around the bun. Then add the scrunchy. Now use even more gel to get any wispy hairs. Finally coat everything with hairspray. It is not fancy but it was never fallen out. Also daughter has very think long hair.

 

[dani4]

My daughter has just started ballet and she was giving me grief about my bun skills. Then today I had other plans and the au pair did her hair. It fell out during class. Me thinks she won't complain about my buns anymore.

That said, I am dreading competition /performance hair. The bar is higher and I am not there. At least ballet class forces me to practice.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

Do meet hair the evening before. My DD and I butt heads something horrific while doing meet hair. We have found that using lots of gel and spray, doing the meet hair the evening before (or in the case of a late session) way, WAY in advance is so much better. DD sleeps with a soft hat covering the arrangement and her meet hair is always good, and our moods good going into it. Less stress!!! She is, in fact, sleeping with a French braid going into a bun as I type this..!

 

[wnl256]

I'd also put my foot down with DD about disrespectful behavior to her mother during this process. She needs to learn we are all human, and doing the best we can, and you as Dad are in the best position to do that.

Yes it is disrespectful, and DD should not be doing that. But .....

Mom needs to lighten up and remember that this is DDs show. The last thing a child needs before a highly stressful competition (and, honestly, they are all highly stressful) is an argument with mom. If the bun is wrong, then it's wrong, and the coaches or team mom will fix it. No big deal. Now I do realize that dad's acceptance of this fact and mom's acceptance of this fact are situations that are many light years apart. And dad is pretty much in a no-win situation if he were to dare and attempt to enlighten mom on this score.

That being said: I completely agree with practicing the bun ahead of time, when there is no stress to get it right. I also completely agree with dad doing the bun! I did one many times for DD during her compulsory years. And mine looked pretty good if I do say so myself.

But I think that it is very important for both parents to get the gymnast ready with the smallest amount of stress, then get out of the way.

 

[wnl256]

Mine has short hair so a bun is completely not an option

I agree with get another mum to do it. Or practice, practice and trial run, so they both know exactly what they're doing, how long it will take, and whether the end result will be acceptable. DO the bun for practice too, so the coaches can approve, and your DD will know if it will stay in.

Doing the bun for practice is a great idea. But remember they do a whole lot more tumbling during a regular practice than during a meet. So if it comes out 3 hours in to a 4 hour practice it might still be fine for a meet.

 

[DefiniteMaybe]

I have bun anxiety as well. I worry more about dd's hair than her gymnastics sometimes. I'm not sure what specific bun your dd has to have, but another mom just introduced me to the most magical of bun helpers that I think would be an asset to any bun style. Goody Simple Styles Spin Pins! They are amazing little things that you literally screw into the bun to hold it in place. I think I use about four of them in dd's bun. They hold better than anything we've ever tried, but they don't hurt at all! You can find them at some stores or order them on Amazon. They have different colors to match different hair. You still have to make sure the ponytail is up nice and sturdy, but the screws will keep the bun part in place amazingly well!

 

[GymDad9.9]

I have bun anxiety as well. I worry more about dd's hair than her gymnastics sometimes. I'm not sure what specific bun your dd has to have, but another mom just introduced me to the most magical of bun helpers that I think would be an asset to any bun style. Goody Simple Styles Spin Pins! They are amazing little things that you literally screw into the bun to hold it in place. I think I use about four of them in dd's bun. They hold better than anything we've ever tried, but they don't hurt at all! You can find them at some stores or order them on Amazon. They have different colors to match different hair. You still have to make sure the ponytail is up nice and sturdy, but the screws will keep the bun part in place amazingly well!

Thanks for the advice. I know for sure bobby pins are not allowed as they are a risk of falling off and impacting someone during their competition but if they affix well perhaps it might be an option.

 

[GymDad9.9]

How old is your daughter? Can you share a picture of her bun, from the back, no face needed?

She's now 8. The bun is specific to the coach's tutorial and even if it wasn't my daughter would insist that it is.

 

[sce]

She's now 8. The bun is specific to the coach's tutorial and even if it wasn't my daughter would insist that it is.

Can you still show s a picture of her done hair?

Also, I would talk with her. S he is 8yo so not too mature yet, She needs to understand that she is nervous on meet morning and it is understandable that she wants her hair just right. But, she needs to be kind to her mother who is doing this for her and also not stress herself out.

I still say too, practicing the bun a lot on non-meet days will benefit everyone. Also, you say she has quite long hair. Is there another child on the team with similar hair. Maybe you guys can get some tips from that parent on how they manage the style?

If it's not giving up to much info, you could share the tutorial video along with a photo of your dd's hair. Then the hair experts here could give tips on what might help achieve that style that is not in the tutorial.

 

[GymDad9.9]

Can you still show s a picture of her done hair?

Also, I would talk with her. S he is 8yo so not too mature yet, She needs to understand that she is nervous on meet morning and it is understandable that she wants her hair just right. But, she needs to be kind to her mother who is doing this for her and also not stress herself out.

I still say too, practicing the bun a lot on non-meet days will benefit everyone. Also, you say she has quite long hair. Is there another child on the team with similar hair. Maybe you guys can get some tips from that parent on how they manage the style?

If it's not giving up to much info, you could share the tutorial video along with a photo of your dd's hair. Then the hair experts here could give tips on what might help achieve that style that is not in the tutorial.

Here is my daughter's magnificent head. It's the only bun photo I have so no other angles are available. I've decided not to upload the tutorial to respect the privacy of my daughter's coach, the subject gymnast, and a whole host of parents who are in the tutorial video in the background.

Go at it bunaficianados!

 

[purpleleomom]

My daughter used to hate buns, but her hair is so long I couldn't figure out another way to avoid it whipping her in the face. I learned how to spread the bun out well so it doesn't stick out as much, but the poor girl's bun is still almost as big as her head. It's bulletproof though. Sorry for the frustrations. I would gladly bun another kid's hair if it helped keep everyone sane. I love making buns!

 

[sce]

Is there 2 scrunchies in there? Does she use gel? Is it affixed only with hair ties (you said no pins.) I know some who don't use pin will sew the bun.) Does it start with a tight pony tail? If so, it might help to have hair put her head upside down and brush the back of the hair into the ponytail to get it flat and tight. Slick all the hair down with gel as you make the pony tail.