Everyone knows that being a parent is a never-ending responsibility, but so is caring for your child’s African-American curls. To help you meet the challenge, LiveStrong.com offers insights on some simple hair-care tools tailor-made to make handling your children’s hair much easier.

Detangle and style with specially designed combs and brushes. Use a rattail comb to part kids’ tresses and remove lint, leaves and any other debris that may have accumulated during playtime. Rattail combs have close-set teeth on one end and a pointed sectioning tool on the other and also can be useful when undertaking more complex hairstyles. In addition, a wide-tooth comb is the best tool for combing out thick hair, and a hair pick may be the best option for detangling. But, when brushing a kid’s locks, try a soft or medium boar-bristle brush. These brushes are made of wild hog’s hair and are gentler on easy-to-damage strands. Avoid brushes with plastic or nylon bristles because these can cause breakage of fragile African-American hair.

Use mild moisturizing shampoos. The best hair cleansers have a pH balance of 5, which is good for regular use, says the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program. This organization also recommends using a clarifying shampoo on your kid’s mane every four to six weeks to remove any product buildup on strands. In addition, avoid shampoos with lauryl or laureth sulfate—a chemical that can strip the hair of natural oils and do great damage to African-American tresses.

Regularly apply natural oils and conditioners to kids’ hair. A leave-in conditioner can lock in moisture and help detangle kids’ strands during combing sessions. But if you’re an all-naturalista momma, you may prefer to try light oils such as olive, almond, sage or rosemary oil. Try to avoid heavy mineral oils and oils that contain petroleum or lanolin because these can clog the tiny pores on a kid’s scalp.

Have fun using hair accessories. If you have a daughter, the advantage of doing her hair is decorating her locks with a range of ornaments—from barrettes and hair clips to headbands and ponytail holders. Don’t forget to treat your little princess to a satin pillowcase or scarf to eliminate friction and reduce morning frizz.

Most important, don’t forget to shower your girls with praise for their naturally beautiful hair. This gives growing tots the tools they need to feel secure about navigating a hair journey all their own. Click here to read more.