My 5-year-old daughter, with her boundless imagination, has a knack for turning our home into a creative chaos with glue, recyclables, and mud. This means that tidying up has become a near full-time endeavor. But hey, creativity, right?
Recently, my little artist expressed a desire for a chic, short haircut after spotting a girl in her gymnastics class with a stylish bob. After weeks of persuasion, I decided to grant her some freedom over her appearance and scheduled a haircut appointment. However, once seated in the salon’s plastic fire engine, engrossed in the antics of Tom and Jerry, she casually declared she wanted to keep her hair long. I was left dumbfounded, almost tripping over a display of sparkly hair accessories.
Change of heart? No problem—let’s just tidy things up a bit.
Fast forward to the day it actually happened. I had been feeling rather proud of my self-sufficient child, oblivious to her quiet demeanor. But as we settled down for lunch, I noticed her hair was oddly swept forward. Upon closer inspection, I discovered she had given herself bangs that began in the middle of her scalp and wrapped around her forehead in an unconventional manner.
The look on my face must have said it all.
While I’m not obsessively attached to her hair, the shock of the moment prompted me to react in ways I now regret. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, here are some tips on what to avoid and what to embrace.
What Not to Do
- Don’t: Go into complete disbelief and start sputtering incoherently while waving your arms and moaning “Why?” This will only frighten your child and lead to an inability to express your frustration.
- Don’t: Overreact by preventing your child from using scissors forever and tossing all the scissors into hiding. You might forget where you put them, which is just unhelpful.
- Don’t: Dwell on the family photo shoot scheduled for the following week that you’ve already paid for. Just don’t.
- Don’t: Get emotional as you sift through the discarded strands of your child’s hair in the trash—this is not the time to consider extensions for the next six months.
What to Do
- Do: Calmly inquire, “What made you cut your hair?” Make an effort to really hear their explanation instead of curling up in a ball on the floor.
- Do: Have a mature conversation with your child about their actions. Help them discover more constructive creative outlets and explain why it’s best to leave haircuts to professionals.
- Do: Contact your partner, especially if they’re more understanding of your child’s “artistic expression,” and seek some grounding advice. Mine responded with a simple, “Breathe,” which was surprisingly calming.
- Do: Stock up on hair accessories and repeat to yourself, “It’s just hair. It’s just hair. It’s. Just. Hair.”
Let’s just say I didn’t handle it as gracefully as I wish I had. I hope you fare better than I did and always remember the incredible imagination of a creative child. And by the way, I’m still searching for those scissors.
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Summary
When your child unexpectedly cuts their hair, it’s easy to overreact. Instead of panicking, approach the situation calmly, listen to their reasons, and provide constructive alternatives for their creativity. Remember, it’s just hair, and with a bit of patience and understanding, you can navigate this little hiccup in parenting.