My imaginative 5-year-old has a knack for transforming our home into a creative chaos zone with glue, tape, and whatever recyclables she can find. Her love for mud-based projects means cleaning up is practically a full-time job. But hey, creativity is a beautiful thing, right?
Recently, she expressed a desire for short hair after spotting a girl in her gymnastics class with an adorable bob. After weeks of her enthusiastic pleas, I finally booked a haircut appointment. But when the moment arrived, my little one sat in a plastic fire truck at the salon, eyes glued to Tom and Jerry, and casually announced that she wanted to keep her hair long. I was taken aback, realizing she hadn’t been serious about her earlier obsession.
Of course, this set the stage for what was to come. My older sister had warned me, “You know she’s going to try cutting it herself.” I brushed it off, confident my daughter wouldn’t do something so reckless. Right?
On the fateful morning when it happened, I noticed my daughter was unusually quiet. Proud of her self-sufficiency, I continued with my tasks while she engaged in her usual arts and crafts. But when we sat down for lunch, I noticed her hair swept forward in an odd way. A quick push behind her ear revealed her new “bangs,” which started in the middle of her head and wrapped around her face—definitely not a conventional style.
In that moment, I realized things were about to get real. While I don’t have an unusual attachment to her hair, the shock led me to react in ways I now regret. Here are some tips if you find yourself in a similar predicament:
What Not to Do
Don’t: Lose your composure and flail about, repeating “Why?” over and over. This will only frighten your child and push them away.
Do: Calmly ask, “What made you decide to cut your hair?” Focus on listening instead of spiraling into despair.
Don’t: Go overboard by vowing that your child will never touch scissors again and proceeding to hide them away—because you might forget where you put them!
Do: Have a mature conversation about their choice, suggesting more suitable outlets for their creativity. Make it clear that professional haircuts are the way to go.
Don’t: Dwell on the family portrait session you booked for the following week, where you’ve already put down a deposit. Just don’t.
Do: Reach out to your partner (if they’re more understanding about your child’s “artistic” endeavors) for some perspective. A simple text like “She just cut her hair, and I’m really upset. Help!” can do wonders; mine replied with “Just breathe,” and it helped more than I anticipated.
Don’t: Sob into the trash can while retrieving clumps of hair or consider hair extensions as a solution.
Do: Stock up on barrettes and remind yourself repeatedly that “It’s just hair. It’s just hair. It’s. Just. Hair.”
As for how I handled the situation, let’s just say I hope you fare better than I did. Creative kids can be unpredictable, and their imaginations can lead to surprising outcomes.
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In summary, stay calm, listen to your child, and remember that hair can always grow back, even if it’s a bit of a shock at first!