Sunday, February 13, 2011

Facing the Inevitable

Last Monday night Emma came downstairs to the kitchen where I was busily working on dinner. She very proudly showed me her 'My Little Pony' who was now sporting a mohawk and a thinned out tail.

 I admired her work as I gave the lecture about using mommy's hair cutting scissors and gently reminding her that the pony's hair would not grow back. As I turned around to see if she was paying attention, I noticed the pony wasn't the only one who got a haircut.
Now as a mother I know that there are certain things that kids do through their course of childhood that you just have to expect, they are inevitable. Cutting their own hair is one of them.

I knew this was coming. I thought I knew how to handle it. I thought I was prepared to come away having impressed on her to never cut her own hair again without stifling her creativity and making her feel bad about herself. Well.....I thought wrong.

I failed.
Miserably.
Because I freaked.

Before I knew it those innocent (okay, not so innocent) brown eyes were brimming with tears and her bottom lip began to protrude and turn down at the corners. That pitiful face brought me back to my senses and I was able to calm her (and myself) down with some phrases about it being alright and that we can still make it pretty (which I probably should NOT have said). All of these phrases were, of course, more to convince myself- not her. 

It really could have been worse. Most of what she cut will still pull back on top and what doesn't looks like intentional long bangs. So I think she didn't botch it as much as she could have and hopefully, the next time around neither will I.

9 comments:

Gerb said...

Oh, Natalie! I am SOOOOO feeling your pain. Which is worse, though? The mom who freaks out or the mom who laughs until she cries because the haircut is so bad? Which causes more damage to the experimenting hairdresser? (My poor Cowgirl. I'm such a jerk.)

Good luck!

K said...

Girls - it's just life. Both the cutting of the hair and the freaking laughter. The little ones won't be scarred for life, but you have a great story to tell, and years in which to tell it over and over. How do we do it, I wonder, living through all of this?

Rachel said...

Nat. I'm trying not to laugh but as soon as I saw this, photos of Cowgirl came to mind and so I know you are in good company!! :D

Sigh. Been there. The day I walked into Kirsten's room and saw locks of blond hair all over her floor and realized it wasn't from her dolls...... Yeah. Every mother must go through this I guess?

It really could be worse!! I promise. At least when people see little girls like this they give that knowing smile. Think how my mother must have felt when I was a freshman in highschool!!!! And did this to myself. I shaved one whole side of my head! :D Yup. Those were the days steps were in and I wanted some on one side of my head..... (giggling at the memory) And I wonder why no one wanted to date me...

Chastina said...

Oh no! At least she didn't cut it any shorter. The joys of scissors.

Tami Anderson said...

I can't stop laughing. Sorry. When things like this happen, remember this:
http://buzznbugsblog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-01-07T22%3A11%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

Suddenly, it doesn't really matter all that much. Right? Right????

Rob and Marseille said...

on sunday I was thinking how cute her hair was. and that was after the hair cut!

Anonymous said...

At least she is still alive, right? Raising your voice is the least of what could have happened. Kudos to you for not shaving it all off to teach her a true 'lesson.'

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Hair cutting shears are Hairdressing Scissors that are specifically designed for cutting hair. They are also known as barber shears hairdressing shears or hair shears