The other night, we were having dinner when it dawned on me - the kid had cut her hair. It wasn't a complete hatchet job, just a little layering along the left side, but - here's the slacker mom part - it took us almost two days to notice. Yup, Parents Of The Year.
A couple of days earlier, she'd been out at an evening art class with her father. She had a sheaf of papers with her when they got home, and retired to her room, with the kitchen scissors, to cut images out (and make confetti). I went up a little later, to read to her and put her to bed, and found her under the bed with the paper and scissors - where she was, apparently, also giving herself a haircut. Because I didn't have to crawl under the bed to fish her out - as I sometimes do - I didn't notice the little pile of hair and paper clippings. Bedskirts hide all manner of sins.
I realize that it's almost a rite of passage for kids to cut their own hair, and I can't get too worked up about it. I'm stunned, though, that we completely missed it.
24 January 2010
Rite of Passage
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32 comments:
Ah, isn't it nice to know she's right on target developmentally!
About two years ago, when my little guy was four, he snipped a nickel-size chunk of hair off the top of my then-13-year old's head while she was reading a book. We didn't realize it happened until the severed part grew long enough to stick straight up. It was a very long couple of months of trying to flatten out the 'scalp bangs' while the hair grew out enough to be tamed by a hairband.
Ah well. You're right: it's a rite of passage. I mangled my little sister's hair when she was about 8. I think she's since forgiven me. Maybe.
We've totally missed this one. Other than Angus with the razor comb. I have to admit, I was kind of looking forward to it. And don't feel bad -- sometimes I think they could dye their hair pink and it would take me half a week to notice. Our focus is so fragmented, it's a wonder we notice anything.
;)
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we skip this milestone. My reaction to a recent Barbie scalping may have frightened Violet out of experimenting on her own head.
That's pretty funny. She must have thought she got away with it. :)
One of mine cut her eyelashes off and another one pierced her own ears with safety pins.
You are far, far down the Parents' of the Year Honouree list. Sorry.
it just goes to show what a talented hair stylist she is that it took you a few days to notice...
I second what flutter said. Let me know when she's free. I'm always looking for a hairdresser.
Ha! That's so funny. And I'm with flutter--it is clearly a reflection of your girl's talents that you didn't notice. I know I've said it before, but she's got style.
MQ has never cut here hair (knocking on wood...)
I still clearly remember cutting my own hair. I did not understand that you got rid of bangs by growing them out, NOT by cutting them. That was attractive!
I think I had highly-developed radar in this regard--4 kids and not one home haircut from any of them. I didn't hide scissors either.
Dear Lord, I wish that cutting their own hair was all that my kids did with scissors...
That's classic! I definitely think it is a rite of passage. Jane cut her hair about a year ago & I found the clippings w/o noticing the part that she chopped. She started sobbing, not b/c she thought I was mad, but b/c it was a mistake - she didn't realize if she took scissors to her hair that she'd actually cut it off! (um, yeah, she WAS only 4 at the time)
Um. I'm fifty and I still have my moments with the scissors. Are you sure she's not an Aquarius??? ;)
we decided that hair wasn't worth getting that worked up about. my son and his band friends spent many teenaged hours in the bathroom with scissors, clippers, hair dyes of various unnatural shades, and even glue [for mohawks, don't ya know], and i just made them clean the mess and pose for photos. my future grandchildren will get many hours of enjoyment out of the time their dad had neon green bihawks.
it goes without saying that some self-administered hairstyling is a little more obvious than other examples...
Too funny! It must not have been too bad if it took you that long to notice. Red cut her hair (twice) on one side which, while not drastic, did give her long "bangs" for awhile.
I'm worried that we missed that stage. Not because my kids might be developmentally behind, but because they might be saving it up for something huge.
The same thing happened in my house - The Girl cut her hair (just a little, nothing too shocking) and I only realized it a couple of days later when I found the pieces of hair.
Oh, MQ. I'll bet she had a very specific style in mind this time.
Zo reached her own milestone a few days ago: her first shave. That lip bled for hours. Horror.
Oops! I used the wrond pseudonym for your girly. M is what I meant.
Maybe she has a secret talent for hair design and that's why you missed it? Yes. That's it exactly. Fashion and hair is what she's destined for. Aren't you proud?
And then a day later at my place remembering a las night she'll never know. It's strange and beautiful, this motherly journey/
i kinda love that you missed it. shows relaxation and calm.
Did you notice the highlights, though?
SHE'S probably stunned that you didn't say anything! And look at the bright side, by not making a big deal of it she'll probably never do it again. :)
My mother will never let me forget the year I cut off my eyebrows the day before school pictures. Because tweezing? Well, it just hurt too badly.
My sister cut her own hair before she was a flowergirl in a wedding. True story.
And you never cut the beautiful golden hair, so beautiful and long you could sit on it...
I let Gray learn to use a scissors by having him to stand in front of the mirror and try to cut his bangs in a straight line. He actually did a pretty good job. Two birds. One stone.
My girls have never done this. But I escaped having mine hacked up by a neighbor's kid when I was about 4. My mom caught her just before she could wield the scissors!
Oh yes! That's happened to us. Oh how I want to see a photo.
Take it only as evidence that she did a bang-up job.
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