From the time my daughter was old enough to have a conscious will, she has loved beautiful and girly things. From jewelry to makeup–she loves them all–and the more colors and glitter, the better!
I was not surprised to find her one day sitting on my bathroom floor, makeup smeared all over her face, mascara wand in hand as she painted her toes. I was not surprised when I found the missing necklace from my jewelry box adorning my daughter’s neck. Nor was I surprised when I found evidence of her princess stamp set marking a trail along the bannister. My daughter believes in spreading beauty and color throughout her world, no matter if she is wearing the beauty and color or her parents’ furniture.
I was never surprised at any of my little girl’s antics. I was, however, surprised at her brother’s.
I wasn’t completely naive–I knew better than to leave little kids alone with scissors–but the combination of trying a recipe for dinner that was taking too long and a crying infant left my attention divided. Way too divided. And in a brief moment, I learned that my son would make his own attempt at beautifying the world:
I just wish he wouldn’t have made this attempt the day before his sister’s second birthday party. And I really wanted her first haircut to be, well, a good one.
I thought I learned my lesson; I figured my son was just young. He was just doing what three-year-olds do. Heck! I cut my own bangs, to my mother’s horror, when I was three. Except that he tried his hand at hair design again when he was four. In exactly the same place that he cut his sister’s hair the first time.
If I hadn’t learned my lesson before, I learned it now. Scissors were no longer put up high–they were put away all together! The only time cutting was a part of arts and crafts was when the kids’ baby sister was napping and dinner preparation had not yet commenced. If Mommy had to use the bathroom, the scissors came with her! She would not make this mistake again.
So it’s really embarrassing that this story continues….
In a quest to save money and prove that I had skill, I took my son outside to cut his hair. I really didn’t know what I was doing, so the haircut took three times as long as if I got it done in the salon. My plan to cut his hair while the baby was napping was a good one. His other sister was playing outside. And when the baby woke up, I took the scissors with me to get her.
Unfortunately, I forgot that there were clippers in my little haircut accessory pouch. My son, however, didn’t. In the thirty seconds I was gone, he found an electric outlet outside, plugged in those clippers, and took a chunk out of his hair–right in the front. And for good measure, he took out a section from his sister’s hair again–in a slightly different place from the last two times. I guess he was starting to learn about symmetry.
So, while others might see a cute picture of a boy and his father, I see that a chunk of hair is missing from his bangs.
Clearly, I do not think fast enough for my son. My tears at lost hair do not have an effect, nor does punishment. And, frankly, I’m not sure any of those things can persuade a person with a passion.
So why fight it? I’ve learned my lesson–I’m enrolling my son in cosmetology school.
I’m linking up today with Mama Kat for her writer’s workshop. I combined two of her prompts–a lesson learned and a time my toddler got into something he shouldn’t have.
Don’t forget to come by tomorrow and link up your own post on kindness for this week’s ‘Journeys!’
Jennifer Vignola Davis 
Ha ha! I have 2 boys and my youngest has cut his own hair about 3 different times too! Luckily though, he never attempted to do anyone else's…yet!
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Oh dear. I am so paranoid about my son doing this that all scissors are in a place where he cannot get to them. When I was maybe 5 or 6 I cut my sister's hair, on the day my school was doing sibling pictures. You're welcome, Mom! 😉 I cut her bangs so far back Mom said she looked like a cancer patient.
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Ha! That's funny. Think about all the fodder this will be for good stories when he is in his teens!
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Oh goodness…the boy is destined to be a hairdresser! You can use these stories when he's older, and maybe you'll feel a little more validated!
Visiting from Mama Kat's…
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Love it Jennifer!
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oh, ha ha! this will be a GREAT story for years to come!
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Oh that's funny! 🙂
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That is too funny! He really does seem to love creating magic with haircuts 🙂
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I can completely relate to this story but in a different aspect because my daughter is only 1 year old at the moment and the scissors are kept far away from her. The way I relate to this story is I was your son at one point in my life. It was a hot summer day and I believe I was maybe 6. We were at my grandparents house and I was completely bored so I thought it would be a good idea to take the scissors my grandmother kept by her chair for cutting yarn or string with and cut my own hair. In a way I obviously knew this was wrong because I did this while I had a blanket over my head. When I was done cutting I walked around for the rest of the time with that blanket on my head. Even though it was probably 90 degrees outside I told everyone who asked why that I was cold and kept walking with the blanket. Needless to say when they finally figured it out I was in so much trouble. Not only was I punished but my mother had to take me to the salon to try and salvage some kind of hair style from what was left of my hair. This experience has taught me to never ever leave scissors within reach of my daughter. It definitely is an experience my siblings and I laugh about to this day.
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Too funny! That takes commitment to walk around with a blanket on your head all day. And as far as keeping the scissors at of reach, I just hope your daughter isn't a climber like my kids. They just get on top of the countertops and rummage through the cabinets until they find what was put 'out of reach!' :)Thanks for sharing your story!
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It is so great to have a hair designer in the family–I know 🙂 It must be a child's rite of passage because they all do it sometime, or to someone. That sure was a lot of pretty red hair he whacked off tho 😦
(from Mama Kats)
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Yes, it was a lot of hair. And, unfortunately, the poor child doesn't have the thickest hair in the world. She looked like she had half of a mullet for about a year!
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Maybe one day Caleb will cut and style your hair…in a good way!
I shaved my son's head for his first, second, third etc haircuts. I'm pretty sure I scarred him for life…he hasn't tried any self cuts yet 🙂
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Many hunters and law enforcement people have gun cabinets or lockers where they lock up their weapons. I'm sure other parents have experienced this horror. Remember Lisa cutting the hair on anything that didn;t move. You should design a scissor and clipper lock up box, one that has a holster you can carry the scissor and clippers when you are clipping away and not in the lock up box. Sell it for $19.99 and if they order right away they get another free paying only for shipping and handling. then thank Hannah and Caleb (and Chloe in advance because she will do the same thing.) for giving you this inspiration.
Love
Dad
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