Yes, I am talking about hair.
My boys have always had the buzzed look. My husband invested in an expensive pair of clippers a years ago that have more than paid for themselves. Every couple of months he sits them on a stool outside and shaves off their hair. Not bald, do not fear; they don’t look like a gang of white supremacists. Just the classic short boy hair cut right out of 1950.
Two years ago my oldest son decided to try and grow his hair long. He has very thick wavy hair that grows quickly. After about four months it looked like he had a gigantic mushroom shaped hair cloud on his head. It was not attractive. In fact, it was the opposite of attractive.
Finally my husband offered him cold hard cash to cut his hair off. The negotiations were tough. Both sides had compelling arguments. I, however, stayed out of it. My feeling is that it isn’t on my head why should I care. Eventually they settled on a dollar amount that made my jaw drop open, and off came the hair.
Fast forward to this year. My 8 yr old decided that he wants his hair long. He is the only one with blonde hair, and the hair is pin straight and fine, though there is a lot of it. It also grows very slowly. Last week I looked over at him and realized my son was sporting a mullet. My husband, for all his mad skillz with the clippers, does not feel comfortable with the scissors on such unforgiving straight hair.
So I made an appointment at our local hair salon. As he sat in the chair he told her that he wanted the back to stay long, but the front to be short so that it isn’t in his eyes. I said I didn’t want his hair to look like a mullet or to be so long in front that he needed barrettes to keep it out of his eyes.
In all fairness, she did exactly what we asked. But now he looks like the little Dutch boy.
I am not sure if it makes it better or worse that he loves his new do. But I do know I am this close to busting out the cold hard cash.
Good luck with that. My 7yo has not cut his hair in about a year and a half. It looks,well, not so great, but no amount of money or other bribery has convinced him to cut it. Fortunately, it has grown past the mullet look, and he now spends a lot of time with his hair hanging over his eyes. I told him he looks like Cousin It (from the Addams Family), but instead of compelling him to cut his hair, he thought it was cool. I give up.
Comment by Jen — August 14, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
Oh no. I had more than my share of absolutely wretched haircuts growing up. I think that is why I am still reluctant to get it cut. I have a tendency to let it get really long and then do something dramatic like cut of over 12″ and donate it to Locks of Love.
Comment by Not The Mama — August 14, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
My sons have appointments this weekend for the Back to School Buzzing. And my husband–MY HUSBAND!–is trying to talk them into letting it grow.
No. Absolutely NOT. NO.
Comment by Susan — August 14, 2007 @ 8:54 pm
there is a light at the end of the tunnel. my 18-year-old son, who has more hair than any dozen humans have a right to, has been growing his hair for 3 years. a mushroom cloud has NOTHING on him! today, however, as he prepares to leave for college (culinary school), he cut it ALL off. and he was happy to do it. wait. what grows around … gets cut off eventually.
Comment by janet — August 14, 2007 @ 9:55 pm
May I join the club, please? My eight-yr-old is growing his, and we just had the near dutch boy experience this weekend. I keep flicking at it to give it some swoop and texture. He keeps dodging me.
I even got thinning shears, hoping for maybe some cool flip or something.
Ah, heck, who am I kidding? It sucks.
Comment by Christine — August 15, 2007 @ 10:55 am
my eight year old son sports hair so thick it looks like a wig. a beatles wig. last spring he came home from school with lice, so i buzzed it. he’s very picky about his hair. no matter how hot the wig makes him, it has to be just so. i figure, it’s his head and it doesn’t hurt anything, so i don’t really care. my daughter on the other hand, she’s six. and would it kill her to run a brush through it once a month?
Comment by Heather — August 15, 2007 @ 11:30 am
The catholic school I went to did not allow boys with long hair ( they´d give you two warnings and then one of the priests would shave it short right there) Guess where my children are going to school
Comment by Gigi — August 15, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
Mullet ….. Business in the front, Party in the back.
Comment by Janet — August 15, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
At the beginning of the summer, my 5 year old declared he wanted to grow his hair long. I, too, have clippers and have been buzzing his hair for three years.
Why does he want his hair long? To put braids and beads in it. Like Capt. Jack Sparrow. Savvy?
Comment by WickedStepmom — August 15, 2007 @ 3:13 pm
My 4.5 year-old has only had 2 haircuts since Thanksgiving. One was to give it some shape and the next time we cut it off for the summer. He has gorgeous dark, thick, wavy hair and it won’t be cut again for a long time. I love it long!
Comment by Clara — August 26, 2007 @ 11:38 pm