I hadn't cut A's hair in two years. She enjoyed wearing her hair in braids like Laura, of Little House on the Prairie, and the American Girl Character Kirsten. Her long hair drew a lot of attention, especially being that lovely red color. Little old ladies were always stroking her hair, and other girls always wanted to braid and style it for her.
It was beautiful, but like many beautiful things, it was high-maintenance. She couldn't wash it by herself, it took forever to dry, and brushing out the knots each morning took a good 10 minutes. As she's approaching puberty, her scalp has become more oily. It needs washing every other day, not just twice a week, or it starts to smell and look greasy. The longer her hair got, the more it needed to be tied back, or else it dragged in her food, dipped into her artwork, or became a liability during recess. It also got caught in the zippers and velcro fasteners of her coat, even when braided.
So last night, after a good wash (and long dry), I got out the scissors. She wanted it short, but not as short as her sister's hair.
I said, "are you sure?"
She pointed to her ears, "This short!" she said, with confidence.
"Once I cut, you can't change your mind," I told her.
"Hurry up and cut, Mommy!" She replied.
So I did.
And she cried as the newly short hair flew freely against her cheek from the scissor blades. I wanted to cry, too. I hated to cut her beautiful hair.
Then she said, "I hate it! Everyone will tease me and call me a boy!"
"Wait," I said, and rushed her to the computer. I had to remind her of a real girl she has secretly admired for years through one of my favorite mama bloggers. A has always loved to see photos of Ai Ana, and even though they've never met, and never corresponded, A always felt a kinship with her. Perhaps it is because Ai Ana's mom captures the spirit of her kids so well through photography, that A could see a bit of herself in Ai Ana. Suddenly A felt better. Ai Ana had a short haircut, and A thought Ai Ana was really pretty, so maybe having short hair wasn't so bad for a girl, after all.
Since I cut her hair off as a braid and a pony tail, it's a bit jagged, so even more is going to come off when we even it out, especially in the back. I'm thinking of taking her to a haircutting place since it is shorter in the back, up the nape of her neck. I can cut a straight line pretty well, but shaping and layering are not something I'm great at.
And me, I'm next for a haircut. My husband threatens divorce if I cut it as short as A's, though, so I better be careful.
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