I was given hair-cutting lessons, a pair of scissors, and a pair of clippers for my wedding shower from my mother-in-law. I have cut Ethan's hair since we were engaged. I've cut the kids' hair from the time of their first hair cut, with maybe 2 exceptions.
It has saved me a considerable amount of money. I never minded and while the midnight realization of needing a hair cut is enough to give you an anuerism, it is certainly more practical than trying to schedule a hair cut with Buffy the day of something important.
When I had daughters, I truly believed that my hair-cutting services would be needed much less than my son or husband and they would be virtually stress free. Wow, was I wrong.
My poor girls do not have the luscious locks required for the long, no cut, braided, DONE hair. They ALL have Dandelion Hair, which results in me keeping their hair shorter than I would like to. Charlotte is still baby wiggly, so it takes a little longer to trim her bangs than it will in a couple of years. Amelia wants to see what I'm doing as I do it, with demands and requests as I'm cutting it, but she sits pretty still.
Elise asks that I cut her hair. She knows that it makes me brushing her hair in the morning better for her. However, Elise growls, spits, and thrashes as I cut. Stressful doesn't begin to cover the nausea that a haircut creates. She has a lot of sensory defensiveness and the feel of her hair being tight and then all of a sudden loose against the scissors and her scalp makes her crazy. As she thrashes, the hair that is cut fluffs out into the room, gets on her skin, and she sniffs it up her nose...did I mention that she has sensory issues?? To cut her hair, I have to use hair cutting scissors. You know they are pointy and stuff, right?? I live in desperate fear that I will cut her, poke her, or stab her somehow in these hair sessions. I have thought about taking her to a salon for a hair cut. I'm betting that they wouldn't finish the job,though, and that no amount of money would make them do it.
SO, I do it. I do it because one day every couple of months makes the morning drama of hair-brushing a little easier and the twice weekly hair washing shorter and there is less gnashing of teeth, and less wailing.
But, boy, what I wouldn't give to have safety scissors for cutting her hair!!!!!
My husband's grandmother would cut her son's hair in the middle of the night while he slept. He didn't have sensory issues, he was just a teen in the 60's. This is the same woman who sewed pink lace on the bottom of his shirts so that he would always keep it tucked in. Even though I'm not advocating her brand of parenting, I have to admit she was clever.
ReplyDeleteMy babe had his first haircut from his aunt a while back and he was CRAZY! Oh my word you would think she WAS cutting his head or stabbing him! It is a good thing he has hair like me and not his dad (I had my first haircut at age 5...almost embarrassing).
ReplyDeletePoor Lesie and Mama, too! I've not been present for the cutting, but can surely vouch for how tough it is getting her hair combed and washed! I can only imagine. . .
ReplyDeleteMaybe safety scissors for hair-cutting is your big-winning idea :)
there are so many day to day experiences that we never think of, things we just take for granted that are ordeals and big events for you and Elise! Reading your posts always makes me take a step back and rethink things.
ReplyDeletebtw: I LOVED the comment by Lynn and the thought of sewing pink lace onto the guys shirts so they'll tuck them in! Do you think we can get the schools to implament that into the dress code?
I guess great writers think alike ;)
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is movie! I use bribes to engage her so I can trim her hair. I worked my way up from trimming quickly in the bathtub to trimming after bath in a chair in front of the tv to a real cutting and combing- she' now 11 and I can get her to sit still and let me cut. Of course I am not very good at it :) Some day a big girl cut at the hairdresser!
ReplyDelete