I write often about cooking.. cooking for family, cooking for fun, feeding our health. But I also write about my children. Inevitably, a rant and rave type of post was sure to come. It is summertime, and my daughter is out of school. She alternates between staying with my mom, my mother-in-law, and my best friend's mom. For her, she gets a variety of things to do and loves the people she's with.
Yesterday, she was with my mom. I was working, minding my own business, when my phone made the little "text message" noise. I grabbed it and looked, and this is what it said:
MOMWORKCELL
Hi Mama It's Maia. Can I get just a few highlights in my hair?
And then I started cussing. I'll censor myself now that 24 hours has passed and I'm calmer. But let me make several points:
1.) I try to keep chemicals away from my babies. I alternate organic shampoo with baking soda and vinegar. I use natural cleaners around the house. I try to avoid processed food. Why would I let her dye her hair???
2.) Her hair is naturally light brown with blonde highlights. What's the point?
3.) Why does a 7 year old need dyed hair? She's SEVEN!!!!
4.) It would be a lot more age appropriate to dye her hair purple or pink or something than to highlight it. That's just too I don't know, GROWN.
My husband happened to be working from home yesterday and heard me cussing. I texted her back:
ME
NO WAY
Then I waited for a response. Nothing. So I called. I asked, "Did you get my message?"
She says, "What? No.. the phone didn't go off. Can I? Please?"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. And don't let the hairdresser cut your brother's baby curls either!"
"But why? Evelyn has highlights." (Evelyn is a friend from school, who did indeed sport highlights in the 1st grade."
Which made my husband start shouting. He wants the baby's hair to grow out. Which drives everyone nuts since we live in GA and everyone thinks he should have a manly (READ:short and not curly) haircut.
They got the message loud and clear. They came home, she with a presentable haircut, he with curls intact.
This leads me to wonder-- Am I trying to keep my babies as babies for too long? Or are we making/letting our kids grow up too fast?
no, absolutey not. keep them babies as long as you possibly can. It seems like children these days are not allowed to BE children at all. They are pushed into growing up, dressed too old for their age, etc. Highlights at 7? that is plain ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Glad I'm not the only one that thinks so. :-)
ReplyDeleteI would have said no, too - kids need to have a chance to be kids, they grow up fast enough without us encouraging it.
ReplyDelete