Hair.

I am a mother of two girls and...

I hate doing hair.

There. I admitted it. I feel better. I feel cleansed.

I'm a firm believer that once the girls start voicing opinions about their hair, that they should be in charge of making decisions about how they wish to wear it.

Elisabeth started saying she didn't want to have bangs at around three and a half. So, I let her grow them out. We'd barrette them and head band them until they were long enough not to be in her face. When she wanted short hair, we'd go chop it off. When she wanted to grow her hair out and donate it to Locks of Love like her Aunt Terra, I supported her (and brushed that long, long hair).

Both girls love love love going to the hair salons and getting their hairs cut. Elisabeth gets a full shampoo and style. She yaps the hair dresser's ear off and will give her honest opinion at the end (which we've had to have the talk about being honest while not being rude). I always find it humorous when the hair dressers ask me what we're doing with Elisabeth's hair and I point to her and Ebeth spouts off what she wants done. They always seem surprised that 1.she gets to totally decide her hair cut and 2.she knows exactly what she wants. Hey, it's not my hair.

I remember being her age and not being allowed to have my hair cut. It was frustrating and I had headaches from the heaviness of my to-the-belt length hair. I was in 4th grade when my mom finally let me decide what I wanted to do with it. I chopped it to my ears and was the happiest child alive.

Currently, Elisabeth is growing it out again. She had bangs for a while (the sweeping kind) but she's decided she doesn't want them any longer either. So, she's in an awkward 8 year old hair phase.

I could be one of those moms who meticulously styles their daughter's hair every day. I've seen those little girls with their bows and their perfect curls and smooth tresses. But, I'm just not. I barely enjoy doing my own hair. I make sure it's combed, their parts are straight and they don't look like ragamuffins. But, Elisabeth has never, ever been able to keep hair things in for a full day without ripping them out, losing them or declaring they hurt her head. She does love when I straighten her hair, so I do that occasionally and she's thrilled.

Julia's still not old enough to decide. Recently (like 4 days ago) I decided that she should grow her bangs out. Her hair grows so fast that I can't keep up with trimming her bangs professionally. Plus, I want to see how long her hair can grow before she is old enough to decide to chop it off. So, for now, she is a barrette girl.
I think it's super cute.