In my world, long hair is for women. Personally, I don’t like men with hair. I’m more than a little grossed out when I see grown ass men with big afros, cornrows, perms, curls, braids, ponytails and dreads. Ice Cube? Yuck with the Jherri curl, Nice with the low cut. Luda? Icky with the cornrows and afro, Cute with the low cut. Snoop? Ridiculous with the curls, perms and braid. Without? Well, he’d still be a NO, but you get my point. Grown men shouldn’t have that much hair. Why is it that I can only think of rappers or sports figures with an abundance of hair? Hmm. . . . . . Anyway, as adult men, they are allowed to make those decisions. However, I’m downright irritated when I see any variation of the same on little boys. I hate it! It’s their child so my opinion means nothing, but I get a little pissed at the parents too. Sorry if I’ve just described your son or the child of someone you love, but I still hate it! I know that many like it, love it even, but not me.
My son was born January 13, 2009 with a head full of hair. Ugh! His hair became my nemesis, my arch enemy, my Achilles heel, my kryptonite!!! I simply hated it; every long, curly strand. And, the longer it got, the more I hated it. Unfortunately, MrTDJ and my grandmother, LuLu the Great, were adamant about him not having a hair cut before his first birthday. They are both pretty superstitious and the folklore behind cutting a baby’s hair before age 1 is serious. “You’ll make him stutter”, “You’ll stunt his growth”, and my personal favorite, “He’ll become cross eyed.” There are a million more, but those are the three explanations that you hear most often on this subject. I knew that I would NOT be doing anything other than brushing and oiling my son’s hair until such time as I could cut it all off.
I was excited for baby TDJ’s birthday because a baby’s first birthday is super special. That first year was hard, and I was proud that MrTDJ and I hadn’t accidently killed him, or deliberately killed each other. But, secretly, I was more excited about the haircut that we would give him on January 14. I was so anxious that I wanted to take the day off work to prepare for the event. I didn’t, but I wanted to. Due to circumstance outside my control, we didn’t get to actually do the cutting until January 16. And folks, it was the most miserable 3 hours I have ever spent with my husband and child. My little guy cried, moaned, wailed and made sounds I didn’t know were humanly possible. Our neighbors surely thought that his father and I were KILLING him. Because his hair was so long, we initially took some length off with scissors before going to the clippers. Lawd, that boy gave me and the scissors the side eye, while doing evasive maneuvers with his neck. Once MrTDJ went in with the clippers? **SMH** The little guy cried, I cried, MrTDJ got frustrated with the both of us while trying not to cry. I know that baby TDJ wasn’t actually in any physical pain, but it really hurt me to see him in so much discomfort. I think fear of the unknown mixed with the irritation of being partially restrained by me, frustrated and angered our little guy. I kept trying to reassure and soothe him, but it didn’t help one bit. No one of us was any better until the process was complete and the clippers were firmly back in their case. These early cuts don’t even include a shape up! Whew! It was an ordeal.
So, tell me ya’ll, why 3 months later did I think it would really be any easier? Last night, MrTDJ and I again tortured our little man with his 2nd haircut. I suppose I hoped that because he was a few months older, he wouldn’t be so upset by the process. I hoped that it wouldn’t seem as new and as scary as it had the first time. Well, I guess I was half right – it must not have seemed new, because the minute he saw the case to the clippers, he dropped his cookie and burst into tears. **sigh** I’m still drained from all the tears. My optimism, that this will get easier with age, is fading. I had hoped that one day soon, I’d have the little dude smiling below at the barber shop, but I’m not so sure anymore. I guess this is still better than having to braid the hair of little girl.
Give him a Benadryl. Then take him to the barber while he snoozes! LOL!!!! (Is that wrong to drug your kid like that??)
Nah, it’s not wrong – it’s necessary! *lol* I gave him some Tylenol. Most barbers in this area won’t take little guys until they’re at least 2. 🙁
yeah i cant wait until my son turns 18 months he”s getting a hair cut ASAP!!!
Girl, I was itching to get that mess cut off!
Oh how I wish this were my biggest problem.*sigh* I would rather go through a tortuous haircut every three months than to have to do my daughters’ hair every week (or even less sometimes). So, yes, you definitely have the better end of the bargain.
I definitely do NOT envy you. *lol* Your two angels are adorable, but I would be too through trying to do all that all on a regular basis.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and explaing DUMBO to me. My girlfriend just took her son to the barber as his afro was standing about 10 inches high. She kept it in braids but I’m so like you, I prefer the no hair on men. No braids either.
Hey there! Thanks to you also for stopping by! Yeah, I just can’t get down with the braids. Makes my teeth itch. I love basketball, but it’s even hard for me to watch games now with so many dudes having way too much hair and way too many tattoos! Ick!
You can do Day’s hair for a week and I guarantee you that Lil MrTDJ’s haricut will seem not so bad. I have to do her hair every day because she always pulls on it at night so in the morning she looks like Don King. I wish I was one of those mom’s who didnt care how their child looked but I can’t send her out in the world looking like Sonic the Hedgehog!
*lol* Don’t call my baby Don King!
You would hate Mistah’s ‘Ice-T’ hair then. LMAO It’s long (just a little above his shoulders) and wavy (like the ocean). Lemme stop. It’s not a look that I normally ‘went for’ before but it’s grown on me…..and it’s handy during sessy time. *runs*
Bwahahahahaha!! Leave it to my blog sis to break it down! *lol* I’m mad you said, “wavy like the ocean”. ROFL!! I’m done for the morning!!
Awww, I bet your little man looks cute with his hair cut. I never had any little boys but I can imagine the torture of it all. I would’ve given him some Benadryl too. He would’ve been knodding off before you could even get the clippers close to his head.
He does look extra adorable, so it’s kind of worth it. You’re the 2nd person to suggest Benadryl. Hmm, me thinks that’s going to happen for the next cut. *lol*
I believe babies with long hair are cool and it really doesn’t bother me to see grown men with hair. I have always preferred mines low cut though.
Your son has a fresh cut. Excellent barber.
I think that most people feel the way you do – hair is no biggies. I don’t know why it bugs me so much Don, but it does.
Oh no, that’s not my son. That’s just a little cutie I found on Getty Images. Maybe I’ll post pics of my guy one day. He’s cuter! =)