Malone fears a haircut means growing up

I used to cut my daughter’s hair myself, bar the annual trip to Mr Snippers to tidy up the mess created. I guess no one goes into hairdressing wanting to become a kids’ hair specialist, as the stylists always looked dismayed that they had to do ‘the child’. My daughter loves going as I let her have a lollipop (to make her stay still). To me it’s just watching someone cut a straight line across the bottom of my child’s hair and then charge me for it. The last time we went the child really wanted a ‘bob’ but the lady cut it shoulder length. The child has wanted a proper short bob for ages. After discussions with Mother, Boyfriend, friends, Twitter and a few religious deities it was decided that yes, she could have her hair cut short into a bob. Initially everyone roared she shouldn’t cut her golden curly hair but she’s six, not five, yeaaah, she knows what she wants!

I advised her that it would take a long time to grow back. “Mummy, will it have grown back by the time I’m a teenager?” Bless. Well more likely by Autumn. To which she replied: “I’ll have it cut again, then!” I figured she knew was she wanted, so I booked the appointment with my own hairdresser, he excels at cutting curly hair, he understands the need for a quick ‘hedge trim’ (snips reducing diameter of curly mass rather than length). I was nervous, what if she suddenly looked older than her six years? I am already suffering from pleasedontgrowupitis.

“When’s the cut-off point for unrequested hugging?”

Everyday I look at her like a deranged teenager in love. I don’t want her to grow up. Yesterday she called to me: “Mummy! If I stand next to you you are big, but if I stand all the way over here you look really small!” Soon she will know it all and I won’t have to explain perspective, do her zip up for her and remind her to blow her nose. She’s always running up, arms outstretched for hugs. When’s the cut-off point for unrequested hugging? Is it nine or when she hits the big one-three?

So even though it seemed a small thing, this haircut to me was a sign of her growing up, making her own choices. And not needing me!

My hairdresser cut her hair into a beautifully cute short bob. Even he said: “I’ve done an amazing cut.” Requesting that I didn’t tell anyone where I had it cut (he’d had a quiet January, thought he’d welcome the business) he made me laugh: “No way, I don’t want those Hove Mums queuing up!” I remarked she looked like a little evacuee. Hairdresser quipped: “Darling! They wouldn’t have had a graduation!” The child adores it and still looks like a small child… a rather posh evacuee. I can’t believe I was worrying about a haircut. Damn, I’m such a Hove mum!