Not only that, but rules of communicating with children were easy - engaging in conversation was considered indulgent - unless of course the kid had done something wrong, in which case you gave 'em a clip around the ear and shouted "you little scamp!" at them. Ahhhhh, there is nothing like giving a kid a good beating to garner respect.
So imagine my surprise when I was getting Izzy ready for school this morning, and her Dad, Steve, called me to say; "Hi, just to let you know I have booked Izzy a 4pm appointment with her stylist today."
I remained silent for a moment, pondering what had just been said. "Stylist?" I said, "she's five, what does she want with a stylist?"
"It's for her hair," Steve replied.
"You are kidding me?" I asked incredulously, "you are paying a proper stylist to cut her hair?"
"Of course, I want it to look nice," he replied before adding; "you can come if you want."
"Yeh, of course I will come.... I want to see what goes on when a five year old gets styled," I said before hanging up. Once the phonecall was over, I turned to Izzy.
"You know what, Iz?" I asked.
"What?" she said.
"In the olden days, children didn't go to stylists; all kids used to have bowl haircuts."
What's a bowl haircut?" questioned Iz.
Being the supermother that I am, I gave her a brief demonstation by placing a bowl on her head and waving a pair of scissors in the air. I wanted her to understand that haircuts in the olden days revolved around practicality - they were short so they didn't require much brushing, and generally incoporated a brutal fringe (what's known as a 'bang' in the US) to enhance vision. Styling for vanity's sake would have been considered a frivolity. Yeh, I know - kids today - sigh.
Pic.No.1. Izzy's demonstration of the principles behind a bowl haircut - oh, for the olden days
Just in case you were thinking that I gave Izzy a bowl haircut, I can categorically confirm that I didn't. Hell she had a pre-paid appointment with a stylist booked for 4pm for chrissake. Giving her a Bowly prior to that would have just been mean. But that doesn't stop me reminiscing about the days when children were considered little more than vermin.
Pic.No.2. A good old-fashioned bowl cut in action.
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We (me, Steve and Izzy) duly arrived at the hairdressers and were greeted by the receptionist who asked Izzy to partake in a consultation........ about how she would like her hair to look. WTF?!! She's five!
"I want to look like Stephanie from Lazy Town," she said in a little voice.
Given that Lazy Town's Stephanie had pink hair, it became immediately apparent that some adult intervention was required.
"She just requires a trim and some layering at the back," I interjected.
"No problem," said the stylist turning back to Izzy..... "and would you like your hair washed?"
"Yes please," said Izzy, standing up so that the pink protective cape could be wrapped around her shoulders. The stylist's assistant (obviously versed in the routine) rocked up and asked Izzy; "Can I get you a coffee - Latte or Cappuccino?"
I jumped into the conversation for a second time; "ermm, she's five, she doesn't drink caffeine..... do you have any juice?"
"Yes, no problem!" she replied breezily and disappeared into the back of the salon.
Pic.No.3. Izzy in the chair with a towel on her head, just about to have her hair styled
It was all a bit surreal, right down to the point where the stylist asked Izzy whether she would like her hair blowdryed straight or curly.
"Straight, please" she said confidently as though she had grown up in salons. WTF!! She is five. She should be in the garden eating worms and making mud pies, not deciding how she wants her hair blowdried!
Or maybe I am just showing my age. Either way, once it was done, I decided that I wanted a coffee to get over the experience, and Steve took us to a little gem hidden away down an Oxford backstreet.
Pic.No.4. Jacobs and Field in Headington, Oxford
The cafe was actually a cross between a delicatessen and cafe, and sold the most marvellous snacks ever. I had a spinach and feta filou wrap to help me get over the shock of my daughter being styled. And a cappuccino. And Izzy (who now looked like a red-haired, short, extremely young version of Jennifer Aniston) had a black cherry pastry. Steve just ate cake. He likes it because it is brown.
So chaps....... what is the right way to deal with children's hair? Should they get sent to stylists or should they get the bowl haircut?
16 comments:
Considering home haircuts can be embarrassing and possibly scar a child for life, I would go stylist. My mom NEVER cut my hair but I have friend who subjects her kids and her husband to it. Odd people.
Ok I am now digging out all my old pictures of my bad hair cuts. YIKES. I remember going to the hair dressers when I was around 8 years old and thought I was the queen as it was such a treat (we were off to a wedding). Anyway all the 'stylist' did was put my hair into a french plait! Seriously! I could have done that. But I still felt like a little princess - and proceeded to act like one all day! (who says weddings are all about the bride? It's all about me, me, me...)
Take care and remind Izzy how lucky she is to have escaped the bowl!!!
KC
xx
www.katecollings.blogspot.com - always welcoming new followers, guests and comments xx
Hmm the dreaded bowl ... like Kate, I'm reminiscing about my childhood haircuts which invariably made me look like a boy! No wonder I have issues lol! :)
Annie, I think with you to keep her feet on the ground and an occasional 'style' alongside the threat of a bowl, Izzy's feet will be kept firmly planted! ;-) Throw in an occasional home trim and Bob's your uncle!
(I cut my own hair all the time, to the horror of my mates hehe - I even let the hubbit cut it a few times, although that's been halted after my last trim - I asked for 2 inches off and he took it almost 5" shorter! I really don't know how he avoided a divorce! Narrowly, methinks!)
Ah, the bowl cut.... We have 5 year olds at the school where I teach who get their nails painted at the salon. WHAT? My MOM used to paint my nails. OVER THE TOP!
Finn's first haircut on his first birthday took place in a real barber shop. He was sweet. He sat still. He couldn't have cared less about the scissors and clippers. We thought "Oh, how lucky we are to have a child that sits well enough to have a proper haircut!" Everytime after that though has proved us dead wrong. He screams. He cries. He hyperventilates. It's to the point now that we've resorted to just borrowing clippers from the neighbor and buzzing his hair once every 6 months or so. He still goes ballistic, but at least we're not paying someone else money to torture him.
You didn't tell us how much a five year old's hair costs these days, that would have been the decider for me.. next time send her to Auntie Clare's salon.... and pay me x
I was one of those unfortunate bowl-cut victims. Very charming story. I'm sure she felt like a princess. Maybe next time Dad will also pop for a mani/pedi. ;)
Will you adopt me? My mom always got my sisters and I the ugliest haircuts when we were younger. It was awful. She was the ONLY person who liked them, and 30 years later, I realize she has crap for taste when it comes to that stuff. While I long for a little girl, it is nice that I can plop my boys down at the kitchen table with some clippers and scissors and chop away for free... :)
Anyone that sets up a child photo op with a bowl and a sharp object is alright with me.
Kudos!
You write all that, but no picture of the finished article? Was she pleased with it?
She'll be getting her nails done next!
The shorter the better - helps keep the nits at bay.
Ok, well I think it's pretty unanimous...we all had the trauma of having horrible hair! =) *raises hand* Seriously though, give the girl a stylist once in a while...especially if the cramp in the wallet is going to be happening to someone else! =) *wink* I guess I don't see anything wrong with a once in a while outing...first chop before school starts, special occasions type things....again, all the better if it's coming out of Steve's pocket! =)
My question though, woman - where the hell is the picture of your newly beautified daughter and her completely free, non-bowl haircut? =-p Geez, you are big tease Miss Annie! =-p
Jewell =) xo
Blimey! I can't believe so many of you actually had not just home haircuts, but bowl cuts! Surely that leads to mental scarring? Izzy's hair cost £20 and I can't believe I stupidly didn't take a picture of the end result - she looked ace!
Where's the other photo? The one where she comes out of the hairdresser looking fab, and then the lorry rushes past and the wind makes a dog's breakfast of it all?
Thanks for stopping by Anne and your kind comment! :) I was a bit naive back then with the whole haribo heart strategy! Can't say i'm much better now!
Stylists for 5 year olds?! Wow! It is a changed world! I was definitely a 'bowl-cut' child! Thanks again,
Rick
Hey Anne - I am obviously way behind in the "Stalking" game here. When I was a kid (Oh God...here we go), when haircuts got above $0.35 per...it became a DIY project. In my case...a bowl would have been a blessing because at least there was a line to follow. Nope...not for me. Mom "Freelanced" the cuts which always wound up in buzz cuts to cover the "error". My brother and I were known as "The inmates" as we had buzz cuts waaay before it was fashionable.
On the other hand...with the price of stylists these days, I would need a guarantee that half of the proceeds were going toward a university fund for my child.
You have a dilema :)
Ron
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