Hairy situation

My children are hippies. Ok. Not all of my children. My sons. They like to wear their hair long. And I really don't like it. However, I know that what they look like means nothing. I have bigger fish to fry. I have millions of things I want to teach them, lessons I pray they learn, values that I want them to embrace. Their outward appearance has nothing to do with any of these things. Besides, I spent many years dressing them and cutting their hair the way *I* liked it but those days are over (at least with Zech and Jake) and letting them choose their own identity is part of them growing up.

Least you think I am the best or worst parent ever for allowing them to have full control over their appearence, I must be competely honest here. I hate their long hair, I hate the way Zech never matches anything and looks like a homeless man half of the time. I hate that all they ever wear is jeans. However, I try to keep those opinions to myself. As long as the following parameters are kept:

1. You must wear CLEAN clothes. They can not smell or have been worn 10 times without washing or look like they were buried at the bottom of the hamper for a month.

2. When we are going somewhere as a family where appearance is a little more important, I DO get a say in what you wear. Also, there is a time and place to dress up. That means you will wear a shirt with a color, tucked in and you will like it because you look fabulous.

3. Hair needs to be trimmed once in a blue moon. Usually when it's in your eyes and I can no longer stand it.

This brings us to the point of this post....(finally, right?)

Zech asked me to take him for a haircut the other day. This happens about once every three years. All other haircutting is forced upon him. Personally I think his girlfriend was behind it and I am very happy about that. I am not above bribing her to get him to do what I want (I will need to make a note of this manipulative tactic for later).

Yesterday I finally had a few minutes and took him and Jake to get trims. Jake didn't want to go. Jake loves his hair long. Jake has FABULOUS thick, dark, curly hair. It didn't use to be curly but in the last year or so, it has become super curly. And thick and dark dark brown. Fabulous really. However, I can't stand it in his eyes. He was long overdue for a trim and shape up.

I normally go to whatever place is open that doesn't require appointments. I don't have time to make appointments. We just go. This time, I decided to try a new place near our house. Jake wasn't happy about it but we went in and waited. When it was Jake's turn I said, "give him a healthy trim" which is the same thing I always say and I swear I pay about $10.00 for a millimeter to be cut off because he always looks about the same as when we went in.

After I give instructions, I always read a magazine and wait. So I am busy reading about Oprah being fat again (really?!) and next thing I know, Jake is walking towards me with the look of red hot rage in his eyes and that's when I realize that the older lady who was cutting his hair translated "healthy trim" to "cut off all of his beautiful curly hair".

WHOOBOY! It took all I had to keep his head from exploding while I paid for the tragedy. Zech looked fabulous, Jake looked well, like all his hair was gone. He lost it in the car. I will save you from the dramatic conversation but I will sum up by telling you that he is never going to school again and has not taken his hood off of his head since.

I do feel bad. I do. My mom cut my bangs too short when I was his age and I have never let her forget it (she was waiting for that to come out-I do forgive you mom) and really, his hair is far too short. I think it looks fantastic but it's not my call to make. It's his head and his hair and I do feel bad. However, I will enjoy it (if he ever takes off his hood) until it all grows out again. In the meantime, I hope that the drama ends soon because really? it's just HAIR Sampson.

There will be no photos to accompany this post because my son might actually kill me if I point a camera at him right now. You'll just have to trust me when I say, he's as fabulous as always, hair or no hair. Really.