Hairy Situation

I started my day with hair problems and ended it with hair problems. Not mine, but that which belongs to the head of my firstborn.

Caleb has always had an obstinate cowlick. It's as relentless as he is in many ways. We have spent years trying to tame it. We've shaved it. We've grown it out. And yet, there it remains bringing back many fond memories of Alfalfa from Little Rascals.


He has currently been growing his hair out and we are beginning to see some progress in getting the stubborn thing under control, but with it has brought new issues. Issues that, in all my *ahem* parental wisdom, didn't think we'd face until Abigail got older.

He went through a phase at 5 where he wanted a Mohawk. So, we obliged with a faux-hawk every once in a while and he was appeased. Now, he wants a small ponytail like Annakin from Star Wars.

In the midst of trying to reach some sort of compromise and trying to not let it get too shaggy, I cut it the other day. He hated it. He disliked it so much that he fought tears as he stomped upstairs to his room to console himself. When I finally saw him 1 and 1/2 hours later, he let me style it and it actually looked pretty good and in style.

I offered to buy him some styling gel to help hold it in place and I thought life was good. So much once again for my so-called parental wisdom. I have created a monster! He is constantly checking his hair and gets upset if anyone touches it. Repeatedly asking me if it still looks okay. Today, he kept asking me to put more in so it wouldn't move and got upset when I wouldn't.

In case you're not understanding the severity of the problem...he practices running around the house to estimate how fast he will be able to go when he's playing with his friends without his hair being disturbed!

And I'm left disturbed. How can an 8 year old boy be so worried about his hair? I am trying to be the good mom and pick my battles, but I am seriously ready to get the razor out and use it on his well-coiffed head. You see, he's added something else to his bedtime routine at night...fixing his hair.