After her nap, I told Ana that we were going to the hair salon with Tita. She shot her eyes at me immediately. "I don't want to get my hair cut, Mama." Hmmm...that Toralora story didn't catch on like I'd hoped.
I just let it hang in the air. We climbed in the car. Talked about Easter, sang "Iko, Iko," basically pretending nothing was going on.
Picked up Tita. Lots of us speaking in Spanish. Very fishy to our Ana. "Mama, I don't want to get my hair cut." Me stopping at the service station. "Let's get something for after our haircut."
Getting out the car with me, "Mama, I don't want..." (you get the picture).
Bad parenting at it's finest: "Ana, do you want the Hello Kitty lollipop or the candy microphone for after your haircut?"
A: Mama, I want the candy without the haircut.
She decides on the candy filled water gun. An all-time low.
Back in the car, on our way...
A: Mama, I don't want a haircut.
Me: Ana, remember Sam I am? That fellow kept saying, "I don't not like green eggs and ham. I will not eat them in a box, I will not eat them with a fox, I will not eat them here or there, I will not eat them anywhere," and then what happens?
A: He tries them.
M: He tries them, and what?
A: He likes them
M: You might like this new thing. Let's just go check it out, and be open. You know I'd never take you somewhere to get hurt. Let's just see what this place is about, OK. You should always try something new. Otherwise you might miss out on something fantastic.
We'll have to change this lesson for our drug talk in a few years.
A: Mama, I don't want a haircut.
M: Try it, and you may, I say.
Tita and I fill the air (in English) with talk about random things. We arrive.
Exiting car, fine. Get to the door: Frozen, and crying real tears.
A: Mama, I don't want to get a haircut!! Not fitfull, just kind of scared.
Opening door, revealing pink four-wheeler barber's chair...Ana's eyes widening...
M: Let's just go check it out.
Letsy, our Honduran hairstylist, told Ana to choose a chair, or she could sit on my lap. Pouting, she chose the pink four-wheeler.
Letsy: I have this magical cape for you to wear so that you won't get hair on you...
The first cut...
Ana, with the cape, sat and looked at books, played with toys, etched a sketch, as her hair was cut. Not a tear. Two ponytails of hair were cut off in big chunks. Yes, I tried hard not to cry.
Elliot was not to be left out of the toy action!
Letsy blew her hair dry, put a clip in it, and called it a day! Ana was so proud of her new do, and I think, of herself, for having the courage to try something scary, to trust her mama, and come out shining. I'm so proud of you, Ana.
4 comments:
This makes me hopeful, not that Eva has even close to enough hair to cut, but she won't even let me get a barrette near her head.
I loved this post...and need to bookmark it for later. (MUCH later, since Amaya is nearly BALD at 10 months!)
Your approach with her (and parenting in general) is amazing. I love how you work through challenging situations with Ana... (who is usually one step ahead of you...already preparing her next question!..Love the idea of the imaginary "problem solver" character...and I basically just find your trip through motherhood inspiring. Thanks for sharing your mommy moments, I enjoy every single one!
PS...I am wondering if it's just the word "cut" in haircut that sounds scary to little ones. Perhaps a switch to new "hairstyle" would be less "harsh" sounding? Who knows....just maybe.
Thanks for your kind words, Georgia. I *DO* think that the "cut" in "haircut" adds an extra challenge...Having Ana come with me to get my hair cut last time might have been helpful too.
The story telling ideas all come from educator Vivian Paley's books. I strongly encourage parents of preschoolers to pick one of them up. Even from an educator's perspective, her work is of value to parents, as she looks at the themes revealed in imaginative play, and using those themes and genres to engage in conversation with young children.
where is this place???
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