We really messed up this Saturday morning. I was all cozy under the blankets when my husband, Jake, came in and snuggled up behind me. Before we knew it, we were both out cold for two whole hours. Not a single romantic moment — just pure, exhausted sleep. We’re definitely running on fumes with three little boys aged 6, 4, and 2.
While we snoozed, our house became a playground for destruction. We awoke to a disaster zone: toys scattered everywhere, Christmas foam stickers plastered on the hardwood floors, and Legos covering every surface. But that wasn’t all we discovered.
“Jake?” I asked, squinting at my husband. “Does it look like Sunny’s hair is a bit… sparse?” Sunny, our youngest, usually sported long, tousled golden curls, but now? Oh no, this was more than a simple messy hairstyle. Someone had taken scissors to his hair — big chunks were missing from the back and sides, and in one spot, it had gone from shoulder-length to just two inches!
Long hair is a family tradition. My oldest son, Max, is growing his hair out surfer-style, and my middle son, Oliver, took weeks to convince me to trim his mid-back-length locks to something shorter, “like Dad’s.” I even saved his ponytail! I always imagined Sunny would follow suit. But now? His beautiful hair was a jagged mess.
The guilty party soon revealed himself: Oliver. At just 4 years old, he wanted his brother’s hair cut to match his own recent trim. I could only imagine the chaos he imagined as he played with the scissors. Clumps of Sunny’s golden hair mingled with the mess on the floor, and I could feel my frustration boiling over.
After a stern conversation on “Scissors and Where Not to Use Them,” I did what any exhausted mom would do — I locked myself in the shower and had an emotional breakdown. I’m not ashamed. I love the look of long-haired boys; it makes them unique, special. Maybe I listened to too much 90s rock in my youth.
After my shower sob-fest, which my mom friends assured me they completely understood, we had to decide: should we embrace the “Great Hair Hack,” as I named it, or take him to a salon to fix it? I was leaning towards living with the mishap because I knew that once a hairdresser got involved, there was a high chance of more hair going bye-bye in the name of “evening it out.” Jake, who didn’t particularly care about the length of their hair, insisted we get it tidied up. I realized my resistance was purely about not wanting even more hair chopped off.
“It’s just hair. It’ll grow back,” he said, which is what everyone says when their kid gets a DIY haircut, and although it’s true, it’s also not very comforting. Reluctantly, I agreed to a trip to Ye Old Kiddie Haircuttery, where they have a colorful, whimsical atmosphere with lots of toys and TVs playing endless commercials for their services.
They sat Sunny in a chair on top of booster seats and dressed him in a goofy haircutting cape. The stylist asked the dreaded question: “So, you just want me to even it up?”
“No, I want you to keep as much length as possible while making it socially acceptable!” I blurted before Jake could say anything.
As she cut, she kept checking in, asking, “Is this okay, Mom?” I mostly nodded, but she commented, “I’ve never seen such a creative brother haircut before!” I couldn’t help but point to Oliver, who was grinning, proud of his handiwork.
“That’s sooooo cute!” the stylist said, and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes.
In the end, Sunny walked out with a modified bowl cut — longer in the front, giving him a pop-star vibe. Everyone thought he looked adorable, and he even got a prize. But deep down, I just wanted his long hair back.
Fast forward a few months, and thankfully, his hair is growing back nicely. That Saturday morning nap could have led to a far worse scenario than a botched haircut. Hair does indeed grow back, but I can’t shake the guilt about dozing off while my kids wreaked havoc.
For more insights on parenting and home insemination, check out this informative piece on intracervical insemination and learn more about the process at Make A Mom. Additionally, if you’re looking for reliable information on fertility, the CDC’s resources on infertility are fantastic.
In summary, while we may have had a chaotic morning, it serves as a reminder that sometimes, a little chaos is just part of parenting. As long as the hair grows back, we can handle a few misadventures along the way.