Diaper Swappers

Playing with Scissors a Lesson in Cutting Hair

We all know that kids are supposed to learn how to cut paper, it’s an important part of kindergarten. My 3 year old is getting rather efficient at cutting, she’s starting to cut out shapes and when able to snatch an empty plastic shopping bag she uses scissors to turn the bag into stylish clothing which she then models. A few months ago she was styling her sister’s hair, every few minutes she would lead Henna out and show off her great talent.

One particular night I was feeding my newborn when I noticed that during her styling time she had taken a break to come and fetch her scissors. I asked my husband to please go check on the children as I was afraid that hair was being cut, and he said “ok” and then proceeded to sit on the couch for 10 minutes, by the time I was finished nursing and got up to check on the girls my middle child had no hair, and my oldest had given herself bangs. When I asked my oldest what she was thinking she said “I was styling hair”. It’s a plain and simple answer, it was interesting though because every parent I know has told me that hair cutting has come out of curiosity. Will it hurt? What do scissors do? Cutting hair to answer the most basic questions in life. Yet my child didn’t cut hair to see if it would hurt or what would happen, she knew going into it she was cutting hair for the purpose of creating a hairstyle.

The next day my oldest chopped off all her hair, I hadn’t been able to fix her bangs and so she told me she “helped mommy” by cutting off the rest of her hair so I wouldn’t have to fix it myself. It was said to see her beautiful hair gone, but she did finally look like she was 3 and not 5.

What is your hair cutting story?