We're All About the Drama...

I do not enjoy doing my girls' hair. First of all, its a challenge for me to find cute hairstyles that are flattering to their cute faces, and will also hold up to the routine of the day. Second, McKenna has super-thick hair that is hard to do, and both girls constantly have new hair growing right in front that just wants to stick up everywhere. Third, I absolutely can't stand the "ow, OW, OWIEEEEEE" that comes from my girls mouths with every brush and pull of the hair, no matter how soft I brush.

So, this morning I told McKenna it was time to do her hair for school. Her first reaction, which is typical these days, was "NO! I hate doing my hair!!" While I am not surprised, I pull a mock-shocked expression to tell her that I can't believe she just talked to me that way. Then I try to calmly coax her over by saying, "I know, I don't like it either, but let's just hurry so we can get it over with, OK?" She then pulls a very grumpy face, and trudges slowly toward me. "I want TWO ponytails--that's it!" she demands. "Okay, fine, but you better hurry or you won't get your hair done at all." I said.

As soon as I start to brush, the "Owie" chorus begins, and escalates quickly with each pull through the hair. Finally, as I finish with the brushing, I start to part her hair, and she really starts in with an attitude. "McKenna, if you don't cut the sassiness out of your voice right now, I won't do your hair for school," I said, in typical "Mom" fashion. Well, you think she would learn because I have given her this consequence twice in the past year and she didn't like it at all. But, as in true McKenna fashion, she gets even sassier. "Okay, McKenna," I said, "you are in the corner for 5 minutes, and you just lost the privilege of getting your hair done today!" Then, a freak-out session begins. Now, I don't know about any of you, but my 5 year-old's tantrums can easily rival my 2 year-old's. I decided to re-locate to another part of the house during World War 3.

After her sentence in the corner was served, she begs me to do her hair. I admit, I almost wavered, but the "she needs to learn her lesson" mommy beat out the "just show some compassion" mommy by a narrow margin. "No, McKenna, I won't do your hair when you treat me that way." "Then can I do my own hair?" she says. "Well," I said, "I only said that I wouldn't do your hair, so I guess you can if you want."

After a while, I went to check on her in the bathroom and she was trying to do these twist-braids that I do in her hair sometimes, but they weren't turning out very well. I literally had to hold my hands behind my back and run into the other room so I wouldn't try to "rescue" her from looking goofy at school. I quietly asked Brian if he would suggest to her that she just put in a headband. He came back and said she didn't like the idea, but she was getting very frustrated with the way her hair was turning out. After about 10 minutes, this is what she came up with...

Not too bad for a 5 year-old's first attempt at doing her own hair for school. I was surprised she found a headband that sort of matched, even though it was meant to be for a more formal dress--instead of jeans and a t-shirt. I don't know whether or not she learned her lesson. Who knows, maybe I shouldn't have let her do her own hair. Sometimes, being a parent involves some give-and-take, and this day, there was definitely a little of both!