Ian has a bit of a hard time being the younger brother of a sister. Girls get to do so much stuff that looks exciting. Girls get to paint their nails, wear frilly, flowing dresses and girls get to play with all that messy make-up stuff.
Anytime Ian tries to join in he is admonished by his sister with a, “No Ian. This is only for girls.”
I will admit that in that blessed child’s lifetime I have painted his nails and helped him into dresses, but I always knew that the day would come when that would end and he would have little more than potty versatility to give boyhood something girlhood doesn’t have.
Though it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme, I wanted my boy to have something that was awesome. Something that was all his. Something that he could wear in public.
A few nights ago, I was washing his hair and I commented to him that he needed a haircut. He didn’t have much to say to that, until a sudden thought struck him like a lightening bolt and he presented me with a question.
“Can I have a mohawk?”
I thought about it for a second. He’s not applying for jobs, or trying to impress a girl’s Dad. He’s only five. What’s a mohawk going to hurt?
He wanted to get busy on it first thing the next morning.
And so he bravely sat in his sister’s pretty pink Princess chair while I did the deed.
Kenzie was very proud of his haircut.
She asked if she could have one too.
I said no.
It’s only for boys.
I talked to Susan after the great buzz and she told me that she was adamant that her children be allowed to style their hair however they like (That explained Emily’s pink hair from last summer. Go check it out. It is something.). Susan told me that she figured she chose all her kids’ clothes and what not, so they can have free reign to use their hair to express themselves.
I think I may have to adopt that policy. Hair grows. It’s no biggie. But Kenzie still can’t have a mohawk. It’s only for boys.
Robin Meadows says:
That’s a very manly-man look! My boys(13, 15) are wearing their hair long right now. (they’re rock stars..LOL) I just have to bite my tongue when it’s in their eyes…I know they won’t always wear it like that.
April 11th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Alyson says:
It’s AWESOME! Who knew you were a closet hair-stylist?
April 11th, 2008 at 8:23 am
Amy says:
I do think he is very manly looking, Robin. It hasn’t happened yet, but I do wonder how does one actually discipline a short mohawked guy?
Clearly, I am not a closet stylist. I am a porch stylist. Much easier to tidy up.
April 11th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Susan says:
I do love the mohawk, it fits him perfectly. As I told you yeaterday, I am glad that Jacob loves his crew cut!
April 11th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Kim Heinecke says:
That mohawk says, “don’t mess with me” cute kids
April 11th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Robin Meadows says:
Discipline? Not sure you’ll be able to do it without smiling. : ) He’s too cute!
April 11th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Roger Garrett says:
At least your daughter doesn’t use him as a mannequin. My sister used to dress me up and put make up on me. I hated it
April 11th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Amy says:
Oh Roger. You boys just don’t appreciate what us older sisters are offering you. I have a younger brother who entered marriage fully aware of how difficult it is to look as nice as we do. Being dressed as a girl in your youth is the gift that keeps on giving.
At least that’s what I tell my brother if he ever tries to whine about it.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Amy says:
And, thank you, Susan, Kim and Robin. I do think he is very cute. Even with his super rough looking Mohawk action.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Potty Mummy says:
Firstly, what gorgeous strawberry blonde kids you have… Secondly, good on for you letting him experiment. Thirdly - please don’t tell my 4 year old…
April 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Gina says:
….only Amy’s offspring!
April 11th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Natalie Witcher says:
You are such a cool mom! We actually encouraged our oldest (9) to get a nose ring. She didn’t want to. Oh well, she won’t look near as cool!
really enjoying getting to know you!
April 11th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
deleise says:
I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. You. Are. Cool.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Anonymous says:
♠grandpa seez:
Mohawk huh. Well thats a hair cut fer sure. Mohawk. Yup, thats what its called. Such a deal, a mohawk. Might just go get me one of them there hair styles. Might go over real good in my Elder’s meeting. Yup, I can hear it now, Brad got a mohawk like Ian. Yup, might need to do that.
April 11th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Amy says:
Potty, thank you. I do think they are gorgeous, and I promise to never tell your 4 year old that such cool haircuts exist.
Gina, what are you trying to say? “Only Amy’s offspring”? What? They are unique. Or at least their Mom is.
Natalie, seriously? Because I am putting my foot down on nose piercings until they are at least 11.
Deleise, this is not really a response to your comment, but…
today in our school time we were learning that “i before e, except after c, unless the word is weird…or Deleise.” I promise to never misspell your name.
Dad, I triple dog dare you. I’ve got the clippers right here.
April 11th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
deleise says:
Two things
1. I am so coming up with an English lesson involving your name.
2. I really like your dad.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Amy says:
a e i o u and sometimes y. In words like: scrappy, yappy, and Amy.
April 11th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
jonna says:
Here’s my question…Can he wear a hat to bible class? Because seriously, he looks a little too cool and everybody else will want one.
If my three see, I’ll have to step up my game a bit. And seeing that your coolness and professionalism clearly exceed mine (I don’t even own an apron), I’ll likely succumb to the whining, grating, begging and pleading just because I’m lazy. Then I’ll end up with mohawks everywhere…on my skinny, pale, freckle-faced boys…and there will be no discipline here for all the giggling I won’t be able to hold back.
And because there is noone here telling them what to do, presenting life lessons (and those of vocabulary, as well), and redirecting their behavior…because I instead constantly laugh in their faces…they will likely end up in jail.
See my dilemna? I’m willing to supply the hat.
April 12th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Amy says:
Wow, Jonna. You really thought this through. If your brain works like mine, you already have a rough draft of the letter to the judge written in your head.
No worries about the ‘hawk (that’s what we call it now). I think Bible class is a bad time to be cool and the hair will be flying at half mast. It looks almost normal when it’s down.
I discovered yesterday that it is indeed possible to spank a child who has a mohawk. The parenting hormones take over and it is only afterwards that you snicker.
Also, I realize now that all those scary fellows with safety pins through their noses and mohawks all colors of the rainbow are actually five year old boys trying to express themselves. Almost makes them cute.
April 12th, 2008 at 10:42 am