Grandparents are often the quickest to say “but take him to the hairdresser!” “. A question that arises even more often for kids. Why do we want to make our children grow up faster, and conform to society at such a young age?
Our kids with risky haircuts
It’s true that babies and toddlers have an annoying tendency to grow a mullet cut that looks great: short in front, not a hair at the temples, and a nice length in the back. Children’s hair grows unevenly and some parents decide to even it out by going to the hairdresser.
But there are also many who don’t want to cut this first hair so soft and steeped in history and nostalgia : this hair was already in the uterus! It’s just that the entourage doesn’t always look kindly on her: “What’s this haircut? » « you should cut » « it’s not very clean, it’s irregular » « why does your mother make you make this cut? “. And we note that it is often the grandparents who have their say on the subject.
Another detail that drives grandma and grandpa crazy: when the front hair falls into the baby’s eyes. So, in a hurry, in a hurry, they advise cutting this wick to make a fringe. But bangs require regular maintenance, while letting them grow out for a few more months will cause the hair to naturally fall to the side. And if necessary, clothespins or rubber bands can help in this transition period!
Yes, but here it is: to put clips on a child? Out of question !
Pressure on kids with long hair
Some babies, boys or girls, are born very hairy and their haircut quickly becomes long and fuzzy. The older the kids get, the more the injunctions to cut are heard.
Julie’s mother, grandmother and mother-in-law don’t appreciate her letting her son’s hair grow out.
” They started by asking me when I was going to cut her hair. I didn’t take it badly at first, so I just said it wasn’t expected. Then came the less nice comments: “ You grow his hair out because you want him to look like a girl », « it is messy », « it is neglected ». It continued until my son said about himself that he didn’t want to cut his hair, that he wanted it as long as his father’s. »
Laetitia’s son also kept his hair long for several years.
” We didn’t have to cut his hair, but he had remarks from schoolmates, and unfamiliar adults have mistaken it for gender. We explained to him that it was for boys as well as girls, and showed him pictures of men with long hair. He wanted to have “masculine” hairstyles, for example a chignon, it didn’t work but if we called him “manbun” it was fine! He finally asked for his hair to be cut, because he was tired of having to untangle it.. »
” My son had beautiful long hair until last summer Says, for her part, Sarah. ” The nanny kept telling me we would mistake him for a girl, and I’ve always kindly sent her away. Then she came up to strangers on the street “oh she’s a beautiful girl”, and when I said she was a boy, I was told it wasn’t clear! Even his father told me several times that we had to cut his hair because they would have taken him for a girl. Then without telling me he took him to the hairdresser and sent me a photo of my son with his hair cut short. I felt cheated. He told me that he would be more practical to run, he didn’t even imagine the real reason: he was afraid that his son would be mistaken for a daughter! I got mad at him but the damage was done. »
Estelle had her son cut his hair before he started school,” to clean. »
“I don’t know why, but I regretted it. Since her hair fell into her eyes, we did it again, and this time it was clear: I preferred long hair. After the last cut, I was looking at the pre-cut photos and the thought that came to my mind was that i was missing my “wild kid” i don’t know how explain, but I attribute to her long hair an idea of carefree childhood, a little natural and free. And more importantly: he, too, preferred long hair. Now that his hair is growing back, his son likes to have his hair tied up too.
For her part, Laure made a completely different choice.
” Traditionally, in my husband’s family culture, children’s heads should be shaved regularly. We only did it once, because we really didn’t like seeing them bald. Our eldest was 3 months old and our youngest 7 days old. »
In fact, some cultural or religious rites encourage children to shave their heads, or on the contrary to let their hair grow until a certain age.
But does it really make sense to cut a child’s hair?
Beyond the aesthetic reasons, sometimes motivated by a gender conformation “to make him look like a real boy”, is it true that shaving a newborn’s head, or cutting his hair, allows him to grow faster and more vigorously?
Patricia, co-founder of Pouce, a children’s hair salon in Paris, simply replies: no.
” Everyone thinks that cutting hair helps hair grow, we get asked the question 20 times a day, because that’s what grandparents and even some nannies say. Hand, the only interest in cutting a child’s hair is aesthetic. That’s not to say you shouldn’t trim, you can trim the ends and the first thin hairs to make newer hair look voluminous, but it’s just cosmetic. »
Do parents today tend to delay their child’s first haircut?
” It depends on the places. » replies Patrizia, « There are only 3 specialized children’s salons in Paris, and demand means that prices are quite expensive, 25 euros per haircut. The financial aspect can hold parents back. For our customers, the first cup is a bit seen as a family outing, a party, we bring grandma, we film, we bring the first hair home, etc. »
So at what age is this famous first haircut done on average?
” It depends, some come with their very hairy 15 day old baby, others wait until 3 years old because the baby has little hair, or for religious reasons. »
As for long haired kids, Patricia sees a lot of them coming to her salon… to keep a long hair cut!
” I think it’s very Parisian, but we see many guys with long hair, and conversely we are rarely asked to cut it very short. The surfer cut is popular, especially among 10-11 year olds who wear their hair over their shoulders, tie it back and style it, even compared to girls. But ultimately we hear very little of these comparisons at the show. »
Patricia has however noticed a real difference in 10-20 years.
” Before, I was asked for many “clean cuts” with open ears. It doesn’t happen anymore. Now parents ask their children for their opinion, above all they want them to like it, which was not the case a few years ago. »
Despite the pressures and injunctions passed down from previous generations, children now have more freedom of choice when it comes to their hair!
Photo credit image of one: Pexel
Source: Madmoizelle
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
