Information and Links
Join the fray by commenting, tracking what others have to say, or linking to it from your blog.
Mom, I Want Pink Hair
This comes from the back seat that holds my four-year-old daughter as we ride down the interstate. This is one of the numerous awkward moments that I’ve experienced with her lately. Among them is noticing when she lays stomach down on the bed and grinds. I look at her with a funny stare and ask her in a cool monotone voice as if I don’t already know…why are you doing that? She laughs and says “It tickles my peepee.” Is she doing this to get a reaction is my first thought? No, I know it’s part of a natural curiousity about herself and her body, but why must she do it in front of me? Yes, these are the thoughts going through my head during my loss of words moment.
So pink hair, huh? So where is she getting this from? Maybe the girl from Lazy Town on Nick Jr.? I can’t remember. Maybe it was the toy catalog that they so generously gave out at daycare that has the girls putting different colored extensions in their hair? Pink hair is just the lastest. There’s always something that she wants that is like another little girl. I tell her, Brielle, your hair is beautiful…and it is.
She’s got a beautiful head of dark brown curls. I know she will tire of it one day, but I didn’t expect it at the age of 4.
I want for my daughter to feel as if she’s perfect and doesn’t need to change or even grow up for that matter! When I give her a choice of snack, she says…whichever will make me bigger. I pick her up at daycare to her teacher telling me she had dressed up and stuffed her upper dress with other things and referred to them as “boobies”. Her teacher told her to refer to them as “cookies”. What’s better? Actually, who cares. I just never thought I would be dealing with all of this girly drama already! Dr. Spock doesn’t touch these subjects. I wonder why? I know they are all pretty natural things, but all of this and she hasn’t even started school yet?
I know that one day, hopefully, she will grow out of the mimicking and be a happy and secure young woman. I know that even I of course struggle with issues and am still figuring out who I am, what I like and learning about self-acceptance. Maybe it never goes away, even when it dwindles some? I don’t remember being that young when I started though? Maybe that’s a good sign and she’ll have it all figured out by my age if I go ahead and allow her to have pink hair now?
It seems crazy doesn’t it? I’ve had these same kinds of conversations with my own daughter already. In fact, I ranted about it in an article called “Mommy What Is Hooters?” and the backlash of comments I got was quite astounding. Thought it might interest you to read through some of them.