So, we finally got Jonah’s hair cut today. It’s been like 6 months.
It was a lot more effort than usual.
I called around and nobody would take our reservation…
…because Jonah will not wear a mask.
Honestly, I have not tried to get him to wear one.
Frankly, he has developed more new behaviors from anxiety over the last few months than I as a parent am able to handle CURRENTLY.
But I can’t just let his hair grow out. He is obviosuly irritated with how it tickles his ears.
So I did some calling.
We finally went to the place Jonah first became “okay” with hair cuts…
They specialize in kids with aversions to hair cuts and did not require the children to wear masks.
Perfect.
Surprisingly, Jonah started off a little apprehensive. He squated down just in front of the chairs and wouldn’t move.
We had conquered hair cuts a couple years ago.
I asked him if he wanted to sit on my lap and he said “Dada, up.”
Strange. This seemed like a bit of regression. He has been a rockstar getting his haircut for at least 2 or 3 years now.
It took me a little while to figure it out.
We haven’t taken Jonah anywhere inside since February. We don’t take him to stores. We don’t take him anywhere essential.
We go outside and play. That’s it.
I don’t think he has seen anyone with a mask on. And EVERYONE else in the shop was wearing one. Even Daddy.
So he got anxious, and needed to sit on my lap for his haircut.
He did just fine…
Every time he saw himself in the mirror, he smiled at himself and felt his head…
“Hair!” He kept repeating. Over and over again, obviously pleased with how it looked and felt.
Oh how far we have come. It took years for Jonah to be okay with haircuts and today, the haircut was the easiest part of the whole adventure.
It is a good reminder that no matter how bad things seem now, the hardest part could one day be the easiest part with time, patience, and persistence.
With all of Jonah’s new anxieties at home, It’s something I’m having to remind myself every day.