Celebrating the Differences: One Hairy Week-end
You know when you have kids and you constantly compare milestones and similarities?
Eldest & Li'l Man 4 months
And yes, differences?
Don't fib! You know you do, as did your mother compare you to your siblings, unless you were a only child then boo-hoo for you.
So I've found there is usually a clarifying moment when you realize your kids are very much alike or polar opposites.
For my boys?
Yes, the similarities of mannerisms still exist. The food preferences still exist. The resemblance exists. They definitely come from the same family.
But at their core? They are very different.
Nothing can so clearly show this than the haircuts they chose for themselves this week-end:
Don't fib! You know you do, as did your mother compare you to your siblings, unless you were a only child then boo-hoo for you.
So I've found there is usually a clarifying moment when you realize your kids are very much alike or polar opposites.
For my boys?
Yes, the similarities of mannerisms still exist. The food preferences still exist. The resemblance exists. They definitely come from the same family.
But at their core? They are very different.
Nothing can so clearly show this than the haircuts they chose for themselves this week-end:
Yes, Eldest wants the longer hair to fit in with the middle school crowd, but Li'l Man requested, got, and was thrilled with his very unusual result.
Eldest hates attention. He wants to blend in. He's always been the least amount of risk taker so much so that I've often pushed him too hard to be more free.
To take risks.
Li'l Man?
Quite the opposite. Loves attention. Break dances in public. Lately, he's taken to wearing dashing scarves and a fedora to school.
Yes, you read that right.
A fedora! My 2nd grader wears a fedora whilst my 8th grader was horrified I purchased yellow hair spray for his Halloween costume...which was better than his reaction to my first suggestion that we bleach his hair.
Yes, Eldest is my child who cared too much about what others thought and was so easily led around the play yard in elementary school that I made him wears painted black nails once just so he would realize the world would not end if he was different. I wanted him to absorb this lesson before he hit the scary middle school scene.
He did learn the lesson, but still he takes no risks. It's who he is. I've accepted that. He is his father's son. Conservative.
Li'l Man reminds me of me in high school. Changing hair color on a whim. Showing up in every club in the yearbook picture one year not because I actually was in the clubs, but more for the attention of "Hey...look at me."
For me, from a family of six, and more foster kids, maybe it is a reaction to stand out and not be forgotten.
For Li'l Man, maybe it's a third child, the baby, the same deal. Don't get lost in the crowd. He asks me for black painted fingernails.
It's fascinating how very different their personalities are and yet, I know, there will be a part of them, the brothers part, the shared childhood, which will always remain comfortably the same:
All I know is that I love them both so much! My two little accidents! Forever and for always, differences and all, because they are my dear ones.
Yes, you read that right.
A fedora! My 2nd grader wears a fedora whilst my 8th grader was horrified I purchased yellow hair spray for his Halloween costume...which was better than his reaction to my first suggestion that we bleach his hair.
Yes, Eldest is my child who cared too much about what others thought and was so easily led around the play yard in elementary school that I made him wears painted black nails once just so he would realize the world would not end if he was different. I wanted him to absorb this lesson before he hit the scary middle school scene.
He did learn the lesson, but still he takes no risks. It's who he is. I've accepted that. He is his father's son. Conservative.
Li'l Man reminds me of me in high school. Changing hair color on a whim. Showing up in every club in the yearbook picture one year not because I actually was in the clubs, but more for the attention of "Hey...look at me."
For me, from a family of six, and more foster kids, maybe it is a reaction to stand out and not be forgotten.
For Li'l Man, maybe it's a third child, the baby, the same deal. Don't get lost in the crowd. He asks me for black painted fingernails.
It's fascinating how very different their personalities are and yet, I know, there will be a part of them, the brothers part, the shared childhood, which will always remain comfortably the same:
All I know is that I love them both so much! My two little accidents! Forever and for always, differences and all, because they are my dear ones.
5 Witty Comments For Me:
Awesome haircut! I don't think they allow such haircuts at our school. The local public school policy lists as unacceptable hair "which may cause disruption to the school environment" -- clearly open-ended there, eh?
My kids actually attend Catholic school, where the policy is, in my opinion, poorly stated:
"Girls' hair is to be worn in a non-distracting style in the natural color." It continues by listing rules about what hair accessories may be used. Then, there is a separate entry for "Boys' hair should not exceed the top of the eyebrow in front, mid ear or the top of the uniform shirt collar." So I guess it's OK for boys' hair to be in a distracting style. :-)
Our sons look so much alike when they were little that we had to look at the furniture in pictures to figure out which kid it was. They are 4 years apart.
Personality wise they couldn't be more different.
I always figured hair doesn't matter because really people..It is just hair.
Excellent haircut. And if I had any doubt about having a second child you've squashed them.
Love the haircut! And I loved reading this. You can tell that you adore your children and appreciate who they are. You're such a good mom!
What do you mean not a risk taker?
Yeah, our kids are different.
Lori - I used the onesie to tell them apart when Scout quizzed me. :)
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