From The Past: January 7, 2005

I am not what you would call a high maintenance woman. I don’t buy lots of expensive make-up or jewelry and I’m not afraid of getting my hair messed up. I’ve never had a manicure or a pedicure or massage. Those just aren’t things that interest me or that I feel comfortable doing. If I had grown up doing those things, it might be a different story.

Ashley and I had our hair cut back in December of 2003 (Ashley for the first time in a beauty shop) and I had mine cut again four or five months later. I didn’t get anything special done, but it still cost me around $30.

My son, Andrew, has decided that he wants to grow his hair out. He hasn’t had it cut in a while; I guess since this summer. It’s getting long all over, especially his bangs. Each time that Kevin has gone to get a haircut I have asked Andrew if he wants his cut also. The answer is always no. Even though I tell him that he can just get it trimmed, he still says no.

Then come the mornings where I have to listen to him gripe about his hair and how terrible it looks. Well, no duh, he won’t have it trimmed so his bangs are out of control! By the time I pick him up from school, he looks like he just rolled out of bed. It’s extremely thick with curls.

He expects me to find a style for him and take him to the beauty shop to get it styled. The problem is, I don’t like spending $30 on my own hair every six months or longer, so why in the world would I take him to the beauty shop once every month or so to spend that much? I’ve told him no way, it’s not happening. My feeling is, he needs to get it trimmed for $9 with his dad or not at all. I think I am justified in feeling this way. If he wants it long, he shouldn’t gripe.

Currently (2021): I have still never had my nails done professionally and honestly; I have no desire whatsoever. It’s just something you have to maintain and spend money on and I’m not willing to do that. I haven’t been to get my hair cut in well over a year. Kevin has trimmed it for me when I asked. I don’t enjoy going to the hair salon, so it’s something I will put off as long as possible (like going to the doctor).

Kevin currently pays $15 (tip included) for his haircuts about every other month. If I asked Andrew right now if he would agree to spend $30 a month on Gavin’s hair, he would definitely say no. Especially since Christina currently cuts his hair and it doesn’t cost them a thing.

My point is, there are many things that I would change as a parent if I could do things over again. This isn’t one of them.