Gabe's 1st Successful Professional Haircut

I've been the primary creative source behind gabe's image since he was born, with the exception of the shaving of his hair at four months of age. During this time, we've gone from completely cooperative, magazine-flipping babe in bumbo chair to wailing sessions heard by the entire block to successful attempts on the highchair due to Veggietales. As I've mentioned previously, I enjoy cutting his hair. It's perhaps just me fulfilling a side of me that never existed, like an alter ego you know, except that creativity is never in my blood.

So, to end off the episodes of clean up (hair all over the living room is not at all fun), and in recognition that a small pair of scissors will never do what a wave of the shaver can, I took him to the hair salon downstairs my parents' place. I've been at the mercy of these neighbourhood stylists since my primary school days, and when I was finally financially independent enough to venture into the territories of "designer" charges, I was still very regular at the place for cheap but shiok shampoo sessions. So needless to say, we are very familiar with the ladies who now have the task of cutting my son's hair.

Our first session took place about two months ago, with me carrying the traumatic, screaming toddler. We succeeded at shortening the sides and the back of his head. He left remembering (and till this day still reiterates to us) the name of the auntie who cut his hair, and the little tank that housed a fish and two lobsters.

So with Chinese New Year around the corner, and the length of his hair seriously threatening the boundaries of his eyebrows, we made a date to the salon. The ploy is as follows:

- Waigong will cut his hair too, as a role model, and a demonstration that there's nothing to cry or scream about, and after the whole process, that waigong "is a good boy" for cutting hair without fuss.
- Waipo will bring the Barney VCD there and request for the ladies to play it during the deed, simulating those crazily-priced outlets at shopping centres, without paying the exorbitant prices. Idea credited to the cheapo mother.
- Mother will drill/ psycho the kid on the process of the haircut. Good boy must sit on the chair to let Auntie Jubee cut hair; watch Barney while cutting hair; no need to scream and cry; after that good boy will be rewarded with view of fish and lobsters.

So with fingers crossed, I took gabe on an MRT ride back to my old home and my entire family was waiting there (the yee yee took the opportunity to go for a shampoo). Gabe was placed on a huge block in the armchair, elevating him to a comfortable height for the stylist, turned in the direction of the tv and by the time the introduction song for Barney came on, he was staring at the screen motionlessly. I tell you, he looked so cute from behind -- this little kid with a little head, completely still and allowing Jubee to do all the mojo.



All four of us stood at a distance, marvelling at how our ploy worked. But it didn't last very long, and another lady had to double up as entertainer. Everytime he turned around to look at us, three of us automatically started clapping and praising him for being a good boy, much like how circus clowns are cued to respond. Later on, he began negotiations with Jubee, telling her he "don't want" the shaver and that he wanted her to "finish" the haircut, and she'll respond with various attempts to lengthen his time in the seat.

Well, you'll see that the final result is not perfect but already a stupendous (Barney's lingo) improvement to the track record.

And... how one kid can mobilize the entire family and two thirds of a salon in accomplishing the task of a haircut...