A Close Shave With A Mohawk

(I’m watching my niece for part of the summer after her first year of junior high. She just got a new PC game to play and is very excited by one of the characters, a nice girl around her age with a wild pink mohawk. She drags me over to see. Important note: She’s not afraid of reptiles, but she thinks their scales feel really gross and wants nothing to do with them.)

Niece: “Can we get my hair done like that? Please, PLEASE, Aunt [My Name]! It’s so cool!”

Me: “Whoa, whoa. Hold on. Are you sure? If you decide you don’t like it, you’ll have to wait a long time for your hair to grow back out.”

Niece: “Then I’ll wear hats! Please? I REALLY want my hair like that!”

Me: “First off, there’s no way we’re touching your hair without an okay from your parents.”

Niece: “Yeah, yeah! I’ll ask them!”

Me: “Hmm… and we’ll have to check your school rules about what kids can do with their hair. They may not want any colors or styles that are too out there.”

Niece: “What?! That’s not fair! It’s MY hair!”

Me: *laughing* “Welcome to the world, sweetie. The people who own and maintain a property or business get to make the rules for it. Would you want someone bringing their pet snake into your bedroom and saying you shouldn’t get to decide that it’s not allowed?”

Niece: *reluctantly* “Well… no…”

Me: “Exactly, and if you want to go to school somewhere or work somewhere, you have to follow their rules, even the ones you don’t like. It’s only fair.”

Niece: “Fine… then if that happens, I’ll wait ’til high school. Or college. But I’m getting my mohawk!”

(My brother couldn’t have been prouder at the idea. My sister-in-law was dubious but eventually came to an agreement with my niece that this would be the only time until she was old enough to drive and get a job to pay for special hair treatments herself. According to her school, colorful dyes were out, but she wanted the mohawk anyway. Then halfway through the styling, she fell in love with her half-shaved head and decided to leave the rest longer! She says she’ll save the mohawk for when she can make it pink.)