Locks of Love
About this time three years ago, a three-year-old Elizabeth pushed a chair over to the craft counter, tugged her sister’s safety scissors out of the box, and lopped off the ponytail on top of her head, sheering off a serious section of hair to the scalp.
We called her “Spike.”
Since then, she’s mostly grown her hair out, and boy did it grow. This morning when we took her picture, she could almost sit on her blonde “princess hair.”
But today she decided to cut it all off — letting the hairdresser do it this time — and give it to Locks of Love, who provide natural hair wigs to children with illnesses.
She was very upbeat as she sat in the chair and showed Suzie from Kid Clips how much to cut, angling her tiny hand near her chin. I was worried she would cry as the hair came off, but she was laughing the whole time, amazed at the instant change in how she looked.
The girls have two friends at their elementary school who use Locks of Love hairpieces. I’m amazed that when I mention the organization, everyone seems to know about it. It’s a great way for children to understand the challenges their peers face, and instead of feeling strange about seeing other kids without hair, this gives them a way to relate.
