Torturing my child, only $20!

One of the things I put off most in terms of child care is haircutting. We just haven't had great experiences with it, despite the fact that there is a nice place near here that has cars! to sit in and Treehouse! playing. 

But my kid is looking a little ... rough. And by that, I mean, seriously, his hair was out of control. And so we went today, and I mean it literally when I say I was totally depleted at the end of it. I swear it was as though I were sticking him with needles, with the crying and the flinching and the sobs of "stop! stop! I'm all done! I'm ALL DONE!" And I'm not usually impatient with my child -- or at least, despite what I write here, I try not to be -- but I really did want to hunker down in front of him and yell -- Jesus, kid, it's a HAIRCUT, not thumbscrews!

But I didn't, I soothed and cajoled and hugged and held and promised and did all the things one should, and then hoped that they would cut it so short that we wouldn't have to go back for many many months.

My GOD, going to the dentist with him is easier than this.