Pakistanis shave kid's heads. Well, my in-laws do, anyway. They do it for the first time on the 7th day after the baby is born. It's called the Aqeeqah and it's an Islamic practice. But many Pakistanis continue to shave kid's heads throughout their childhood for reasons unrelated to religious custom. My in-laws shave all kid's head - doesn't matter if they're boys or girls - and they do it many times throughout their childhood. Mostly I've heard that they believe the hair grows back stronger, thicker, and darker - which are desirable qualities. (Speaking from my own experience as a middle schooler shaving her legs for the first time, I can tell you that was MY experience back then.) I've also heard that it's just something that should be done during the summer months, and that shaving the head brings out all the shirati - naughtiness - of the kid. So our son has now been predicted by his grandparents & uncle to become naughty. God forbid, I hope not!
Anyway, I never really wanted to shave the baby's head. It's not something that happens in America. I was trying to explain this to my sister-in-law. She asked if it was uncommon and I told her that it is less than uncommon. I have never EVER known any American to shave their kid's head. We're not talking a close buzz cut here, we're talking using a RAZOR BLADE. I told her that people who see him walking around must think he has some terrible illness - there is no other explanation for that kind of closely shaved head on a baby that I am awate of. We're using a lot of hats for the next week or two. Or at least I'm TRYING to get him to wear a hat in public. He's really enjoying whipping his hat off and telling complete strangers "I HAVE NO HAIR NOW!"
(Perhaps you can help me, I'm trying to think of something I can tell these people so they don't assume my baby is sick. I'm worried for my karma if I am benefiting from some pity or compassion because people believe he's sick. I tried to say "It's a cultural practice of his father" but that just elicited confusion. I thought perhaps I could say he had lice - then they would know he was healthy - but they might think *I* am gross and perhaps not taking adequate care of my child. Ick. Any suggestions?)
I was never up for shaving the baby's head because I knew it would draw some shocked reactions or sharp criticism that I wouldn't want to deal with. But we took the baby out of school for the summer, and I have no upcoming trips with him, so I thought since we have a few weeks to stay home and wait for hair follicles to grow, we might as well bite the bullet and finally do it. His hair is (WAS!) fine and light brown, so my in-laws think these things can be "rectified" and his hair will grow in thicker and/or darker. I don't care either way. Certainly thick hair is an asset, though, and at the very least if it grows back just the same, I can't be blamed! Hey, I tried shaving his head once, didn't I??!!!
Of course, I couldn't let it go without injecting some of my own unique American-ness into it though, could I? I had to use clippers to get rid of the bulk of the hair, and I couldn't help myself - I shaved it into a mohawk first, then spiked it up and took pictures. I actually was going to leave it like that, maybe for a week or so, but M came in then and mercilessly did away with the rest of the 'hawk.
I was worried that he would hate having his head shaved, and that it would be itchy and uncomfortable for him during the experience and especially the next day and as it started to grow out. But he LOVED having it shaved, laughing the whole time until some soap got into his eyes. He's had a lot of haircuts already, so he was used to it, and I think this time he was excited that his Abbu (daddy) was doing it instead. So far he hasn't been scratching it or complaining about it at all, either. He seems to rather enjoy being bald. But it certainly FEELS scratchy. If, hypothetically speaking, you were to try and take a mid-day nap with him, and he were to rub his head against your cheek, it would feel like sandpaper.
Now, all we have is memories of what he used to look like. And his giant, bulbous, scratchy, lily-white scalp. And sandpaper scratched cheeks. I'll keep you updated on Project GrowFasterDarnIt 2010.
