The Haircut

My boys have had their hair kept long since the day we arrived in Khartoum. That was the 31st December 2008. They refused to cut their hair despite my urging them to do so (at the very least during the first few months we were here) because they have seen what the barbers here are capable of doing, due to the communication breakdown (we cannot speak Arabic, the native language here). So at the end of the day, both me and my husband let them be, after all, when we are back in Malaysia for good, there is little chance for them to keep long hair because the government schools have rules about that. The last haircut they had was in December 2009 when we came back to Malaysia to attend Yayah's wedding and that was just a hair "trim".

And I thought everything would be ok until the day we are transferred back to Malaysia...

Yet disaster strikes a week back!! I was justifiably surprised when Thaqif made a comment about Arif having "kutu" (kutu is head lice) and Jimmy was the one who discovered it a couple of weeks back. I said "WHATTTTTT???" And there goes Thaqif rambling about Auntie Najwa found quite a number of lice eggs and nits after Jimmy made the comment. I asked Arif if all these were true and he sheepishly replied yes. When I asked why this piece of news was not conveyed to me earlier, Thaqif said "Arif was scared, Mama, because he has kutu." I was dumbfounded for a while, thinking whether I was too harsh on them or whether they had the wrong information on kutu. I probed further and later found out that Arif thought improper shampooing will result in having kutu. Since this was my first encounter with kutu in my adult life (I can vaguely recall having a kutu attack when I was in Standard 1 or 2), I googled whatever I can and got to know that improper hygiene care does not have any bearing with getting lice. Of course I was a bit relieved knowing this and informed the boys, "OK, there is nothing wrong about your hygiene but I was disappointed that you didn't tell me earlier since we can take care of the lice when it was first discovered." I ended up going to a few pharmacies the next day to find whatever medication available here. I applied the treatment to the boys (yes, all 3 of them have head lice) thanks to Najwa who has some leftover of LiceMD coupled with the new medicine. And that night itself, I pestered Rommil to bring the boys for a haircut (don't think I can stand another day) at the barber. Of course, Thaqif had his misgivings but Alhamdulillah, he went for it. Haaaa.. but Mama had to google for the Mohawk cut fashioned after David Beckham la kannnn. Hahaha...

Arif was the first to go through the scissors. Apprehensive at first, but he was all for a haircut.

Arif - After

(chubby eh??)

Danish - he was pretty happy to cut his hair

Thaqif - ala Beckham

To ensure that the boys are free of lice, I was practically a Mak Beruk every day, searching for nits, eggs and kutu. Aiyoooooo.... I don't think I can face another bout of kutu if it ever happen again. For the last 2 days, I have not found the eggs or lice, and I hope this will continue forever. But just in case, I have asked Rommil to buy a few bottles of LiceMD in Malaysia. Not going to be caught unprepared, again.

To mothers out there, please check your child's head now and again. You'll never know when it'll happen.