This is part of a sort of Big Bad Wolf game where our two-year-old stands on our big bed & I blow air at him, which he pretends makes him fall over. Pretty sure he has no idea why I wince slightly when he says it. As it’s a game we only play at home, I’m hopeful that he’ll never ask this in public.

Wren is perhaps the loveliest name ever!

Harriet Fancott harriet@karmavore.com

We’ve had two people in the last two weeks ask us publicly where we think Wren’s curly hair comes from. Michael and I are both very white Caucasian and Wren is African American, Cherokee and Caucasian…simply astounding the thought-less things people say.

I often touch the hair of little kids that I know–particularly now that I’m pregnant, as I’m more emotional & touchy-feely than usual somehow. But never strangers–that would be weird in most cases.

I think there’s sort of an age limit too–if they’re under age 2ish, okay, but older they are less likely to want that contact. Like my nephew–if I played with his hair, he’d probably duck away because he’s nearly seven. But my friend’s 18 month old daughter holds my hand when we walk or leans on my lap when I’m sitting, so it makes sense to stroke her hair.

& for me none of this is about the novelty of whatever their hair texture is, whether straight or curly, it’s more about just being affectionate.