Give in to the Gel

If you are male and want to live like a Dutchie you need to load up on your hair gel supplies. Seriously. Next time you are out and about in the straat or stad take a good look at the men around you. They either have no hair at all or a whole lot of hair gel on their head. There's nothing in between.

From their first haircut Dutch boys are encouraged to slather on the gel. The kapper always asks, "Wil je gel in je haar?" and when you are three it's hard to say no.

At first I resisted. When my eldest son had his first haircut and he was asked, at the tender age of three, if gel should be tipped over his precious little head I looked at the hairdresser as if she had asked me whether I wanted her to roll my son in dog crap. I said no. And then I sent an indignant text to my British friend to ask whether her son was assaulted with gel at the hairdressers. But no, it's a Dutch thing for sure.

By the time my youngest went for his first haircut and the gel question came I told her to slap it on like her life depended on it. Now she asks my sons directly and not me. I don't even need to glance up from my magazine anymore when I take my boys to get their hair cut. It's my chill time, the boys get a lollipop or biscuit and their hair is as hard as hell by the time we get home. Everyone's happy.

So, tip number 2  for #LiveLikeaDutchie is give in to the hair gel if you are male or a mother wanting your sons to truly blend in living in the Netherlands.