Today, my 5-year-old daughter sobbed inconsolably on my return home from a several-month long deployment to the Middle East. I was touched by her reaction until she blurted out that she wasn't crying because she missed me, but because my shaved head looked scary ugly. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, I shaved my face after several months of growth. This would be OK if my 4-year-old daughter would still talk to me. Apparently she doesn't recognise me, and I'm scary. FML
Today, it's been a while since I tried the "shave-your-beard to see if your baby recognises you afterwards" trick. I wasn’t expecting her to start crying, real heartbreaking tears. The beard's now grown back but she still cries and screams whenever she sees me, and we don’t know what to do. I think traumatised my daughter. FML
Today, my daughter asked me to join the Army so that she wouldn't have to see me anymore. She's four. FML
Today, a 4 year-old saw me and started crying and screaming like heck. I mean, I knew that I didn't look good, but this is too much. FML
Today, I got back from an 8 month deployment but rather than being pleased to see me my wife wanted to continue the same argument we were having the day I left. I miss being shot at. FML
Today, I arrived home, having just had my long hair cut and my beard shaved. My idiot daughter’s reaction when she saw me? “Who are you and how did you get in the house?” FML
Today, my fiancé left for a 6-month deployment overseas. I waved him away, came back inside alone, and cried. I know this is what I signed up for, but the cat could've shown more sympathy than staring at me and walking away. FML
Today, I got my long hair cut in a short pixie cut. When my five year old daughter saw me she laughed and proclaimed 'You look just like a man!'. That afternoon I got a concerned call from the school. My daughter has told everyone 'mummy has gone away, I now have two daddies!' FML
Today, I went to pick up my daughter from my dad's house. He'd shaved her head bald. "For a laugh." FML
Today, I came home to be greeted by my mother-in-law by cussing me out for missing out on events and milestones in both my wife and two year-old daughter's life. She would never listen to "lame reasons", despite the fact that I just came back from a 13 month deployment. So, being a soldier makes me a bad father? FML
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Top comments
klorehore 24
Your daughter remembers how you looked when you left and she probably wasn't expecting you to come home with a new unfamiliar look. Give her a couple days and she will get used to your new look ;) welcome home!
moo77_fml 20
Ahhhh.. Bless her... She will get used to it.. And thank you for your service
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Comments (61)
Thundaar25 11
Out of the mouths of babes. Priceless!! ?
anyoldnamewilldo 23
Thank you for your service. She has probably already warmed up since you posted. When kids are very young any change in appearance shakes their little worlds up a bit. My youngest shied away from me when he was little once I started to wear glasses occasionally because he had only seen me wearing contacts. Perfectly normal.
bleedingglitter 24
My baby cries when my husband takes off his glasses so I understand this.
thatonetribute 31
I'm sorry, OP. She probably just wasn't expecting it. She'll get used to it. Seriously, Welcome home!
CowboyBebop_fml 13
Its ok. Shes just not used to how you look without hair. Thanks for your service OP!
thesuperwholock 15
hopefully you can find a way to explain why you shaved it. thank you for serving. hope the tour went as smoothly as possible and you don't have to go back (maybe she'll be happy if your hair grows out a lil)
caliguy08 17
LCDR, Having served 10 1/2 years as a Master-at-Arms, I too have gone overseas and returned home to family who didn't recognize me. Things will get better sir, and remember she did miss her "daddy". Sincerely, MA2 Cardoza
tamesenicole 27
Welcome home soldier!!!
dcromantipus 4
considering his name is LCDR I'm sure he's not a soldier, he's a sailor. Its not cool to use the wrong title.
amberdea404 28
Repost...
Red_Curls1995 28
Aw I wouldn't feel too bad about it. Kids react to big changes like that. It's like kids that get scared after their dad shaves their beard, it's just that she's not used to seeing you that way so it scares her. I'm sure she'll get used to it. :) thank you for your service
jack67_fml 14
Thanks for your service