Mom Left in Tears After Toddler Makes the Decision to Chop Off His Hair (Exclusive)

• Katie Bunton, a mother of twin boys, had an emotional reaction to her son’s hair transformation

• Her son, Oscar, decided to chop off his hair after growing it out for two years

• The internet had an “intense” response to her video of the ordeal

One mother shared the deeply emotional moment her 3-year-old son decided to cut his hair in a touching viral TikTok.

Oscar had sported luscious locks for two years – a common trend among men and boys living in their Australian surf town.

The video showcased a transformative moment not only for Oscar, but for his mother, Katie Bunton, whose tears reflected the bittersweet reality of watching her son take a step away from “babyhood.”

Bunton had always loved Oscar’s long hair, but he surprised her by deciding it was time for a dramatic change when he walked into the salon that day.

“We actually thought it would be a routine trim up,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively. “And he made a big point to tell us he ‘wanted it all gone’ this time.” She wasn’t sure if it was just a passing thought, as many things at this age are, but his confidence and determination were clear.

However, his decision was hard for Bunton to accept as she had always associated Oscar’s long hair with his “babyhood,” a phase she wasn’t quite ready to let go of.

“My husband and I both did not want him to [cut it] because we felt like his long beautiful hair was so intertwined with his identity and his babyhood,” she admits. “Watching your babies become kids is the best and hardest part of being a parent.” But in the end, she allowed him to make the call, recognizing that it was a moment of growth for both of them.

Bunton believes her son’s choice may have stemmed from their day-to-day interactions with strangers, as people often mistook Oscar for a girl because of his long hair. “Most often it would be other adults talking to me in passing, saying things like ‘how old is your daughter’ or ‘she’s so cute,'” she reveals.

While it didn’t bother her, she never realized how much it affected Oscar until his hair had been chopped off and he said, “I’m not a girl anymore.”

Oscar’s change was not just physical, but also emotional. Bunton watched as her son smiled at his reflection after the cut, clearly proud of his new look.

“He was smiling so big the entire day!” she tells PEOPLE. “He kept catching his own eye in the mirror. It was so sweet and definitely made us feel it was the right thing to do, letting him make the call.”

Still, like many 3-year-olds, Oscar’s opinions are ever-changing. “He also has expressed since, ‘I want my long hair again,’” Bunton says. The fleeting nature of his decisions is a reminder that childhood is full of constant changes, both big and small.

For Bunton, the moment was far more than just about a haircut. It symbolized the transition from babyhood to childhood and all the emotions that come with it. “I wasn’t prepared for the big haircut that day,” she says. “It was emotional knowing they were getting to an age where they wanted and could handle bigger responsibilities and more independence.”

Her TikTok, however, was met with backlash from some viewers, leaving surprising comments about Bunton’s reaction. “I thought every mom cries at their child’s first big haircut,” she admits. “But based on the intense, hateful backlash this video got, I guess I was wrong.”

Despite the criticism, her video remains a poignant reminder of the emotional milestones of motherhood, as she navigates the bittersweet joy of watching her twin sons, Oscar and Brooks, grow up.

Read the original article on People