Accepting the Gift
The child is a gift of the Creator...not property of the father or mother. In love and warm cuddles it blossoms. The Sikh style rejects any branding ceremonies which are widely inflicted upon children.
The child is not born in a sinner state and there is no need to rescue him by subjecting him to purification rituals. No circumcision awaits him; no dip in holy water to jar him; no tattoos to inflict pain upon his little body; no head shavings to purify him. The Sikh style rejects any mutilation or defacing of the child's beautiful body. The Creator's gift is accepted as is and is nurtured.

The Massage
As a child emerges from the warmth of the womb, he needs touch and
complete acceptance. This is the reason massage is so important for the Sikh.
Every Sikh has fond memories of receiving a relaxing massage of their head from their mother or father, even as adults. Massage of the head provides an important link between parent and child.

Introduction to Being a Sikh
The Sikh style manifests itself very early in the child's mental and spiritual development. The child learns about the Gurus lives and how they made great sacrifices for the causes they believed in. He learns through these stories how a single person of faith can stand against the worlds most powerful forces. He develops faith in knowing that truth and goodness is the path to happiness.

The child will also learn from friends and at school about Hindu, Biblical and other religious stories.
He learns about Ramayan and Mahabharat as well as about the birth of Jesus Christ and Mohammad. He is taught to appreciate the common central themes in all religions. He learns to dissociate myths
and legends from the core message.

As the child grows he is taken to the neighborhood Gurdwara where he sees the approach Sikhs take towards fellowship. At home he begins to learn the first pauri of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Hair Care
When the child is a baby, his hair is washed every time he is bathed. As hair grows and is tied, the head bath may occur once or twice per week. Hair must be kept clean and usually is not kept open unless it is being dried. Tying the hair ensures that it doesn't get messy and the child is free to play.

Hair is washed carefully with shampoo or some other home-made concoction (yogurt, aanwalas, curdled milk...). Once it is thoroughly rinsed,
it is dried, preferably in the sun. A hair dryer could be used if the sun is not
out and it is cold.

Once the hair is dried, the child has a head massage to look forward to. After the massage, the hair is brushed very gently to remove the tangles. The parent must be gentle and patient while doing this.

If the child is very young, say, less than four, his hair can be tied into a small bun by using a hair tie.
An elastic hair tie can be used to gather the hair at the base on the top of the head. The hair is then rolled into a bun with a twisting tie. An older childs hair may be braided and tucked at the back of the head. The jurha, a bun tied on the top of the head, is most associated with the way Sikh men tie their hair.

The jurha is a very versatile style of tying the hair, since it does not loosen even if one is involved in sports. The jurha has to be tied by the mother or father until the boy is old enough to do so himself. This usually occurs when he is 12 or 13 years old. Tying the jurha is an intimate experience between
the boy and the parent. It does not involve any outside barbers or hair stylists...it is a family affair.

In modern life it is not easy for parents to care for children's kesh...just as it is difficult to cater to their other physical and emotional needs. It certainly seems more convenient to bring the child to a barber to get his or her kesh cropped. But by accepting and nurturing this beautiful gift of the Creator, the Sikh parent also makes a commitment to nurture other facets of the child's life.