When Sabi was younger, we encouraged her independence. Simple tasks like choosing outfits or tying shoe laces were hers to tackle. One day, Sabi attempted to comb her hair, which is soft and tends to frizz. A mishap led to a tangled rubber band and we had to snip a bit of her hair. We advised her to wait until she turned 10 to tie her hair again. Yet, her curiosity persisted.

Last October, when her aunt inquired about a gift, Sabi’s initial thought was dolls. This took us aback, since dolls never truly caught her interest. A moment later, she wondered aloud if there were dolls with lifelike hair and accompanying combs. Sabi wanted to comb the doll’s hair to learn how to comb her own hair.