So today was my first official day at work. I had been in a few times just to see how things work around there and what not. I am teaching a gymnastics "summer camp." Most of the kids are between 7 and 10 years old. A few of them remembered me from when I was in before. I had a feeling that there would be someone who would ask where my hair was and I was right. I couldn't have been there for more than 5 minuets before I got the "what happened to your hair?" The first thing I could think to say was, "It fell out. My body doesn't like my hair." (It was just what first came to mind) I don't think the little girl liked that answer very much... After we started stretching, she asked me again. This time I gave her the cold analogy. I basically told her that when you have a cold, your body attacks it and gets rid of it. In my case my body thinks my hair is like a cold, so it made it fall out. I think that made her understand it a little bit better. And after that, there were no more questions and everything was perfectly fine. The owners know about my alopecia. I was told that there was a girl that took classes there before who had it. Needless to say, they understand and had no problem with me working there.

I know people always asking about how you don't have hair gets annoying and can sometimes come out rude. But what I've found is that it is more curiosity than anything. Most of the time, if you explain it to them and tell them what alopecia is they will leave let it be. People are the worst when they don't understand and educating them is a good place to start.