DD (9) wants a buzzcut; anything we should bear in mind?

[WomanIsTaken]

Just that really. DD, who is 9 and in Year 5, has decided that she really wants a super short buzz cut. She's quite adventurous has a healthy sense of creative independence when it comes to her appearance, but I wonder whether there is something I am missing that I should be asking her to reflect on before taking such a drastic step. Is it very cold? Has anybody had a call from their child's school following a similarly adventurous cut?
She currently sports a nice thick bob with a short back and long, sharp assymetric front. She isn't into make-up or hair dyes, just likes strong looks, I think.
Should I urge caution or give the go ahead?

If it’s cold she can wear a hat! Hair grows so I can’t see a problem experimenting with her looks. What is the school policy regarding hair and uniform? I would want to check as some schools will exclude for very short hair.

I’m a woman of 50. Just had my hair cut very short again not quite a buzz cut but that might be the next step. Personally I love it.

If she has it done and hates it it’s only hair. It will grow back. Personally I’m never growing mine again 🙂

What about an undercut for compromise? She could have it just at the back or the whole way round a see how she likes it? I have one and a professional job, it satisfies my urge to shave my head but likewise you wouldn't know I had it unless I told you, or put my hair behind my ears

Think carefully.
What is cool and independent in Y5 may not be so much fun in Y7, when she starts a new school and feels teenage pressure to conform. Make sure you all understand how long it will take to grow again- years, basically (and combined with braces, puberty, wanting to fit in, new people making assumptions about her etc)...
Just think ahead a bit is what I am saying.

Lots of schools have a minimum length requirement for hair so check the rules before you do it or ask her to wait until the summer holidays start.

I’d say “sure” but not until spring so it’s warmer

Will give her time to think about it. If she still wants - you know it’s not a fad and I’d feel happier going ahead with it

I’d suggest doing it at the start of the summer hols so a- it’s warm and b- it will be more like a short pixie cut by the time school starts again. Maybe compromise with an undercut for now

What smallinthesmoke said. It will take a long time to grow back, so not as temporary as other things.

Oh yes it’s going to be cold! Wool that should fix that. Short all over or longer on the top?

The school might be a bid odd about it (I can’t imagine a policy but never know). Maybe do it at the start of holidays in case she hates it or in case the school will have a hissy fit.

She will get called ‘son’ and asked if she’s been unwell (I speak from experience).

Make sure she knows exactly what she wants and take her somewhere good. If the hairdresser messes up there won’t be much chance of fixing it until it’s grown out for a few weeks.

This looks good but it’s all in the cut

I have a buzz cut. Basically zero maintenance. Definitely make sure she has hats for summer, winter & in between- you can burn surprisingly quickly with short hair.

Definitely check minimum hair length on the school website. Whatever goes for boys, should be followed for girls as well, I should think. Unless they plan to enforce gender stereotypes...

Oh and very short hair is a complete pain to grow out. Done it, never again!

No probs it will grow

BUT

check with the school as many will not be on board and might cite a minimum hair length

I’d suggest compromise with a short pixie cut.

Check with the school that it’s not breaking hair codes

Children are not allowed shaven or near shaven hair at my child's school, so maybe check minimum allowable length if she is planning to go shorter than you've seen on other children.

Summer holidays are just right for radical hair experiments, it’ll grow out to a more school friendly length by September.And like people have said, short haircuts aren’t always the easiest to manage. Buzz cuts are, but pixies are a right pita.

Check your school rules, ours is a minimum of a 2.

Yep definitely check school policy. I strongly suspect a buzz cut would not be allowed by most.

(My 15yo returned from the barbers last year with shall we say an interesting hairstyle (buzz cut all over except the very top which he’d left long ish). He hadn’t quite intended for it to look as extreme as it did! The first day he went to school he was called in to the deputy head and told in no uncertain terms to never have it cut that short again and that had he not had a pretty much unblemished behaviour record he would have been excluded).

Definitely check school rules for haircuts as some don't permit buzz cuts. If your DD is determined to have one (and won't be in isolation/anything at school) and understands how long it is likely to take to grow back, go for it. It's her hair! One of my DDs has had very short hair for about three years and loves it. The only downside was constantly having to argue with people who insist she must be a boy . If your DD wants to try a pixie cut before going for the full buzz cut, there are some photos on Instagram and pinterest with the hashtag #pixiecut and #girlswithshorthair which are good for inspiration.

A girl in year 6 at dd’s school did this and had loads of people asking if she was sick. It is quite extreme and will likely draw a lot of attention unfortunately. We know the girl at dd’s school and she massively regrets it.

My dd is 9 but in year 4. I would not let her to this.

The more I think about it the more crazy it is that schools won't allow buzz cuts! I wonder what the reasoning is for this to still be a policy?

Anyway, I would suggest to DD she waits until summer holidays so she can get used to it without people at school (potentially) making comments that knock her confidence.

Hopefully by the new school year she'll be comfortable with it and loving it! And if she doesn't like it as much as she thought she would, she's got a bit of growth by the return to school.

She sounds like a lovely spirit and you sound like a lovely mum!

My dd is the same age and wants hers all lopped off. She has autism and I’m worried that she’ll do it and hate it and won’t be able to handle waiting for it to grow back. Maybe something in the middle to start. Also, I’d check school rules on haircuts.

I would delighted that my DD is confident enough to step outside of the norm. That said I'd probably suggest waiting until the summer holidays are imminent as it will a) be warmer b) give time to grow a bit before school restarts in case they have rules about such things.

As an ex-teacher I still don't really understand why schools feel the need to control hairstyles so much. How on earth is it appropriate to exclude a pupil for having their hair a millimetre too short? It's all about learning to follow the rules without question, I think.

I'm astonished that schools dictate a minimum length. I'm 30 years old, work in an office and have a #1 on the back and sides - no-one's ever called it unprofessional or extreme. When freshly done it's bloody cold on the ears though in this weather.

If you go ahead, my advice would be to take example pictures with you and be very clear about what she wants (quoting the clipper guard numbers if the school policy dictates) because many hairdressers will be very reluctant to do such a short cut on a girl. I ended up with a single-length pixie many times in the early days.

If you can find a barber that will do women's hair so much the better, they are loads cheaper and go as short as you ask for without asking you a million times if you're sure.