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?

Probably stems from when I grew up where a 'skinhead' (v short cut) had certain connotations.

(Which was a shame as the style was also used by eg ska types).

I mean the rules don't change that often, skinheads in the 80s were associated with NF.

in case that was a bit vague!

A child at school got a buzz cut. The head wasn’t pleased at all. We all assumed nits.

There were a family of boys at the last school I worked at who had number 1 buzzcuts once a year or so. They really stood out, not in a good way. There was neglect and parental abuse going on there though. If their hair had been just a bit longer it would have looked so much better.

my dd has very short hair. Not even a buzzcut and everyone assumes shes a boy. Is that something that would annoy your dd?
Its a hard look to pull off and look stylish, depending on your features, but its only hair and it grows back. Tbh, I think nows probably the time to do it rather than year 7 etc, and also if she doesnt like it, she can wear hats this time of year, more than in summer

Does she/you realise just how much maintenance hair of that length takes? I had a number 2 pixie for a good while (I’m 6 months into growing it out now) and, in order to keep it in shape, had to have it cut every 2-3 weeks. She’ll have to get used to hair dressers pretty quickly.

Wow, that's a lot of responses! Thank you.
DD has looked at pictures online and is quite certain. She wouldn't be bothered about being mistaken for a boy, but I don't think it would happen anyway, she's all big eyes and dimples on quite a feminine frame. Urgh, that sounds like I'm all about sex-based stereotyping. Sorry.
Good point about presumption of illness, I think that might upset her on behalf of genuinely unwell people; we have two family friends currently losing hair to chemo, but I don't think she's made the connection.
I might speak with her about lots of attention paid to her haircut initially; she might not be prepared for that.
And, as a pp said about the family of boys with buzz cuts, I wonder if an assumption might be around slack or neglectful parenting. DD's school has quite a creative, liberal demographic, but it's still quite concerned with appearances, if that makes sense.
I might actually make a point of asking her teacher about school policy in person, just so she understands it is a carefully considered decision!
Thanks again!

I had one when I was small, and everyone called me a boy...but that's ok because I wanted to be one at that stage!

Not sure I would allow it, nothing to do with her sex I just don’t think it looks nice on anyone.
What about a short pixie cut? Buzz cuts just look so harsh!

My daughter has lost her hair to chemo. Her head gets REALLY cold. And lots of people assume she’s a boy which gets on her nerves. Maybe would annoy her less if she’d chosen her hair though.

I am so sorry your daughter is experiencing this, China. I hope she responds well to treatment, and is soon in a position to make decisions about her hair again

If shes quite certain, then i dont see why not. Its only hair.

I had my hair cut really short at 9. I wanted it short and thought I wouldn’t care if people thought I was a boy. However, once it was done I HATED it. It took ages to grow out and I really regretted it.

Re the boys being neglected, OP, this was just one flag, there were many others. They are now all in care. One thing alone doesn’t point to neglect, don’t worry.

"A child at school got a buzz cut. The head wasn’t pleased at all."

Am I the only one who finds this hilarious?

@aurynne thank you I’m here all day!

Womanistaken she is doing really well thank you. Starting to get a tiny bit of hair growing and it's sooooo soft and downy, I love stroking it on the rare occasions when she takes a hat off and lets me!
Just made me think as she complained bitterly about her head being cold when we were out today even with a hat on.
Hope your daughter has fun with hers! We're excited to see what colour hair grows back for mine (apparently it often changes) and if it's curly.

It is only hair and it does grow back.

Young woman at my work shaved it all off, she looks awesome.

I grew up in 80s and makes me think of Sinead O'Connor (lots of response to her hair negative, but she's so pretty why would she do that!!!) And skin from skunk anansie.

Do check the school rules though, like I say a lot don't like vv short hair. Or in fact lots of different hairstyles. In general hair seems to be a thing that people have strong views on. That's probably another thread though!

My DD had her hair cut v short in yr 4. I was nervous, but she loved it. She did get mistaken for a boy fairly often, but it didn't bother her too much. She's now growing it out again, but she certainly doesn't regret it.

My mum nearly throttled me age 16, left for school with a wedge cut with chin length fringe, nipped out at lunchtime & had a number 1 all over. If I still had short hair now I would love either an under cut or a buzz cut, but i have just spent 2 years growing my hair to below my shoulders.

My DD has just done this and the attention/reaction has been really negative at her school. She has been called a cancer patient and other homophobic slurs. She regrets it and is now stuck waiting for it to grow back. Children can be cruel.
DD struggles to fit in and is considered weird by her peers and this has not helped. If your DD has a strong sense of herself and a solid friendship group, then I agree with everyone else, it is just hair and will grow back (and yes check school policy re extreme hairstyles).

my dd and I have both had short crops at one point or another. Mine was a proper buzz cut and I got a lot of sympathetic looks and sad smiles as people clearly assumed I'd had chemo.

DD got called a boy (even though hers was clearly a pixie cut not a buzz cut) even though she has the cutest pretty girly face. She's since grown it long, but still gets called a boy or asked if she's trans because she wears trousers

Some kids are just stupid/mean and will call her a boy or take the piss for any reason at all, so if she's a strong personality and can cope with it, go for it. Its so liberating to have short hair!

I was out for the night last weekend and a young girl in a bar had a buzz cut - she looked incredible. If your daughter is brave enough and totally convinced then let her go for it - until three years ago my hair was waist length, I now have a pixie cut and love it.

Considering you have family members going through chemo, it may be worth discussing that with her before she commits to anything.

Also a lot of schools don't allow very short haircuts on either gender so it's worth looking at the policy.

Wow I would never have thought to question it. A girl I teach, aged 11, just did this. All I thought was how beautiful she looked.