Making DS get his hair cut short?

[RawDEal]

I posted earlier about changing Ds to another school. (basically, in and out of trouble at current school, now being bullied, one thing after another) so I'm changing him to another school.

He's quite excited about moving but I've told him I want to get his hair cut before he starts. Basically it is long, briliant blonde and very, very fine. It just flies everywhere and looks a complete mess.

I think it's important to get his hair cut before he starts a new school, first impressions etc but he really doesn't want to.

Do I just put my foot down here or what?

I think there is room for a compromise. My DS1 (10) has curly hair which goes a bit "Mad Professor" - if I had my way he'd have it short. But what he likes is to have it so there's hair over his ears, so that's what he has, and the lady barber thins it out. Go somewhere where there's a barber/hairdresser who seems trendy and will listen to him.

BTW - there's no pressure to conform to a certain look at his school, but he still has clear ideas about what he likes (darn it) so we have to compromise (he's not into fashion or particularly sophisticated either). In your circs, OP, I would try and persuade him to change it. Maybe buy a hair magazine( do they make men's ones?) and find something you can agree on.

Normally I wouldn't suggest making someone look a certain way but seeing as it is to try to prevent him being bullied then that is different.

I would make it his choice. Go through the reasons why he was singled out for bullying at his last school. Talk about his hair. Gently suggest it might be a good idea to change (for now) the thing which made the kids single him out. He can always grow it long again later whn he is more settled and confident. Explain that you think he looks lovely however his hari is but other kids pick up on these differences and use them as a reason to be mean and that you don't want him to go through that again. Agree with him that it is a stupid thing to pick on someone for but for now getting it cut might be the best thing.