AIBU to force DS to have shorter hair?

106 replies

Opentobribes · 14/03/2023 05:52

DS keeps getting headlice. Very grim. I treat with hedrin. I think this school year we have treated 7/8 times. He tells me there are a couple of kids scratching like mad in school.

DS has long wild hair. It's a battle to get it trimmed and keep it brushed. I assume if he had short hair he'd be less likely to catch it and it would much easier to do the treatments/combing.

He hates the idea of having his hair cut. Is it unreasonable to force a hair cut? Not really short but a shortish style?

He is 9. I spent last night treating us all and changing bedclothes so I may be feeling unreasonable.

OP posts:

PollyPut · 14/03/2023 21:59

He won't wear his hair tied in a pony tail? But he will have to for sport and practical science at secondary school, at minimum. Many schools insist to have it tied up, purely because of nits! The other parents will not thank him (or you) for wearing long hair down, passing them on and then catching them again.

Nits are really hard to get rid of. In addition to advice above are you washing hats/coats/scarves regularly in winter?

I know one mum who, every time they had to remove nits in a child with very long hair, cut the hair two inches shorter to make it more manageable. The child knew this would happen. This encouraged the child to brush their hair much often more themselves and take more steps to keep the nits at bay.

JudgeRudy · 14/03/2023 22:02

Opentobribes · 14/03/2023 06:25

He has been given a choice before. It does get brushed every day but takes a lot of cajoling/moaning. And when he does catch headlice it would be much easier to be dealing with short hair. He won't wear it up.

Forcing him to have it cut does feel very uncomfortable but I'm also not happy to live with headlice as a regular part of life and it's not going away in his class. It makes me feel very icky.

If you caught headlice would you cut your hair?

PollyPut · 14/03/2023 22:02

Make sure you are telling school about the nits. They should (and possibly have to) tell the entire class to look out for, and treat, nits in their own child.

GreenLeavesRustling · 14/03/2023 22:07

I agree with several of the PPs

Up every day or cut.

I have 3 DSs, oldest 13 and we have never had lice. They all have short hair (not short short, but under a couple of inches), conditioned and nitty gritty combed weekly to look for lice but we never had them. It really helps having short hair. Both for the not catching, and the looking.

barbertom · 21/03/2023 11:25

Hi
I would be more than happy to give you're some a nice haircut for free if you're in the hull area

Sortyourlifeout · 21/03/2023 11:31

Opentobribes · 14/03/2023 06:48

The first few occasions I did wonder if in hindsight we weren't actually getting him clear but I am pretty certain we are now.

It's difficult telling him to avoid it as there are a couple of children scratching a lot who do have quite poor personal hygiene. I wouldn't want them to be isolated.

Apologies if this has been pointed out; no time to read the whole thread.

There is no evidence to suggest that poor hygiene makes someone more susceptible to getting lice. They prefer clean hair, I seem to remember hearing from school!

But I agree with others; his choices are wearing his hair tied up or getting it cut.

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