To cut DD's beautiful hair short?

[Eurydice84]

DD (4yo) has beautiful blonde hair, down to her bottom. It has lovely curls but she absolutely hates having it brushed, so the result is often a tangled mop of knots. We also go swimming two or three times a week in the pool, and despite using a swimming cap and hair masks the chlorine is not very kind to her hair. We decided to cut it in a French bob (think Amelie from the movie) and donate to the Little Princess Trust, but I am getting a lot of "oh poor her" comments. People saying it might be easier to have long hair for reception next year, as it can be tied in a ponytail? I am planning to use Alice bands and barrettes but not sure whether they are allowed at primary school?

How about putting it in braids before swimming pool?

If she doesn't care about having her hair cut I think you're doing a wonderful thing donating her beautiful hair to the little princess trust. Hers will grow back if she misses it.

Take photos and keep a curl or two, haven't read the full thread bur maybe she could get a bit of sponsorship in aid of the charity too.

Why can't your daughter just have a trim hair cut to get rid of split ends,tidy up sort of idea,

I wish I had lovely beautiful hair as your daughter,
I am bit envious in a good way @Eurydice84

Does she really want her hair that short !

Is she struggling to maintain her locks properly then or something?

She just needs to be shown how to maintain her hair properly better if that is a thing ect.

As someone with ringlet curls, I'd advise to look up curly bobs if you haven't already as they do look very different from straight ones.

Also cut a lot longer than you think because the shorter the hair, the more it will curl up once dried.

Sorry haven't read your thread Op properly @Eurydice84 as travelling on shaky bus

I have short hair and still get the odd comment along the lines of "you'd look so nice with long hair" and "haven't you ever thought of growing it?" Some people just can't compute that a woman would want to have short hair. I hated long hair as a child and have kept it short since I was about 10, I'd say let her have it how she wants

I absolutely love girls with short bobs … but I am someone with very straight hair. It may be that a haircut to where a bra strap would be when went ends up being closer to bob length when dry.

Why have you let it get so long? Bum length hair on a child who doesn’t like it brushed is completely impractical. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just keep it shoulder length.

There aren’t many occasions when my 4yo has her hair down. It has to be up for nursery , it’s generally up for swimming, playing etc. it is definitely much more practical to have hair that can be tied up than bob-length that can’t be if you d got a child doing a lot of sports etc.

Just take the time to care for her hair properly. White hair takes no time at all just laziness.

My hair gets a cup of vinegar poured on to it and a shower cap and towel wrapped around my head a few hours before I get in the shower.
I am allergic to all shampoos and hair dyes and it looks great (apart from the colour which I am working up the courage to try henna and indigo). Most days I don’t even brush my hair.

I spent more time and money as a child trying to get my hair to blow dry into a Bob than I do on my waist length hair.

Long hair doesn’t equal time and expense

When you say "we decided", @Eurydice84 , who's the "we"?

It's your daughter's hair, so it should be her choice.

Personally, I'd not go for such a drastic cut - something mid-length, or just a few inches off the bottom even, could leave her hair feeling healthier and more manageable.

The "Oh poor her" people are being ridiculous.

If your little girl isn't bothered one way or the other you'll be doing her a favour to get it cut. It will always grow again.

I too had hair that I could sit on when I was a child - up until I was 10 years old.

It was thick and wavy and I too hated having it washed and brushed because it hurt and it took ages every morning to plait before school.

No one ever suggested having it cut and I just accepted my hair was the way it was - my sister also had long hair - but I hated it.

Anyway, one day when I was 10 I went with a friend who was getting her hair cut and realised that my hair could be shorter.

My mother took me to get it cut just past shoulder length and I kept it at that length for a few months and then had it cut shorter.

Funnily enough, throughout most of my adult life, from the age of 16/17 my hair has been either short, or extremely short. The longest it's been was when I was in my early 30s and it was just below my shoulders.

Never occurred to me before but maybe always having short hair was my unconscious reaction to having all that hated long hair throughout my childhood.

@pigsDOfly I'm the complete opposite. Had short hair as a child and despised it. 😂 Shortest I've gone since I've let it grow is shoulder length!

I just don't understand this long or short options.... If she cuts the hair and the child hates it she'll be left with a very upset little girl for months! Yes it'll grow back but not overnight! A happy medium cut is probably best imo.

I think after the first few times she gets nits (very common in primary schools), you'll be very much in favour of shorter hair.

Surely just get it mid length and see how that goes. No need to make a drama out of it.

Update: we decided to go for it. Short bob. DD loves it, she was smiling all the way through. She is asking to show everyone her new haircut 😊

Excellent. It sounds as if she feels a $million.

Fabulous outcome. Let's hope it's the end of the daily hairbrush battle.

I recently did my daughter’s hair into a short Bob. It’s adorable on her. On every club and place she goes she’s the only girl without long hair. I’m glad she has the confidence (or at least the hatred of brushing). It’s become so extreme nowadays with boy/ girl looks, expected behaviours etc. Very binary

Yay, that's great to hear. Like a thread with a happy ending.

Good to hear.😀

Why are people caring about a 4 year olds appearance. How superficial. You've absolutely done the right thing. The other option was teaching a young girl that perceived beauty is more important than pain!

Everybody has an aesthetic preference, some people like orange skin and groucho marx eyebrows, some young girls who have lost their hair through cancer treatment want to have beautiful hair again (you've done a lovely thing OP).
I've always envied short curly hair like Amelie, and for bonus points it's so much easier and more comfortable.
Mine is bum length because I'm rubbish at going to hairdressers (so expensive for women) but it's heavy and hot and a pain and not flattering.

Good to see your update OP. Pleased to hear she's happy with it.

With summer coming as well, she'll appreciate having a nice cool neck😎

Oh! Wonderful! Just wanted to say go for it. Curls are so beautiful when short!
Congratulations on a new haircut ☺️