Daughter wants to buzz her hair

[Charlotteshin]

My daughter keeps asking to let me buzz her hair. She wants to follow the celebrities that have done it recently and thinks it’s edgy. AIBU go say no?

My dd first did hers when she was 11.

She dyes her hair a lot and it gets damaged and periodically cuts it all off, and she's 16 now.

Her hair, her choice. She loves it short, saves washing and styling and pissing about with it.

Ah, let her crack on. If she doesn't like it, it will grow back

A no2 isn't "too short" if that's what she wants.
We've got into the culture where girls and women have long hair and it's odd if they don't, and sexuality and gender gets questioned.
Back in the 70s many of us had short hair at school, and then at uni I got into punk and had very short hair with spikes at the front!
She's a young woman, not a child. Her hair, her choice.

She's basically an adult, if she does something and regrets it, then that's life. And how you learn.
YWNBU to refuse to do it, but YWBU to try and ban her.

She may struggle to find a hairdresser who’ll do it. I went from waist length to a pixie cut and had to do it in increments. The first hairdresser would only go to shoulder length and I booked an appointment elsewhere the following week to get the two inch all over length I really wanted.

I had mine at a number 2 on the sides and a 4 on top all through my teens. It’ll grow out when she’s sick of it.
If her hair is very long, would she donate it? She might be more likely to go to a proper hairdresser if they can do that.

18 is the time to do it! It'll grow back if she doesn't like it, and either way she won't spend years wondering 'what if'.

Hair grows back.

It will take years for a cut that short to properly grow back.

Up to her at that age

I do wonder if it might affect her job seeking propects- I mean I’d hope not but some people are quite old fashioned. I think that would depend on her overall “look”
not just hair though.

dont do it yourself though, if a family member is a hairdresser then that’s a good idea. Or just get her to pay.

also def encourage her to donate it if it’s long enough.

Get a good set of clippers. Wahl are decent and won't break that bank - £30 or so from Amazon for a rechargeable set with all the guards.

Start with dry hair. Run all over with the #4 guard fitted, if she's happy with that stop there. If she wants to go further swap to the #2 guard.

The guard sizes are eighths of an inch. So a #4 is 1/2" and a #2 is 1/4". Anything higher than a #4 is more likely to end up spikey rather than a buzz.

I think cutting all her hair off at 18 is pretty symbolic as well as fashionable - cutting her childhood away and going out into the world as an adult - I'd make the hairdresser's appointment as a last gift and then she can be on her own where her hair is concerned with care and finances etc because she now an adult. - Maybe over thinking this 😄

Does she know that some people look fabulous with a buzzcut and others have a head that looks like a potato?

If she's determined, maybe she could go to a hairdresser that will use her hair to make a wig for a chemo patient.

I had really long hair and had it shaved off when I was 16. She might want to have it a tad longer grade, as when it is too short, you get attention from Nazis.

The more you argue against it, the more determined she will be.
At that age there's not much you can do, so you might as well accept it with good grace.
It will soon grow out into a short back & sides then a pixie cut if she hates it.

Good idea earlier about donating the hair - suggest that!

Harmless, and she may possibly learn a valuable lesson about decision making. Or not. Either way, it's only hair.

She may never want it really long again. I didn’t. I’ve never let it grow any longer than my collar bone. Once you’ve discovered the freedom of losing very long hair it’s hard to go back.

For all those saying it’s going to grow back, yes however it may not grow back the same or as long. Speaking from experience.

Buzzed to a grade two
& So far the Nazis have left me alone @Poddingtonpeace

Honestly, yep I'd say let her do it. I think self expression and bodily autonomy are so important, and so much of your life is controlled by others when you're young. If she hates it, she'll be more cautious next time. If she loves it, she'll feel empowered. Piercings and tattoos are permanent, hair grows back and can be changed so easily. Plus if she gets to tell all her friends that you were ok with it then you'll get some cool parent points, which are valuable at this age! She'll feel respected, and that's important.

She is nearly 18

Then she can have whatever bloody haircut she likes.

My son pestered me to pierce his ears.

I absolutely refused til he said he’d get a friend to do it for him.

I pierced one first ( Sterile needle) and he liked it so much I did the other a year later.

He was 18/19

I let my teens do whatever they want with their hair. It grows back. Teenage years are ment to be about trying silly things.

Let her do what she wants. It’ll grow back! If she regrets it then lesson learned, if she loves it lesson learned, if she’s in between same!
The best teacher is experience…

mine is half shaved, i love it.

hair grows back.

yabu to tell her she can't do it.

yanbu to say you're uncomfortable and would rather not do it for her.