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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To clipper cut DS’s with lice

115 replies

ThatHappyAmberDog · 14/09/2024 06:58

DS7, 9 and 11 all have lice. I’m in the process of treating them but their hair is quite long and very thick. I have bought a pair of clippers from Amazon and plan to buzz their hair after school to make their treatment easier. I imagine they won’t be fond of this but it is going to save me hours of treatment and it will grow back. AIBU?

OP posts:
MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira · 14/09/2024 06:59

Do they want shaved heads?

Procrastinates · 14/09/2024 07:01

Seems very drastic. It's perfectly possible to sort out the issue without shaving their heads it will just take a bit of patience.

Mumistiredzzzz · 14/09/2024 07:02

Don't be lazy, treat their hair properly. I imagine they won’t be fond of this sounds like this could be a bit of an understatement.

ThatHappyAmberDog · 14/09/2024 07:03

Procrastinates · 14/09/2024 07:01

Seems very drastic. It's perfectly possible to sort out the issue without shaving their heads it will just take a bit of patience.

This is true but it’s only a buzz cut. I’m a working single mother so I don’t want them to spread lice at school hence why I want to treat them asap.

OP posts:
Ponoka7 · 14/09/2024 07:03

How do they wear it for school? You wouldn't shave their heads if they were girls, you'd have to treat and follow up with preventive measures.

Glassfullofdreams · 14/09/2024 07:04

Imagine if you had daughters.

No, just do it properly. When you catch them are you going to shave your own head?

Workingtosurvivenotthrive · 14/09/2024 07:04

Absolutely not, unless they actually want it cut like that it's not fair. Both my girls had it last year, they have long thick hair and it took hours and hours and three rounds of treatment but it does work you just have to persevere. I did threaten to cut it shorter to make it easier/quicker when they were complaining about how long it was taking etc but I wouldn't have done it.

You just have to put up with it and persevere. It's annoying, but cutting their hair against their will would be traumatic.

ThatHappyAmberDog · 14/09/2024 07:05

Ponoka7 · 14/09/2024 07:03

How do they wear it for school? You wouldn't shave their heads if they were girls, you'd have to treat and follow up with preventive measures.

They just have very very thick hair and so it’s difficult to treat when I work so many hours

OP posts:
IkeaMeatballGravy · 14/09/2024 07:06

How would you treat it if it was your daughter's hair?

Don't choose the lazy option, treat the poor kids properly and let them keep their hair how they like it.

MayFairSquare · 14/09/2024 07:06

I wouldn't buzz cut the heads of a nine and eleven year old against their will.

Nobody wants to treat their children's hair for nits. It's just something that happens and has to be dealt with.

Procrastinates · 14/09/2024 07:06

ThatHappyAmberDog · 14/09/2024 07:03

This is true but it’s only a buzz cut. I’m a working single mother so I don’t want them to spread lice at school hence why I want to treat them asap.

I appreciate it's effort but the whole I'm a single mother thing is just silly. Lots of parents are in the same situation and do it. Just sit them each down over the weekend treat and comb.

Serop · 14/09/2024 07:06

I always just shave my son's head when he get lice. He's got very think, curly hair and the treatment is a nightmare. He's not yet of an age where he is bothered about appearance so he doesn't really care what hair style he has. He would mush rather have the hair cut than endure the treatment.

saraclara · 14/09/2024 07:06

Would you do that to a daughter? I'm guessing not. Or at least I hope you wouldn't. So give them the same respect and just get on with the treatment like everyone else does.

My daughters both had really thick long hair. I'd sit them in front of the TV and just comb those things out with conditioner. But there are much better treatments now, so stop making it an insurmountable job.

IkeaMeatballGravy · 14/09/2024 07:08

Plus other kids at school notice these things, your sons risk being bullied if they turn up scratching one day and coming in with an unflattering home buzz cut the next.

ThatHappyAmberDog · 14/09/2024 07:08

saraclara · 14/09/2024 07:06

Would you do that to a daughter? I'm guessing not. Or at least I hope you wouldn't. So give them the same respect and just get on with the treatment like everyone else does.

My daughters both had really thick long hair. I'd sit them in front of the TV and just comb those things out with conditioner. But there are much better treatments now, so stop making it an insurmountable job.

Edited

I think they’ll like it once it’s done.

OP posts:
NoraLuka · 14/09/2024 07:09

Just ask them what they’d prefer: hours of lice treatment or short hair. Even if only one of them wants their hair cut it will still save time. It doesn’t even have to be a number 1 or 2 cut.

Edit: do you know anyone who is used to clipping hair who could do it? They might be able to shorten it without shaving completely.

msbevvy · 14/09/2024 07:11

Ponoka7 · 14/09/2024 07:03

How do they wear it for school? You wouldn't shave their heads if they were girls, you'd have to treat and follow up with preventive measures.

I have seen plenty of young girls with buzz cuts in our area.

IkeaMeatballGravy · 14/09/2024 07:11

ThatHappyAmberDog · 14/09/2024 07:08

I think they’ll like it once it’s done.

So why didn't they cut it short before? They won't have much choice but to live with it once it's done.

Procrastinates · 14/09/2024 07:12

msbevvy · 14/09/2024 07:11

I have seen plenty of young girls with buzz cuts in our area.

Really? I find that very surprising. I visit a lot of primary schools and these days it's rare to even see a bob.

pinkstripeycat · 14/09/2024 07:13

A boy at my sons primary school had his hair shaved off when he got nits because his mother couldn’t be bothered to treat the problem.

He got destroyed by the other kids who assumed he had nits for this drastic transformation. Going from thick hair to no hair looked awful. Felt so sorry for him.

pinkstripeycat · 14/09/2024 07:14

msbevvy · 14/09/2024 07:11

I have seen plenty of young girls with buzz cuts in our area.

No you haven’t 😂

Bogeyes · 14/09/2024 07:15

Don't forget to buzz your own head first so you can feel the shame too

msbevvy · 14/09/2024 07:18

pinkstripeycat · 14/09/2024 07:14

No you haven’t 😂

I certainly have. You must live in a much more affluent area than I do. I strongly suspect that these haircuts are directly connected to head lice outbreaks.

Weedoormatnomore · 14/09/2024 07:19

Is your 11 Yr old at secondary if so he could be picked on.
I am confused you posted this morning your going to buzz cut their hair after school it's Saturday today!

Procrastinates · 14/09/2024 07:21

msbevvy · 14/09/2024 07:18

I certainly have. You must live in a much more affluent area than I do. I strongly suspect that these haircuts are directly connected to head lice outbreaks.

Are you seriously implying that those in less affluent areas just shave their kids hair if they get headline??? I live in a very deprived area and can assure you that no one is buzz cutting kids hair whether they are male or female. Hmm