Daughter refuses to let me do anything with her hair - when/will she grow out of it?

[Mybobowler]

She's three, going on forty five. Knows precisely what she wants, and woe betide anyone who gets it wrong.

This has now extended to her hair - she will gracelessly allow it to be washed and brushed, but she won't let me tie it up or clip it back off her face. She won't even have it tucked behind her ears. Her hair is a bit wild - quite fine but she has loads of it and it has a wave to it, so it tangles really easily.

I know it's a small thing, but it's driving me potty. She looks so scruffy all the time, she's constantly having to shake her head to get her hair out of her face and now that the summer is approaching, it's going to get so manky with suncream.

Because of this, I'll keep it cut in a fairly short bob with a fringe. But can anyone else relate? Will she just spontaneously grow out of it?!

Mine is almost 4 and the same. I put a fringe in, in the end as it was a nightmare over her face.

Why not go shorter than a Bob with a pixie cut? Sun cream won't get mixed with it and you can remove the problem for both of you, hair washes will be quick and it can dry on its own.

DD used to like having really short hair as it didn't get in her way and she didn't need it putting up. She's 12 now and cycles between short short and shoulder length depending on the time of year, short for summer longer in winter.

Have you taken her to look at clips and bobbles when out shopping, would she choose something and wear it ?

Mine is just over 4 and only just letting me do things with her hair, but still only on days when she allows it (and only "Elsa hair" ie. a side plait lol).

She also has crazy wavy hair which tangles easily, so I feel your pain. I decided it wasn't worth the battle in the end and just embraced the scruffy child look

Cut it off?

My DD was the same. She’s almost 4 and has suddenly decided she wants plaits as a girl at nursery has them. She kept plaits in all day yesterday and so I’ve agreed to growing her hair out a bit. It was a bob with fringe. So hairdresser today will be asked just to do a little trim.
I think it also help that she suddenly decided to wear goggles for swimming (had been trying to get her to for a year!) and needs a pony tail in to keep them up.
There’s no reasoning with them is there!

Thanks everyone. I'm glad it's not just mine! I think I will cut it shorter for now, just to keep it a bit neater. Between her refusal to have her hair touched and her slightly dodgy fashion sense, I think I'm going to have to embrace her looking permanently scruffy.

I should say, I have tried buying new clips, headbands and bobbles, and promises that she'll look like Elsa but she's not falling for it.

I hate to tell you that mine is 13 and I can count on one hand how many times she’s had clips or bobbles! She is will to brush it once a day and that’s it.. so she just sports her wild bob and I don’t worry about it!

I’m glad it’s not just me lmao mine always looks scruffy because she screams and hyperventilates if I brush or put it up lol