My daughter wants her hair cut short

[Pollypower]

Going to hairdressers today. She has long wavy hair. She is asking for very short hair - like bob length shoulder length. Im happy to get her what she wants but before I do I wanted to check if anyone has experience of their child going from long to short. Was it easier to style? Less tugs? Did your child like it.

It's just a haircut, it will be fine. Easier for her to manage herself and kinder to your hoover.

Shoulder length is not very short. It will be easier to manage. Is she leaving it long enough to tie back in a small pony tail?

That's not very short!

Dd had hers all chopped age 9, from waist length. It looked lovely on her, it was longer at the front and shaped in to her neck at the back. Now she has it around chin length all round, her choice. Much easier to wash, no need to style beyond a quick brush, no more missing hair clips and bobbles! She can just about tie it back for PE & science and has a hairband round her wrist at all times 🤣

If it’s long enough, consider donating it to the little Princess trust. Dd was so proud that her hair could help another child.

If you're worried she might regret it, she could go shorter in two stages.

Great, go for it! The nice thing about hair is that it grows, so a short style does not have to be forever. When I was a child (70/80s) short hair in girls was much more common (mine was short, then long, then short again etc) why is that no longer so?

My dd has a pixie cut. It’s great - barely needs brushing (it used to be a pain as it’s very fine), no need for hair bobbles, dries quickly after swimming. She started with long hair, then chin length bob, but the shorter it got the more she liked it. People do assume she’s a boy, but that doesn’t seem to phase her.

Talk to the hairdresser about making sure it’s easy for her to manage, and also about a shape that will suit her face. But what she wants doesn’t sound problematic.

Shoulder length isn't "very short"! I'd call it medium length.

Shoulder length or a bob is not 'very short'.

I really disagree with telling a child she can't have her own hair cut or persuading her to have it longer than she wants. It's her hair and it's just hair. If she regrets it then so what?

You don't say how old she is but this is absolutely something a lot of girls start to do when they are about eight.

DD (5) had hers chopped into a chin length bob last year. It looked fab and was so easy for washing etc. It has grown incredibly quickly so even if they regret it it takes very little time to grow long again.

My DD cut 22 inches off and went to a pixie cut.

I hated it. Absolutely hated it. But the only words I said were "you look lovely, are you happy" because it wasn't my hair.

Thankfully it's growing back (as hair does) and even though we're now at the "god awful" stage, that too shall pass.

Bob length is better because you can still do stuff with it. I found shorter hair harder to actually maintain....because it needs to be kept short....

Let her do it. It grows back.

When I was 11/12 I begged my mum to let me have my waist length hair cut in a chin length bob.

It took me months to persuade her but she eventually relented.

I'm 41 now and apart from growing it out for my wedding it's been short ever since!

Varying styles from a collarbone angled bob to current very short quiff with a skin fade.

Let her do it, some of us were just born to rock short edgy styles

It’s really weird isn’t it? I have noticed in the last couple of years a FEW more women with shortish hair, but more collar length than short short - and the vast majority still medium to long.

I don’t mind it either way, it’s just so noticeably different from the 70s and 80s. Also at least in the 80s and early 90s lots of young men had long hair, which is v unusual now. I think we must have collectively decided we needed more sex distinction.

Just another consideration- I had my long wavy hair cut from very long to shorter as a child and it went really curly! It did not last and now whatever length I have it it is just wavy.

Personally all children should be able to chose their hair style within reason

Fashion tends to go in cycles - it wouldn't surprise me if short hair for women comes back in to fashion soon.

I've had the same hairstyle for the last 40 years and have no plans to change it

@Luredbyapomegranate exactly that. I looked at some old school photos- right up to A level, and it's more of a 50/50 split. And only one of my friends had "long blonde hair" despite there being plenty of natural blondes (me included - continental Europe). Let's not mention the frizzy perms though 😂

Be grateful it's just a bob.

My 13yo and all her mates now have mullets!

It's hair, it grows and as long as its not going to cause any issues with school or a ridiculous amount of maintenance it will be fine.

If it's just shoulder length hair it will just grow out neatly if they decide they don't like it any more.

My daughter (5) went from hair well below her shoulders to very short (it's a shortish 'boy' haircut). She was fine with it and the hairdresser said she could donate her hair to the princess trust, which she was very happy about. She's been perfectly happy since; she doesn't seem upset that people tend to think she's a boy. But both her mother and I have very short hair and people regularly think my DP is a man, so she has a context for it and doesn't see it as a negative thing.

My dd did the same at 5 then let it grow out. She has beautiful hair, lucky thing.

Great, you will all love it.

She will love the freedom of having short hair.
I cut my hair when I was 11.

Mine went from mid back length to a pixie cut when 5.
Never grew it long again and at 16 has a fade cut 😳

Mine went from VERY long to extremely short (boyish style) in one chop. It's only hair, it grows back. If you can't play around with your appearance when you're young, when can you?
Mine loved it and has kept it.

Ooh yes as PP said she also donated to Princess Trust. But you need to tell hairdresser at start of appointment. They need to wash (not condition) then dry and put in ponytail, and cut off the ponytail to donate.
The donated hair needs to be clean and dry in a ponytail and no conditioner.

After the ponytail chop you can condition and carry on with the haircut.

Post the ponytail off to the address on their website.